tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9531808.post112664263705349540..comments2023-07-05T04:15:25.944-05:00Comments on Musings of a Discerning Woman: feeling homeless on abortionSusan Rose Francois, CSJPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09801188192396918147noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9531808.post-1126741834879710562005-09-14T18:50:00.000-05:002005-09-14T18:50:00.000-05:00Speaking as someone from the generation that came ...Speaking as someone from the generation that came of age in the 60s - that wild and contentious group - I think you all have hold of truth, and I wish everyone in every prochoice/prolife interest group would read your blog, Susan, and all the comments. Thanks to all for the clearheaded and clearhearted thinking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9531808.post-1126727853942392232005-09-14T14:57:00.000-05:002005-09-14T14:57:00.000-05:00>>Judge Roberts, there are many subjects of enormo...>>Judge Roberts, there are many subjects of enormous importance that you will be asked about in this confirmation hearing, but I start with the central issue which perhaps concerns most Americans, and that is the issue of the woman's right to choose and Roe v. Wade.<<<BR/><BR/>Your cooments match my thoughts posted on Saturday to some extent, so I won't re-write it here. However, today on Channel One (gotta love school TV!), they were showing part of the Roberts confirmation hearings. With Sen. Specter's opening comment (above), the other teacher and I both looked at each other as we suddenly realized: "Of <B>course</B>! If only we could settle that silly little abortion issue for once and for all, then all the problems facing our society today would be resolved."<BR/><BR/>At least .... that's how some people make it sound ....Steph Youstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12799345194981358171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9531808.post-1126723512206301192005-09-14T13:45:00.000-05:002005-09-14T13:45:00.000-05:00Reading the comments, what I find interesting is t...Reading the comments, what I find interesting is that they are all 3 from men who are discerning vocations (or in formation) to the priesthood.<BR/><BR/>For one thing, I'm impressed that as men you've developed such a nuanced opinion to the point that you get my feeling homeless.<BR/><BR/>And I'll admit that like Richard, it was in part my discernment process that got me to move a bit further from my friends in the pro-choice camp and more to a point of realizing God values ALL life.Susan Rose Francois, CSJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09801188192396918147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9531808.post-1126719588982474382005-09-14T12:39:00.000-05:002005-09-14T12:39:00.000-05:00I, too, have felt homeless in the arena of abortio...I, too, have felt homeless in the arena of abortion over the years; however, my own discernment has taken me down the path that believes in the dignity of life. We have an obligation to respect life from the love that leads to conception through death, burial, and remembrance. By focusing on Court decisions and laws, as you said Susan, we have made an issue out of the issue itself.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07836965210945014619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9531808.post-1126711214339131772005-09-14T10:20:00.000-05:002005-09-14T10:20:00.000-05:00Thanks Guys! So nice to have bloggy friends who g...Thanks Guys! So nice to have bloggy friends who get it. No, I'm not politically homeless. I am the daughter of a democratic politician after all. But on this issue, I'm often at odds. It's so often black and white, when the reality is in shades of grey.<BR/><BR/>I do wonder if this is a generational thing. Are there more of us (the Roe generation) who grew up with this issue in our face constantly, particularly in the Church, and yet see that focusing on one aspect of life so specifically is really not very productive?<BR/><BR/>Perhaps there are. Perhaps there's change in the wind? We can hope. And praySusan Rose Francois, CSJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09801188192396918147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9531808.post-1126707364121574422005-09-14T09:16:00.000-05:002005-09-14T09:16:00.000-05:00Susan, I think there is a growing population which...Susan, I think there is a growing population which feels as you do. Politicians and religious leaders have made abortion <I>the</I> issue by which political affiliation is measured, along with gay marriage.<BR/><BR/>I'm uncomfortable with groups that claim the lable "Pro-Life" when what they really are promoting is a strictly "anti-abortion" agenda.<BR/><BR/>That includes politicians who claim to promote a "culture of life" while waging questionably justified wars, allowing poverty to increase, and continuing to sign death warrants to prisoners sentenced to execution.<BR/><BR/>I'm uncomfortable with bishops who make announcements that the only issue worth voting on is overturning Roe v. Wade, while not having the same courage to speak out and challenge politicians on war and poverty.<BR/><BR/>I don't think that overturning Roe v. Wade will have the affect of abortion-reduction that the anti-abortion camp would like. Not now, after over 30 years of legal abortion. And you're right that there are other ways to truly reduce abortion rates without focusing on an old court case that probably won't be overturned anyway.<BR/><BR/>I have to say that politically at least I don't actually feel homeless. I have a strong opinion on which party actually has a more realistic chance to reduce abortion, even though their platform includes maintaining the status quo on legal abortion. The 95-10 Initiative is just such a specific effort. You can find details on the Democrats for life website, www.democraticsforlife.org .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9531808.post-1126663114210627462005-09-13T20:58:00.000-05:002005-09-13T20:58:00.000-05:00Though I am unreservedly pro-life on all life issu...Though I am unreservedly pro-life on all life issues, and because of that, I have felt homeless for a very long time. I think this is a common experience of our generation and perhaps this has something to do with the fact that the generations which preceded us in the Church tried so hard to be accepted as American and Catholic that they sometimes chose the first to the detriment of the second. The result, in my experience is that the Church has become polarized not on religious lines, but on political ones. Too many Catholics have "sold out" to one or another political party in order to fit in. The result is that those of us who see the shortcomings of both parties (and if you are pro-life on all issues you can't help but see them), and thus of the different polarities in the Church, don't quite seem to fit in. But, hey, Jesus didn't fit in with the categories of the Church of his day either. Maybe his statement that he had "no where to lie his head" was more than just a statement of actual homelessness!!<BR/><BR/>So, you're not homeless alone!!<BR/><BR/>Peace,<BR/><BR/>MarkMark Mossa, SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14336497794751332013noreply@blogger.com