Bishop Tobin strikes again - this time, blasting Mandela's support for abortion bill
The Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, today offered the following statement regarding the death of Nelson Mandela.
Many people around the world and in our own nation are mourning the loss of former South African President Nelson Mandela. Indeed there is much to admire in Mandelas long life and public service, particularly his personal courage and his stalwart defense of human rights.
There is part of President Mandelas legacy, however, that is not at all praiseworthy, namely his shameful promotion of abortion in South Africa. In 1996 Mandela promoted and signed into law the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Bill that, according to the New York Times, replaced one of the worlds toughest abortion laws with one of the most liberal.
While we pray for the peaceful repose of President Mandelas immortal soul and the forgiveness of his sins, we can only regret that his noble defense of human dignity did not include the youngest members of our human family, unborn children.
http://www.diocesepvd.org/12-08-13-statement-of-bishop-tobin-on-the-death-of-nelson-mandela/
rug
(82,333 posts)Fortinbras Armstrong
(4,473 posts)No Vested Interest
(5,170 posts)IrishAyes
(6,151 posts)IrishAyes
(6,151 posts)47of74
(18,470 posts)Backhanded comments about Mandela are not welcome.
rustbeltvoice
(432 posts)Before coming to Rhode Island, he had been in Youngstown, and before that Pittsburgh. How was he remembered there?
I have come to the belief, that, the United States has a lousy contingent of bishops, perhaps the worst on the planet. The one that has devastated my diocese (Cleveland) is Richard Lennon. I have two personal questions that i want answers to from him, the first is "Why did you become a priest?".
These church administrators have become part of the Republican party. Tobin publicly announced his change of party to the Rhody Young Republicans, but he is not alone in this sort of partisanship. He is a pastor that does not like his sheep.
Tobin has criticised our present pope. Francis does not measure up to Tobin's standards. Francis has a theology and pastorate beyond the pelvic issues. Perhaps, there is more that bishops like Tobin, Burke, and Chaput do not approve of in Francis.
It is true that many people have a monomania concerning abortion. And i have seen, it is not embarrassed with instances of hypocrisy, and in US politics this is used for the advantage of the Republican party, but this is but a small issue in Republican governmental concern.
Now, with this political critical obituary that Tobin has issued, will he issue others of a critical nature? If he is bishop when a bush, rumsfeld, rice, or cheney and any of his minions die, will Tobin mention any of their grave sins? Somehow, i think Republicans get a pass.
47of74
(18,470 posts)I wish the church could go back to the system that existed in the first centuries of the church where the Bishops were elected by the local community. It wouldn't solve all the problems, but I think we might get Bishops who are concerned with things other than what people do with their genitals.