While politicians are always eager to garner support from the electorate, the Church should be circumspect about being willing pawns in the political game; even if the results appear to be beneficial. Does anyone truly believe that Governor Cuomo cares a whit how education tax credits will help the Church? He didn't seem to care about the Church's position when he was "muscling" same sex "marriage" through the legislature without permitting a popular vote on the issue. He has tried year after year to expand abortion in New York, a State that is already known as the abortion capital of the U.S. His pro-abortion agenda includes making any attempt at parental notification laws and informed consent laws illegal. He wants to permit non-physicians to perform first trimester abortions and remove any sanctions for abortions after 24 weeks (see this article). Is this the kind of person Catholics want to give a photo op on Church property?
And, the most upsetting aspect of Cuomo's use of the Church in his political strategy, was that we gave him the forum to speak AT HOLY MASS!! Honestly, this fact is so disturbing as to be almost unbelievable. So many courageous people in this diocese pour themselves out praying and counseling at the abortuaries that plague our area. The decimation of the minority population of Brooklyn and Queens through the slaughter of the unborn truly cries out to heaven for justice.
So, when our local Church cooperates with the politician who is hard at work expanding the slaughter of the innocents, it is disheartening to say the least. To paraphrase the words of St. Thomas More in the classic A Man for All Seasons, "Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world...but for a tax credit?"
Photos of our visit to St. Jude’s Shrine Church to discuss Parental Choice in Education Act: https://t.co/jC48BcrA6u pic.twitter.com/XP2ZSr4w8n
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 17, 2015