Speaking of Mexico City...

Today prolife Senators tried to make the Mexico City policy a law of the land, removing it from the whim of any one president. This would have restored dignity to America's foreign policy, made ignominious by the President's decision to allow American and foreign agencies receiving US tax dollars to promote and do abortions.

In the Senate 23 of 24 Catholics voted. Here is the Tally:

Voting consistent with a Catholic conscience (6):
Brownback (R-KS); Bunning (R-KY); Johanns (R-NE); Martinez (R-FL); Risch (R-ID) and Vitter (R-LA).

Voting contrary to a Catholic conscience and in violation of the positive obligation of Catholic policiticians (17):
Collins (R-ME) and Murkowski (R-AK); Begich (D-AK); Cantwell (D-WA); Dodd (D-CT); Durbin (D-IL); Gillibrand (D-NY); Harkin (D-IA); Kaufman (D-DE); Kerry (D-MA); Landrieu (D-LA); Leahy (D-VT); McCaskill (D-MO); Menendez (D-NJ); Mikulski (D-MD); Murray (D-WV); and Reed (D-RI).

Not present: Kennedy (D-MA).

Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et spes), Second Vatican Council, 1965:
51. ... For God, the Lord of life, has conferred on men the surpassing ministry of safeguarding life in a manner which is worthy of man. Therefore from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes.

Encyclical Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life), Pope John Paul II, 1995:
20 ... To claim the right to abortion, infanticide and euthanasia, and to recognize that right in law, means to attribute to human freedom a perverse and evil significance: that of an absolute power over others and against others. This is the death of true freedom: "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin" (Jn 8:34).

57. ... Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his Successors, and in communion with the Bishops of the Catholic Church, I confirm that the direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always gravely immoral. This doctrine, based upon that unwritten law which man, in the light of reason, finds in his own heart (cf. Rom 2:14-15), is reaffirmed by Sacred Scripture, transmitted by the Tradition of the Church and taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium.

The deliberate decision to deprive an innocent human being of his life is always morally evil and can never be licit either as an end in itself or as a means to a good end. It is in fact a grave act of disobedience to the moral law, and indeed to God himself, the author and guarantor of that law; it contradicts the fundamental virtues of justice and charity. "Nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a fetus or an embryo, an infant or an adult, an old person, or one suffering from an incurable disease, or a person who is dying. Furthermore, no one is permitted to ask for this act of killing, either for himself or herself or for another person entrusted to his or her care, nor can he or she consent to it, either explicitly or implicitly. Nor can any authority legitimately recommend or permit such an action".52

Declaration on Procured Abortion, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1991:
22. It must in any case be clearly understood that whatever may be laid down by civil law in this matter, man can never obey a law which is in itself immoral, and such is the case of a law which would admit in principle the licitness of abortion. Nor can he take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or vote for it.

Participation of Catholics in Political Life, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2002:
3. ... On the level of concrete political action, there can generally be a plurality of political parties in which Catholics may exercise – especially through legislative assemblies – their right and duty to contribute to the public life of their country. This arises because of the contingent nature of certain choices regarding the ordering of society, the variety of strategies available for accomplishing or guaranteeing the same fundamental value, the possibility of different interpretations of the basic principles of political theory, and the technical complexity of many political problems. It should not be confused, however, with an ambiguous pluralism in the choice of moral principles or essential values. The legitimate plurality of temporal options is at the origin of the commitment of Catholics to politics and relates directly to Christian moral and social teaching. It is in the light of this teaching that lay Catholics must assess their participation in political life so as to be sure that it is marked by a coherent responsibility for temporal reality.

4. ... When political activity comes up against moral principles that do not admit of exception, compromise or derogation, the Catholic commitment becomes more evident and laden with responsibility. In the face of fundamental and inalienable ethical demands, Christians must recognize that what is at stake is the essence of the moral law, which concerns the integral good of the human person. This is the case with laws concerning abortion and euthanasia (not to be confused with the decision to forgo extraordinary treatments, which is morally legitimate). Such laws must defend the basic right to life from conception to natural death. In the same way, it is necessary to recall the duty to respect and protect the rights of the human embryo. Analogously, the family needs to be safeguarded and promoted, based on monogamous marriage between a man and a woman, and protected in its unity and stability in the face of modern laws on divorce: in no way can other forms of cohabitation be placed on the same level as marriage, nor can they receive legal recognition as such.

Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (2004):
5. Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person’s formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.


For more on the political responsibilities of Catholics go to: A Guide to Catholic Teaching and Voting