I was afraid this would happen. The coda on Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter to Cardinal McCarrick about pro-abortion politicians receiving Communion talked about proportional reasons for voting for such a candidate. Fr. Andrew Greeley takes that to mean that Catholics can vote for any pro-abortion candidate they want, as long as they themselves are not pro-abortion. He’s wrong and misunderstands the cardinal. Whether intentionally or not, I can’t say.
Meanwhile, Bishop Robert Carlson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, interprets Ratzinger correctly.
“If one had a properly formed conscience admitting the grave evil of abortion and euthanasia, as the Church teaches, and does not share a candidate’s stand in favor of abortion and euthanasia, but votes for the candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation which can be permitted, Cardinal Ratzinger states, if proportionate reasons are present, e.g., the candidate would limit abortions.”
