Bishop Robert E. Barron speaks June 11, 2019, on the first day of the spring general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)
Boston, Mass., Feb 2, 2023 / 12:45 pm (CNA).
Winona-Rochester Bishop Robert Barron called a newly passed Minnesota abortion bill that enshrines abortion rights into law “the worst kind of barbarism.”
“I want to share with you my anger, my frustration over this terrible law that was just signed by the governor in Minnesota — the most really extreme abortion law that’s on the books in the wake of the Roe v. Wade reversal,” Barron said in a Jan. 31 video on social media following Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s signing of the bill on Tuesday.
The bill, titled the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act, enshrines a constitutional right to “reproductive freedom,” ensuring the right to abortion in Minnesota up to birth for any reason, as well as the right to contraception and sterilization.
“Basically, it eliminates any kind of parental notifications so a 12-year-old child can get an abortion without even telling her parents about it,” Barron said.
“But the worst thing,” he added, “is it basically permits abortion all the way through pregnancy up to the very end. And indeed, indeed if a child somehow survives a botched abortion, the law now prohibits an attempt to save that child’s life.”
Protection for abortion in the state had preexisted the new law because the state’s Supreme Court ruled in the 1995 decision Doe v. Gomez that a woman had a constitutional right to abortion. Several restrictions to abortion in the state have also been ruled unconstitutional in the courts in prior years, the AP reported. Sponsors of the bill supported it because they wanted abortion protections in law, despite the political leaning of future appointed justices, the AP reported.
Pro-life advocates fiercely opposed the bill, as it gained national attention and underwent several hours of debate in the state Senate. The pro-life advocacy organization Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called the legislation “the most extreme bill in the country.”
Barron said that “I don’t know why this is really debated anymore in our country, but this strikes me as just the worst kind of barbarism. And in the name of, I don’t know, subjectivity, and freedom, and choice and all this, we’re accepting this kind of brutality.”
Barron’s condemnation of the law echoes that of the Minnesota bishops who raised their voices against it before its passage.
The states’ bishops wrote in a Jan. 26 statement: “To assert such unlimited autonomy is to usurp a prerogative that belongs to God alone. Authorizing a general license to make and take life at our whim will unleash a host of social and spiritual consequences with which we as a community will have to reckon.”
In his video, Barron added: “What strikes me is this: If a child is born and now a day old, or two days old and resting peacefully in his bassinet and someone broke into the house and with a knife killed the child and dismembered him, well, the whole country would rise up in righteous indignation.”
Friends, there is a morally outrageous bill that has now been signed into law by @GovTimWalz. This bill is the most radical abortion law in the country. We must continue to stand against this barbarism. Pray for the conversion of hearts and minds. pic.twitter.com/9A2CI3Xq5w
“But yet, that same thing can happen with complete impunity as the child is in his mother’s womb about to be born. Again, I just think this is so beyond the pale and that we’ve so lost our way on this issue,” he said.
He acknowledged that there was no possibility of blocking the now-enacted legislation, but said that “we can certainly keep raising our voices in protest.”
“We can keep praying for an end to this barbaric regime in our country,” he said.
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Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Oct. 5, 2016. / Daniel Ibanez/CNA.
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 13, 2023 / 13:15 pm (CNA).
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the election of Pope Francis as the 265th successor of St. Peter. Here is a timeline of key events during his papacy:
2013
March 13 — About two weeks after Pope Benedict XVI steps down from the papacy, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio is elected pope. He takes the papal name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi and proclaims from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Let us begin this journey, the bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome, which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another.”
March 14 — The day after he begins his pontificate, Pope Francis returns to his hotel to personally pay his hotel bill and collect his luggage.
July 8 — Pope Francis visits Italy’s island of Lampedusa and meets with a group of 50 migrants, most of whom are young men from Somalia and Eritrea. The island, which is about 200 miles off the coast of Tunisia, is a common entry point for migrants who flee parts of Africa and the Middle East to enter Europe. This is the pope’s first pastoral visit outside of Rome and sets the stage for making reaching out to the peripheries a significant focus.
Pope Francis gives the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 2, 2013. . Elise Harris/CNA.
July 23–28 — Pope Francis visits Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in World Youth Day 2013. More than 3 million people from around the world attend the event.
July 29 — On the return flight from Brazil, Pope Francis gives his first papal news conference and sparks controversy by saying “if a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?” The phrase is prompted by a reporter asking the pope a question about priests who have homosexual attraction.
Nov. 24 — Pope Francis publishes his first apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). The document illustrates the pope’s vision for how to approach evangelization in the modern world.
2014
Feb. 22 — Pope Francis holds his first papal consistory to appoint 19 new cardinals, including ones from countries in the developing world that have never previously been represented in the College of Cardinals, such as Haiti.
March 22 — Pope Francis creates the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The commission works to protect the dignity of minors and vulnerable adults, such as the victims of sexual abuse.
Pope Francis greets pilgrims during his general audience on Nov. 29, 2014. Bohumil Petrik/CNA.
Oct. 5 — The Synod on the Family begins. The bishops discuss a variety of concerns, including single-parent homes, cohabitation, homosexual adoption of children, and interreligious marriages.
Dec. 6 — After facing some pushback for his efforts to reform the Roman Curia, Pope Francis discusses his opinion in an interview with La Nacion, an Argentine news outlet: “Resistance is now evident. And that is a good sign for me, getting the resistance out into the open, no stealthy mumbling when there is disagreement. It’s healthy to get things out into the open, it’s very healthy.”
2015
Jan. 18 — To conclude a trip to Asia, Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Manila, Philippines. Approximately 6 million to 7 million people attend the record-setting Mass, despite heavy rain.
March 23 — Pope Francis visits Naples, Italy, to show the Church’s commitment to helping the fight against corruption and organized crime in the city.
May 24 — To emphasize the Church’s mission to combat global warming and care for the environment, Pope Francis publishes the encyclical Laudato si’, which urges people to take care of the environment and encourages political action to address climate problems.
Pope Francis at a Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square on June 17, 2015. Bohumil Petrik.
Sept. 19–22 — Pope Francis visits Cuba and meets with Fidel Castro in the first papal visit to the country since Pope John Paul II in 1998. During his homily, Francis discusses the dignity of the human person: “Being a Christian entails promoting the dignity of our brothers and sisters, fighting for it, living for it.”
Sept. 22–27 — After departing from Cuba, Pope Francis makes his first papal visit to the United States. In Washington, D.C., he speaks to a joint session of Congress, in which he urges lawmakers to work toward promoting the common good, and canonizes the Franciscan missionary St. Junípero Serra. He also attends the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, which focuses on celebrating the gift of the family.
Oct. 4 — Pope Francis begins the second Synod on the Family to address issues within the modern family, such as single-parent homes, cohabitation, poverty, and abuse.
Oct. 18 — The pope canonizes St. Louis Martin and St. Marie-Azélie “Zelie” Guérin. The married couple were parents to five nuns, including St. Therese of Lisieux. They are the first married couple to be canonized together.
Dec. 8 — Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy begins. The year focuses on God’s mercy and forgiveness and people’s redemption from sin. The pope delegates certain priests in each diocese to be Missionaries of Mercy who have the authority to forgive sins that are usually reserved for the Holy See.
2016
March 19 — Pope Francis publishes the apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia, which discusses a wide variety of issues facing the modern family based on discussions from the two synods on the family. The pope garners significant controversy from within the Church for comments he makes in Chapter 8 about Communion for the divorced and remarried.
April 16 — After visiting refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos, Pope Francis allows three Muslim refugee families to join him on his flight back to Rome. He says the move was not a political statement.
Pope Francis at the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Feb. 24, 2016. Daniel Ibanez/CNA.
July 26–31 — Pope Francis visits Krakow, Poland, as part of the World Youth Day festivities. About 3 million young Catholic pilgrims from around the world attend.
Sept. 4 — The pope canonizes St. Teresa of Calcutta, who is also known as Mother Teresa. The saint, a nun from Albania, dedicated her life to missionary and charity work, primarily in India.
Sept. 30–Oct. 2 — Pope Francis visits Georgia and Azerbaijan on his 16th trip outside of Rome since the start of his papacy. His trip focuses on Catholic relations with Orthodox Christians and Muslims.
Oct. 4 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to Amatrice, Italy, to pray for the victims of an earthquake in central Italy that killed nearly 300 people.
2017
May 12–13 — In another papal trip, Francis travels to Fatima, Portugal, to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. May 13 marks the 100th anniversary of the first Marian apparition to three children in the city.
July 11 — Pope Francis adds another category of Christian life suitable for the consideration of sainthood: “offering of life.” The category is distinct from martyrdom, which only applies to someone who is killed for his or her faith. The new category applies to those who died prematurely through an offering of their life to God and neighbor.
Pope Francis greets a participant in the World Day of the Poor in Rome, Nov. 16, 2017. L’Osservatore Romano.
Nov. 19 — On the first-ever World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis eats lunch with 4,000 poor and people in need in Rome.
Nov. 27–Dec. 2 — In another trip to Asia, Pope Francis travels to Myanmar and Bangladesh. He visits landmarks and meets with government officials, Catholic clergy, and Buddhist monks. He also preaches the Gospel and promotes peace in the region.
2018
Jan. 15–21 — The pope takes another trip to Latin America, this time visiting Chile and Peru. The pontiff meets with government officials and members of the clergy while urging the faithful to remain close to the clergy and reject secularism. The Chilean visit leads to controversy over Chilean clergy sex abuse scandals.
Aug. 2 — The Vatican formally revises No. 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which concerns the death penalty. The previous text suggested the death penalty could be permissible in certain circumstances, but the revision states that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”
Aug. 25 — Archbishop Carlo Viganò, former papal nuncio to the United States, publishes an 11-page letter calling for the resignation of Pope Francis and accusing him and other Vatican officials of covering up sexual abuse including allegations against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The pope initially does not directly respond to the letter, but nine months after its publication he denies having prior knowledge about McCarrick’s conduct.
Aug. 25–26 — Pope Francis visits Dublin, Ireland, to attend the World Meeting of Families. The theme is “the Gospel of family, joy for the world.”
Pope Francis at the 2018 World Meeting of Families in Ireland. . Daniel Ibanez/CNA.
Oct. 3–28 — The Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment takes place. The synod focuses on best practices to teach the faith to young people and to help them discern God’s will.
2019
Jan. 22–27 — The third World Youth Day during Pope Francis’ pontificate takes place during these six days in Panama City, Panama. Young Catholics from around the world gather for the event, with approximately 3 million people in attendance.
Feb. 4 — Pope Francis signs a joint document in with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, titled the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” The document focuses on people of different faiths uniting together to live peacefully and advance a culture of mutual respect.
Pope Francis and Ahmed el-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar, signed a joint declaration on human fraternity during an interreligious meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Feb. 4, 2019. Vatican Media.
Feb. 21–24 — The Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church, which is labeled the Vatican Sexual Abuse Summit, takes place. The meeting focuses on sexual abuse scandals in the Church and emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and transparency.
Oct. 6–27 — The Church holds the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region, which is also known as the Amazon Synod. The synod is meant to present ways in which the Church can better evangelize the Amazon region but leads to controversy when carved images of a pregnant Amazonian woman, referred to by the pope as Pachamama, are used in several events and displayed in a basilica near the Vatican.
Oct. 13 — St. John Henry Newman, an Anglican convert to Catholicism and a cardinal, is canonized by Pope Francis. Newman’s writings inspired Catholic student associations at nonreligious colleges and universities in the United States and other countries.
2020
March 15 — Pope Francis takes a walking pilgrimage in Rome to the chapel of the crucifix and prays for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crucifix was carried through Rome during the plague of 1522.
March 27 — Pope Francis gives an extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing in an empty and rain-covered St. Peter’s Square, praying for the world during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pope Francis venerates the miraculous crucifix of San Marcello al Corso in St. Peter’s Square during his Urbi et Orbi blessing, March 27, 2020. Vatican Media.
2021
March 5–8 — In his first papal trip since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis becomes the first pope to visit Iraq. On his trip, he signs a joint statement with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemning extremism and promoting peace.
July 3 — Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis, is indicted in a Vatican court for embezzlement, money laundering, and other crimes. The pope gives approval for the indictment.
July 4 — Pope Francis undergoes colon surgery for diverticulitis, a common condition in older people. The Vatican releases a statement that assures the pope “reacted well” to the surgery. Francis is released from the hospital after 10 days.
July 16 — Pope Francis issues a motu proprio titled Traditionis custodes. The document imposes heavy restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.
Dec. 2–6 — The pope travels to Cyprus and Greece. The trip includes another visit to the Greek island of Lesbos to meet with migrants.
Pope Francis greets His Beatitude Ieronymos II in Athens, Greece on Dec. 5, 2021. Vatican Media
2022
Jan. 11 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to a record store in Rome called StereoSound. The pope, who has an affinity for classical music, blesses the newly renovated store.
March 19 — The pope promulgates Praedicate evangelium, which reforms the Roman Curia. The reforms emphasize evangelization and establish more opportunities for the laity to be in leadership positions.
May 5 — Pope Francis is seen in a wheelchair for the first time in public and begins to use one more frequently. The pope has been suffering from knee problems for months.
Pope Francis greeted the crowd in a wheelchair at the end of his general audience on Aug. 3, 2022. Daniel Ibanez/CNA
July 24–30 — In his first papal visit to Canada, Pope Francis apologizes for the harsh treatment of the indigenous Canadians, saying many Christians and members of the Catholic Church were complicit.
2023
Jan. 31–Feb. 5 — Pope Francis travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. During his visit, the pope condemns political violence in the countries and promotes peace. He also participates in an ecumenical prayer service with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the Church of Scotland Iain Greenshields.
Washington D.C., Nov 8, 2018 / 03:36 pm (CNA).- Following the 2018 mid-term elections, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Nov. 7 press conference that he alone has a plan for making pro-life progress, now that Democrats have taken control of the Hou… […]
CNA Staff, Mar 9, 2021 / 09:50 am (CNA).- Eighty-six Catholic women from 25 countries issued a letter Monday opposing what they called “abortion-tainted” COVID-19 vaccines, and arguing Church statements approving their use rely on “an… […]
8 Comments
I don’t agree with the bishop on many things but I do with this dystopian nightmare. I thought that once a child was born the culture of death agreement was that it became a child now with this law it can be butchered as soon as it’s clear of its mother (sorry: birthing partner!!!!!) This shows that abortion and LGBT rubbish come out of Hell!
Thanks to Bishop Barron for these comments. However.
The Minnesota House, Senate, and Govenor are all democrat controlled. After the Dobbs decision the state democrats said that the extreme abortion measure was a top priority. The House and Senate democrats voted for it, the republicans voted against it, and the democrat governor signed it.
The constant bishops’ and USCCB statements criticizing abortion laws without naming the political elephant in the room is getting old. Last year a democrat candidate for Georgia governor campaigned in a protestant church, and advocated for abortion. No problem there.
Last month the House passed a bill protecting babies born alive during an abortion attempt. All democrats, including 64 democrat Catholics, except one, voted against it. I didn’t see where any of their bishops admonished them by name.
In my state, (not Minnesota), a couple of bishops are registered democrats (information is online). Is this part of the problem?
If the information regarding the Bishop’s political affiliation is public, its too bad you didnt name them. It might provoke some awkward moments for them the next few times they find themselves making parish visits. The awkward moments might give them some pause about what they are doing. Since I am aware of the Democrats positions on many issues, I would be interested in knowing how the Bishops square their registration with church doctrine, and why they are supporting them?
Im afraid “ crusader “ nailed it. Too many bishops are late to the party or don’t attend at all. Im tired of hearing the admonition after the fact. But thank you bishop Barron for speaking out
Crusader hits the nail squarely when it comes to Catholic Democrats. For some reason, Catholic politicians, for the most part, seem to think that they can separate their personal religious beliefs from their political functions when voting for such death legislation. They are in for a very shocking surprise when they come face to face with God. The vote they cast is to enable them staying in power depending upon their voter base. To put it succinctly, one cannot be a true Catholic and support the Democrat platform when it comes to pro-life issues. Bishops out there that vote for Democratic candidates place their souls in peril. We must continue to pray that God will “wake” our bishops up and all “Catholic” politicians.
“Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’
“The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'”
– Gn 3.13
So then, it might be that these women who permit the fruit of their “love-making” to be left to die on the delivery table have been, like Eve, deceived by the snake.
What else does the party of permissiveness advocate? Are these people not subjects of the will of the snake? We know what that led to for Adam and Eve: Foul weather, disease, and death.
A price for this barbarism will be paid in this world or the next. It will be paid for both those who engaged in malfeasance and nonfeasance. The Catholic lawmakers and clergy that meet these conditions should be most concerned about the inevitable divine judgement.
Hats off to Crusader for his comment that cuts to the heart of what is going on here: “The Minnesota House, Senate, and Gove[r]nor are all democrat controlled.” The time for cheap talk from bishops like Bishop Barren that deals in sloppy generalities and superficial pietism is over. The Bishop Barren who now pontificates that “Minnesota’s new abortion law is the worst kind of barbarism” is the same Bishop Barren who pontificates that Hell is empty and everyone goes to Heaven. I would submit that this sort of episcopal nonsense is really “the worst kind of barbarism”.
I don’t agree with the bishop on many things but I do with this dystopian nightmare. I thought that once a child was born the culture of death agreement was that it became a child now with this law it can be butchered as soon as it’s clear of its mother (sorry: birthing partner!!!!!) This shows that abortion and LGBT rubbish come out of Hell!
Thanks to Bishop Barron for these comments. However.
The Minnesota House, Senate, and Govenor are all democrat controlled. After the Dobbs decision the state democrats said that the extreme abortion measure was a top priority. The House and Senate democrats voted for it, the republicans voted against it, and the democrat governor signed it.
The constant bishops’ and USCCB statements criticizing abortion laws without naming the political elephant in the room is getting old. Last year a democrat candidate for Georgia governor campaigned in a protestant church, and advocated for abortion. No problem there.
Last month the House passed a bill protecting babies born alive during an abortion attempt. All democrats, including 64 democrat Catholics, except one, voted against it. I didn’t see where any of their bishops admonished them by name.
In my state, (not Minnesota), a couple of bishops are registered democrats (information is online). Is this part of the problem?
If the information regarding the Bishop’s political affiliation is public, its too bad you didnt name them. It might provoke some awkward moments for them the next few times they find themselves making parish visits. The awkward moments might give them some pause about what they are doing. Since I am aware of the Democrats positions on many issues, I would be interested in knowing how the Bishops square their registration with church doctrine, and why they are supporting them?
Im afraid “ crusader “ nailed it. Too many bishops are late to the party or don’t attend at all. Im tired of hearing the admonition after the fact. But thank you bishop Barron for speaking out
Crusader hits the nail squarely when it comes to Catholic Democrats. For some reason, Catholic politicians, for the most part, seem to think that they can separate their personal religious beliefs from their political functions when voting for such death legislation. They are in for a very shocking surprise when they come face to face with God. The vote they cast is to enable them staying in power depending upon their voter base. To put it succinctly, one cannot be a true Catholic and support the Democrat platform when it comes to pro-life issues. Bishops out there that vote for Democratic candidates place their souls in peril. We must continue to pray that God will “wake” our bishops up and all “Catholic” politicians.
“Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’
“The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'”
– Gn 3.13
So then, it might be that these women who permit the fruit of their “love-making” to be left to die on the delivery table have been, like Eve, deceived by the snake.
What else does the party of permissiveness advocate? Are these people not subjects of the will of the snake? We know what that led to for Adam and Eve: Foul weather, disease, and death.
A price for this barbarism will be paid in this world or the next. It will be paid for both those who engaged in malfeasance and nonfeasance. The Catholic lawmakers and clergy that meet these conditions should be most concerned about the inevitable divine judgement.
Hats off to Crusader for his comment that cuts to the heart of what is going on here: “The Minnesota House, Senate, and Gove[r]nor are all democrat controlled.” The time for cheap talk from bishops like Bishop Barren that deals in sloppy generalities and superficial pietism is over. The Bishop Barren who now pontificates that “Minnesota’s new abortion law is the worst kind of barbarism” is the same Bishop Barren who pontificates that Hell is empty and everyone goes to Heaven. I would submit that this sort of episcopal nonsense is really “the worst kind of barbarism”.