During the years St. Padre Pio lived in San Giovanni, Italy, he never left the confines of his monastery except for one thing - TO VOTE. He considered it a duty. If he was here today he would be actively interested in the US Presidential race. We have on one side two men who support abortion. On the other we have a pro-life man and a pro-life woman. The difference could hardly be greater. We will use our little website to help bring up the facts about the campaign and positions of the candidates. St. Pio would not expect us to do otherwise.
I am a devotee of Padre Pio but I am somewhat disturbed at what seems to me at the political tone of the site. You do not mention for example the Holy Father condemned the war in Iraq. I don't see that mentioned anywhere. Nevertheless Padre Pio has been a constant companion of mine. I am praying that we will have peace.
We have temporarily placed political links on the site because we feel the U.S. election this year is of such tremendous importance.
I, personally, have serious doubts about the wisdom of going to Iraq when we did and the way the war is being waged, however abortion, human cloning, and other human life issues must take priority. Also, I believe that if I neglected to use my website for the highest good I would be doing wrong.
Last month archbishop John Myers of Newark, New Jersey stated: "Consider, for example, the war in Iraq. Although Pope John Paul II pleaded for an alternative to the use of military force to meet the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, he did not bind the conscience of Catholics to agree with his judgment on the matter, nor did he say that it would be morally wrong for Catholic soldiers to participate in the war. In line with the teaching of the catechism on "just war," he recognized that a final judgment of prudence as to the necessity of military force rests with statesmen, not with ecclesiastical leaders. Catholics may, in good conscience, support the use of force in Iraq or oppose it."
"Abortion and embryo-destructive research are different. They are intrinsic and grave evils; no Catholic may legitimately support them. In the context of contemporary American social life, abortion and embryo-destructive research are disproportionate evils. They are the gravest human rights abuses of our domestic politics and what slavery was to the time of Lincoln. Catholics are called by the Gospel of Life to protect the victims of these human rights abuses. They may not legitimately abandon the victims by supporting those who would further their victimization. "
Rob