Press Release: Bishop Seitz has denounced single-issue voting on abortion

04 October 2020

A Roman Catholic Church bishop has denounced the practice of single-issue voting, particularly on the issue of abortion, arguing that it has “corrupted Christian political witness.”

Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, wrote a column published  by the Jesuit publication America Magazine regarding the upcoming presidential election.

The Seitz argued that “in pursuit of ‘single-issue’ strategies to end abortion,” many Christians “scandalously turned a blind eye to real breakdowns in solidarity and dehumanizing policies, including crackdowns on worker rights and voting rights, the slashing of social support for the poor and sick, racism and the exploitation of immigrants and the environment.”

Sarah Cartin of Christians for Choice said,

‘This is a sensible and real-world position from the Bishop

‘Those of us who have had abortions – Catholics, Christians or others of faith do so for our own reasons that take into account our family, our mental health, because controlling fertility is not an exact science, or simply because we don’t want to be pregnant.
‘Having a religious institution ignore the situation of real people is not sustainable.

‘As Christians, we know Black Lives Matter, we were outraged at family separation, we support refugees and we know that poverty does not make you a bad person.’

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Media contact for comment and interviews:  Kerry Abel, National Chair, Abortion Rights (07979 535242) 
• Abortion Rights is the UK pro-choice campaign, working to defend and extend abortion rights and provide a pro-choice voice to the media.
• One in three women in the UK will have an abortion by the time she is 45.
• Christians for Choice is made up of supporters of Abortion Rights
• Read Christians for Choice previous statement here
• Supporters can join Christians for Choice here
• A You Gov poll for the Westminster Faith Debates and reported in The Guardian found the percentage of the population wanting a ban has fallen from 12% in 2005 to 7% today. http://www.abortionrights.org.uk/anti-abortion-sentiment-dwindling-report-finds/
• The Trump Administration Wants to Make the Global Gag Rule Even More Harmful https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2020/09/trump-administration-wants-make-global-gag-rule-even-more-harmful#
• Abortion Rights, as a pro-choice campaign, is firmly against anyone’s bodily autonomy being ignored or overridden.