It's Not That They Aren't Catholic, It's That They Are

A useful clarification of canon law in light of the ALL/Judie Brown campaign against pro-abort Catholic politicians here.

A Catholic's involvement in pro-abortion advocacy might (depending on the usual criteria) be gravely sinful, but since when is any Catholic who commits a grave sin no longer Catholic? Catholics who commit grave sin are still Catholic, albeit Catholics in mortal sin. If Catholics die in that state, they go to Hell as Catholics, not as former Catholics. The essence of the scandal given by pro-abortion Catholics lies precisely in the fact that they are Catholics. If they weren't Catholic, what would all the shouting be about?

So the ALL campaign should more accurately be amended, "You can't be Catholic and pro-abortion and expect to go to heaven, unless you are literally a moron." Hard to fit that on a bumper sticker. Curtsy: American Papist