Chris Matthews was at his very best on HARDBALL today. He interviewed Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence, RI and and the subject: the Bishop's advising Catholic Patrick Kennedy not to partake in Communion because he voted for women's reproductive rights. Tobin, who likes to think of himself as a "political junkie" did not do well. Matthews asked, if the Bishop considers abortion murder, how would he criminalize it? Would he put women who agree to an abortion into jail? The Bishop couldn't answer outright. He fumbled. If it is murder, the woman having an abortion, in the Bishop's view, is an accessory to murder and should be put in jail. Bishop Tobin said maybe some jail time for the woman...can you imagine? The Bishop wants to put women in jail who find it necessary to choose abortion. But Chris' best point was the distinction that he made between Catholic morality, to which he and I subscribe, and the law. Tobin in wanting to play politician is transgressing in area NOT of his responsibility or his expertise. And Matthews noted that the Church has failed to teach its flock that abortion is wrong in all instances and now wants to bring out the police and get involved in writing the law to reflect their beliefs. In a secular society, where not everyone believes abortion is murder, it is not within the Bishop's purveiw to tell a Congressman how to vote. When asked what law he would espouse on abortion, the Bishop had no answer. Matthews stated, well if you have no alternative, what the heck are you doing telling a Congressman how to vote? Time for the Bishop to be more Christ-like, render unto Caesar what is Caesar's (the law) and teach by example, like Christ, that abortion is wrong...for those committing abortion, for those having an abortion, for those facilitating specific abortions, the Bishop should be coming down hard...not on Congresspeople who are writing laws in a secular society where abortion is not seen as the killing of an innocent child as it is in Catholic theology.
Stop playing second rate politics, your Excellency, be a good Bishop not a political bishop and TEACH by example, and don't use force and threats when people don't do what you want.....