On Sunday, in an op-ed published in the Las Cruces Sun-News, state Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena (D-Doña Ana) came to the defense of her colleague in the New Mexico Senate, Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana), who was denied Holy Communion because he voted for the radical abortion up-to-birth and infanticide S.B. 10.
Cadena chastised the cleric, Bishop Peter Baldacchino, for withholding the Most Blessed Sacrament from Cervantes, despite giving Cervantes multiple unanswered warnings that he would not receive the Eucharist in his diocese if he voted to kill children in the womb with the passage of S.B. 10.
“I’m still feeling the sting of what happened in deeply personal ways,” wrote Cadena, sponsored the extreme anti-life bill. “The cultural war being waged by overreaching American bishops couldn’t come at a worse time for women and pregnant people in our country.”
Cadena appears to be claiming Bishop Baldacchino, who has the authority to withhold the Eucharist to those who are not in full communion with the faith, is “overreaching” despite hin having the authority and acting rightly according to Canon Law.
The far-left state representative tried to brush over her and Cervantes’ longstanding support for the gruesome practice of abortion, claiming, “As a mama, Chicana and Catholic raised in this diocese, I know pregnancy is sacred.” If she thought of pregnancy as “sacred,” then she should not be in support of tearing children in the womb limb from limb with forceps, sucking children’s bodies out of the mother with a vacuum, or giving women unsafe drugs to forcibly expel their children from the womb, leaving the mother in agonizing pain.
“And while select voices within the church hierarchy may think they can dictate what’s best for our families and chastise us if we fail to act according to their views, our faith also teaches us to care for our fellowship by caring for our communities,” she added.
However, the Bible directly says what the job of a pastor is. 1 Timothy 4:2-5 clearly states, “proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry.”
Baldacchino is standing up for not only what the Bible says, but for what the church teaches in practice. The bishop guided Cervantes in the right direction, with patience (such as his multiple letters of warning), and let Cervantes know the grave consequences of his actions. Despite if Cervantes listened to the truth or not, Baldacchino performed the work of an evangelist and did all he could to divert the senator from the myths and evil associated with abortion.
Cadena, despite all her rhetoric and titles she has bestowed upon herself as a “Chicana,” “Catholic,” and “mama,” she, as well as Cervantes disobey the faith of which they purport to belong by voting to destroy God’s most sacred creation in the womb. Chastising a bishop for doing his job will not fare well for Cadena or Cervantes come Judgement Day when they must answer for their crimes against God’s creation.
Good article John. Thank you for exposing the hypocrisy of these so-called Catholics who are in public office. I believe tthere is an automatic excommunication of those who participate in abortion. These people must be publicly called out and that is the bishop’s job. Thank you for exposing them. It is appalling that a Catholic mother would support the murder of children. Lord have mercy on them, they are not in a good way
Agree! The bishops have a responsibililty to uphold Catholic teachings, not to bow down to fake Catholic politicians who want to have it both ways. Did the Church bow down to Henry VIII when he wanted a divorce from Catherine of Aragon? No! Henry VIII was forced to leave the Catholic Church in order to obtain a divorce. These fake Catholics shouldn’t identify as Catholics if they don’t subscribe to Catholic teaching. They only use their fake Catholicism as a way to win votes.
A tesón may not both believe in God and practice abortion. These “people” that engage in human sacrifice will answer to God for their crimes against humanity.
If we allow abortion through an entire pregnancy, and even after, there can be no logical end to the right of infanticide, especially of your own child. If 5 minutes after birth, why not 5 hours, days, months or years? Any time a parent tires of a child, or decides it is not even fun anymore, then the parent in law and logic should have the right to “end it”. And were I defense lawyer I would take that logic into and court of such a parent.
Dear ‘Chicana Mama’: Exposing your stupidity and ignorance and the Leftists’ insane Agenda: “for women and pregnant people in our country.” Which ‘people’ are you referring to, who are not ‘women’ but other ‘people’? Yeah, we know; don’t bother responding.
John Block is probably the best actual writer in the news world today. Always great to read perfectly composed, perfectly well reasoned articles like these.
Thanks so much, Kenneth!