Archdiocese failing in role to protect children
In the late-term abortion capital of the U.S., the NM Conference of Catholic Bishops has never been as outspoken for saving the lives of children who are killed by the thousands in abortions as it has been for their lobbyist, Allen Sanchez, and his legislative proposal on early childhood education. The conference has sadly defended recent cries of racism by Sanchez, who accused lawmakers of racism for opposing his early childhood education proposal. As a faithful and longtime Catholic in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, I find the conduct of these church representatives to be shameful.
The conference’s statement defending Sanchez’s unfounded racism remarks says, “love for the Gospel, the Church and the people of God are shown through his dedicated ministry,” yet they fail to disclose the fact that his “dedicated ministry” pays him a cushy salary of more than $230,000. What “ministry” can afford to pay a CEO six figures in New Mexico? Most of us would be very “dedicated” as well!
They also fail to disclose the fact that Sanchez’s full-time sixfigure “ministry” is overseeing a multimillion-dollar-funded early childhood education program called St. Joseph’s Children. It’s shocking that the conference allows Sanchez to use the Catholic Church as a platform to push for his own personal agenda; this is an outright conflict of interest.
The bishops are correct that “today’s unconscionable plight of our children has called for the church to be a prophetic voice.”
Sadly, these church leaders seem blind to the fact that over 4,000 innocent babies are killed each year in NM by abortion. On the Archdiocese of Santa Fe’s website, you’re hard-pressed to find a mention about these children or their mothers — no information or resources for women in crisis pregnancies, no maternity home, no assistance of any kind. What is even more appalling about this is that prohibiting abortion is an absolute moral teaching of the church; Sanchez’s early childhood education proposals are not.
When is the last time we have heard anything from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe on the issue of the “unconscionable plight of children” in the womb? Did these children get a candlelight vigil organized by the Archdiocese? Yes, we all know once a year they “march for life” up to Santa Fe, but most of us find it to be a waste of time only to be lectured by Sanchez on early childhood education.
We are told the archdiocese has limited resources and low budgets for pro-life activities. Yet, despite (its) excuses, (it is) not fooling anyone. I speak for friends, family and others who are faithful Catholics and are sick and tired of our Holy Faith being used for advancing “progressive” politics. Look no further than all of the groups Sanchez partners with for his legislative agenda.
How do we know this archdiocese’s priorities? In the middle of scandals involving UNM’s obtaining body parts of aborted babies from the late-term abortion clinic, Southwest Options, the silence from this archdiocese has been deafening. This issue has been covered in national publications on multiple occasions. However, as expected we see no calls to action and no statements from Sanchez or the conference condemning these immoral activities, which, by the way, violate multiple corporal and spiritual works of mercy in church teaching.
Instead of lecturing legislators and ignoring their valid concerns, the conference should take some of its own advice and stop discriminating against the “least of these” and be a “prophetic voice” for all children, especially those who are cruelly murdered in our state. These abortionists are enabled by many of the politicians who support Sanchez’s legislative agendas. Until we see the same amount of concern and “prophetic voice” for all children, Catholics like myself should not donate a penny to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and (its) political pet projects that fall outside official teachings of the church.