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Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia defended abortion as a preeminent issue at the USCCB fall meeting Nov. 12. (Daniel Ibanez/CNA file photo)

USCCB approved a letter to supplement their voting document on Tuesday — but not without controversy over the ‘preeminent priority’ of abortion.

By Matt Hadro, CNA, 11/12/19

BALTIMORE — The U.S. Catholic bishops approved a letter to supplement their voting document on Tuesday — but not without controversy during debate on the “preeminent priority” of abortion.

During discussion at the bishops’ annual fall meeting in Baltimore on a letter to accompany the bishops’ document on voting, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” the bishops considered whether to include an entire paragraph from Pope Francis’ 2018 apostolic exhortation on holiness, Gaudete et Exsultate.

Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego said that paragraph should be included to make clear that Pope Francis prioritizes other issues at the same level as abortion.

The U.S. bishops’ inclusion of the word “preeminent” before mention of abortion in another part of the letter, he said, “is a statement that I believe is at least discordant with the Pope’s teaching, if not inconsistent,” and one that “will be used to, in fact, undermine the point Pope Francis is making.”

“It is not Catholic teaching that abortion is the preeminent issue that we face in the world of Catholic social teaching. It is not,” Bishop McElroy said, adding that to teach otherwise would provide “a grave disservice” to the faithful. ….

Read more at  http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/in-us-bishops-debate-archbishop-chaput-defends-prioritizing-fight-against-a