SW Wisconsin News

As America chooses sides in the upcoming General Election, Catholics are caught in the center between a man whose views resonate with many against one who shares their faith.

One of the key issues that has jumped to the forefront of the race is abortion and the right to human life. With the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, efforts are in place to put a more conservative judge, Amy Coney Barrett, on the bench with the potential to overturn Roe. Vs. Wade. 

The Catholic News Service drew out the difference of opinion the Church had with Ginsburg. In anti-death penalty and pro-immigration opinions, Ginsburg sided with Catholic Church leaders, but she differed with them in her support for legalized abortion, same-sex marriage and the mandate that contraception be covered in all health insurance plans, the News Service reported.

Gwen Finnegan | LinkedIn

“The Trump campaign will assert his success at appointing conservative judges, while the Biden campaign will continue to emphasize that other things should matter to Catholics besides abortion,” Bill McCormick, a political science research fellow at St. Louis University, told the News Service. Biden, a Catholic, supports legalized abortion; he has said he is personally opposed to it but says he cannot impose his Catholic view on the electorate.

Gwen Finnegan, a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Parish in Baraboo, attends Mass two to four times a week. She firmly believes Catholics have a duty to vote with their beliefs guiding them.  

“In the right way – according to all the Catholic Church’s teachings,” she said.

President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order requiring health providers to provide medical care to all babies born alive. In a video message to the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, Trump said his “born alive executive order” would ensure babies born alive no matter the circumstance would “receive the medical care that they deserve,” The AP News reported. 

It is a principal that resonates with Finnegan who believes in the sanctity of life.

“It is the preeminent issue,” she said. “Without the right to life, no other rights matter.”

The AP News reported that advocates for Trump say faithful Catholics should not vote for Biden because of his support for abortion rights. Critics of Trump say he is too divisive and callous to merit their vote.

Finnegan said she could never support a candidate who permitted or advocated for abortion or euthanasia. While the AP News reported that among Catholic voters in the midterms, 56% said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 42% say it should be illegal in all or most cases. Finnegan said it is an issue Catholics should care about.

“Human life begins at conception and is very valuable and should be protected,” she said.