First, the interim reflections on McCarrick’s task force, posted on the USCCB website.

I think all of the statements here are well worth reading – necessary, in fact, if you’re a person with a serious interest in this issue. I have to say, though, that an element of all of these statements which I find irritating is the credit, for lack of a better word, that the bishops are giving these abortion-rights supporting politicians. The image you end up with is of noble folk valiantly struggling with their consciences, perhaps misinformed on some matters, who are really trying to do what’s right in terms of this issue, trying to balance the unborn’s right to life with the complexities of political decision-making in a diverse society.

Maybe there’s one guy who’s like that. Somewhere. I don’t know who it is, but I’ll give them that. One guy.

But otherwise…geez. Most of the statements and actions we’ve seen from abortion-rights supporting Catholic politicos have been of two kinds: First, simple and direct buying into the abortion-rights lingo and action, which cares not a whit about unborn human beings, and secondly, the “struggle” that results from a Democratic (and in some places, like MA, CA and NY – Republican, as well, of course) aspirant to higher office realizing, “Hey, I’m never going to get anywhere in this party if I keep voting pro-life. Better “grow in my views.”

And just a quick read – I’ll come back later and read more, and correct myself if I’m wrong – shows another deficiency. The bishops emphasize the need to really proclaim the pro-life message, and the centrality of this issue over other moral issues, but what I don’t see is an equal emphasis on the need to really get down on the ground and re-catechize American Catholics as to the nature of Eucharist, and what it means to share in it – on a personal and corporal level.