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Reverend David C. Trosch November 15, 1993 Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and Abbots Reverend Hierarchy of the United States of America, On this date three months ago local headlines broke the story regarding the question of "Justifiable Homicide" in regard to abortionists. Approximately one week later I was told to leave my parish and go into a period of reflective prayer (sent away from the diocese). During the three months following the breaking of the story I have not been given reference to any formal Church teaching which shows this position to be in error. Further, reflection has made it even more abundantly clear that innocent human life must be protected from the moment of conception. Doing so is a moral obligation. Following are references generally made available to Archbishop Oscar Lipscomb to which he has made no reply. Moses observed an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his kinsmen, and slew him. Elijah slit the throats of 450 prophets of Baal at the brook of Kishon, killing them all. Simon Peter (undoubtedly a poor swordsman) cut off the ear of Malchus, a slave of the high priest. Peter was obviously willing to kill to protect his master, Jesus. Simon Peter, in his roll as the first leader of the universal Church, as an instrument of the Holy Spirit called for the deaths of Ananias and his wife Sapphira. He was using the authority given to him by his, and our, master, Jesus. Were these men murderers? Were they acting unjustly? Were they doing something intrinsically evil? If so why were they given the special privilege and honor to be present at the Transfiguration of Jesus? Certainly the men gathered for this occasion were the greatest of men to have ever lived. David slew Goliath and his tens of thousands. Jesus, commonly called Son of David, having full authority of God the Father, is responsible for the timing of the material death of all, and judges the unrepentant to eternal spiritual death (unrelenting suffering). Why do we as Catholics - believers in the consistency, the immutability of God - have such difficulty accepting the concept that killing is not always murder? That just executions are the explicit will of God and as such are intrinsically good acts? After 20 years of acceptance of murder by abortion and denial of individual responsibility, Catholics, and other Christians, are caught in the quandary of being unable to accept what is necessary for their salvation, personal guilt! The solution to this quandary? Accuse those who attempt to defend the innocent of being guilty of causing civil disturbance (participating in rescues, picketing, sidewalk counseling, praying or preaching against abortion) or make other accusations against them. Such people are also concerned with what they call their right to freedom of conscience (see "Veritatis Splendor" for proper understanding of conscience). They do not understand that God's laws are beyond reproach. God knows what is right and just and commands accordingly. God is immutable, he does not change his mind from century to century or from age to age as to what is morally right and wrong (Heb 13:8; "Gaudium et Spes," 10). God is not fickle. If he were, no one would put faith in him. No one would trust in his word. Perhaps the following article written by Fr. Rosario Thomas Carleton, now serving a 2 1/2 year prison term for the unspeakable crime of attempting to protect preborn children by participating in a rescue, will explain how Christians have grown accustomed to living in sin. The Inescapable Choice The inescapable choice between the city of God and the city of man has not been, for most people, direct and instantaneous but gradual and cumulative - at first consisting of seemingly innocuous choices: A secular book rather than a Christian one, a movie with shallow values rather than one with deep values; then becoming more harmful: An amoral novel rather than a moral one and then an immoral one rather than an amoral one; from religious fervor to indifferentism and then from indifferentism to antipathy and finally from antipathy to hostility. After years of spiritual compromise a man will pass his vote, with no apparent struggle or scruple from a principled man to an advocate of immoral laws. A frog that would surely jump from water too warm for his survival, will, none the less, remain comfortably put if the temperature slowly but imperceptibly rises to a boil. But however it has evolved, what is certain now is that a great line is drawn and two distinct camps separate the members of our society, two different opposed philosophies; the one - the philosophy of life, the other - the philosophy of death, the one - the children of the light, the other - the children of the darkness. The above was extracted from the "Newsletter of Confraternity of Catholic Clergy", 9/93. NOTATION: To stay the avenging hand of God, Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, took a lance in hand and pierced and killed a man and a woman who were being offensive to God while God was in the process of ordering the execution of all Israelites who had submitted to the rites of Baal of Peor. The slaughter of the Israelites by the hand of God was checked; but only after twenty-four thousand had died. For his zealousness God pledged his friendship to Phinehas. (NM 25) The sacrifice of children to the various Baals, false gods, was a common practice. "Justifiable Homicide" is a legal defense in all fifty states. It is recognized that the impact of such a position in regard to abortionists is for many clearly unpopular. It should also be recognized that worldwide approximately 50,000,000 preborn babies (full human beings from the moment of conception) are being murdered each year. The following of God's command to execute clearly established murderers would settle the issue of publicly approved abortion for as long as there are people with a true and active faith. It would be a good end accomplished by a good means, doing God's will. The bishops and the priests of the Church, with few exceptions, have done little more than pay lip service to this slaughter of the innocents. It has always been clear teaching, from the earliest days of our Church and even back to the time of Moses, that the killing of the innocents is a grave evil. Today both Church and scientific teachings agree that human life begins at conception. Pope Pius IX in 1869 (Apostolicae sedis) condemned abortion from the moment of conception as homicide and attached to the crime an excommunication. Gaudium et spes 51 states, "Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes." --- In reference to Scripture some ask why is the New Testament silent on abortion? The truth is that it is not. The following facts make this clear. 1. The New Testament condemns the killing of innocent human beings. 2. The new Testament makes no distinction between pre-born and post-born babies. The word "brephos" is used in Luke 1:41 and 44 to refer to a baby living in the womb. And in Luke 18:15-17 the same word is used to refer to a baby living outside the womb. 3. Babies are innocent human beings. 4. The only logical conclusion: The New Testament condemns baby killing (i.e., in essence, the Bible condemns abortion). (Biblical facts references taken from AFA Journal, 10/93) Exodus 22, referring to the widow and orphan (the defenseless oppressed), states, "If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry. My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword; then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans." Note: The two medical doctors, turned abortionists, who were killed this year, had both been married and have living children. One abortionist was apparently killed by an anti-abortionist and the killing of the other abortionist is being prosecuted as a street crime. --- Still, no forceful action has yet been taken by the Church. Catholics are not even being told it is a grave sin to vote for candidates to public office who hold to a pro-choice (pro-abortion) position. Known pro-abortion catholics in public office are not publicly excommunicated to make clear the importance of Church teaching. Nor is an effort being made to identify such candidates by Church officials. Perhaps this is from a false concern regarding the Church's tax exempt status in this country. A major function of the Church is to unmask human and humanistic idols and expose them for what they are. St. Augustine observed that for God to allow crimes and vices to go unpunished is a more terrible judgement than for Him to curb them by affliction. With the knowledge that a full human person is present in the womb from the moment of conception, (and
these innocent humans are daily being murdered, often at taxpayer expense, without arousing serious protest) there
is a conclusion that can be derived from what is taking place in the world today regarding abortion. Archbishop Lipscomb's only defense, presented to the public to date for his position, is the principle of double effect. He and many others cannot accept that whatever God commands is not an evil, but a good. The execution of abortionists is a command of God (GN 9:6) and is a good means used to produce a good end, the saving of innocent human lives. My position is simple. In the light of the evil which exists in civil government today, which protects murderers, there is no choice but to individually return to God's command to shed the blood of killers of the innocents.
All references to killing, murder, and homicide must be understood in the light of the constant tradition of the Church which begins with Genesis 9:6. "Whoever sheds man's blood is to have his blood shed by man". Capital punishment, which has been commanded by God, must always be understood as a moral good, never an evil. To proclaim otherwise demonstrates a diminished belief in the knowledge, understanding and wisdom of God. From the beginning of Genesis to the very latest universal encyclical the references to killing, murder and homicide as sinful must always be understood within the context of the homogeneity of infallible universal Church teachings. Such teachings when properly understood are never in conflict.St. Basil the Great, writing in the year 375 A.D., stated categorically: "A woman who deliberately destroys a fetus is answerable for murder. And any fine distinction as to its being formed or unformed is not admissible among us." The second great commandment says that we must love our neighbor as ourselves. The innocent pre-born child is clearly our neighbor in the fullest sense of the word according to St. Basil and all Church teaching. God commanded that whosoever takes the life of an (innocent) human being is to have his life taken from him. In saying this God has made it clear that to take the life of a willful murderer is to be considered as a good action. The greatest of commandments says that we must love God with our whole heart, mind, body and soul. Scripture further clarifies this by stating if we love God we will keep His commandments, i.e., if we love God we will kill the murderers of the innocents who are intended to be brothers and sisters of our Savior Jesus. Therefore the principle of double effect has no bearing on the subject of "Justifiable Homicide" in regard to abortionists. The right of self-defense and the defense of an innocent neighbor, even to the point of killing the aggressor, has long been accepted Catholic teaching. Why then is it not allowable to take the life of an acknowledged practicing abortionist in order to save the lives of the many children he would otherwise kill? Note: No lesser action is practical or sufficient to produce the desired end. This has been demonstrated by experience. Also, any other action is not in keeping with God's will especially when considering that known abortionists have already unjustly killed hundreds and perhaps tens of thousands of times. It should be understood that the presented concept of "Justifiable Homicide" is now being applied only to currently active abortionists. It is not intended to apply to those who have openly stated they have quit doing abortions and are not recidivists. The action of "Justifiable Homicide" would also encourage other abortionists to give up their practice and discourage new doctors from taking up the practice of willful murder. It should be kept in mind that in generations to come, the 30,000,000 or so legally murdered children, in the United States of America during the past 20 years, would be generating billions of children needed to help populate the universe in the future. The billion legally murdered children worldwide, during this same period, would eventually have added trillions to the population of the universe (a number still insufficient to occupy all the planets of the universe), and correspondingly would have added great numbers to the kingdom of Heaven - a vacancy that may never be filled. Because of the greatness of the tragedy, the injustice that is now taking place, further undue delays should be considered as intolerable. The hand of God, rather one believes in Him or not, will not be held back much longer. Action must be soon, or God's anger may become so great that over half the population of the Earth will be destroyed at His command. This will occur so future generations will learn from the experience and believe. There are many additional reflections, proofs concerning "Justifiable Homicide" which have been, are being and will continue to be made. Books are now being written on the subject, and history books will long reflect on the conditions of the Church and society that has permitted these great atrocities from going unchecked for so long a time. With the knowledge that approximately one-third of the population of the United States of America - Catholics included - have either had or been directly involved with an abortion, it is understandable that many who have not come to grips with their guilt would rebel and complain to sympathetic authorities. Note: It has been stated by Msgr. James P. Lisante, Director of the Family Ministry Office in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, that "among all religious in America, no group chooses to abort its children at a higher rate than Catholics. More than Jews or Protestants. More than those with no religion at all. Catholics are the highest aborters in America." When bishops and priests begin to accept the importance and seriousness of God's Word and turn away from the humanistic approach of dealing with problems and concerns, they will begin to fulfill their proper office of teaching. In order to do this effectively they must be willing to be rejected by those who prefer to live in sin. They must accept that everyone will not be their friend. Most clergy are unwilling to accept rejection because of what they teach. The problems in the Church today are many, and perhaps the most serious is the inability to accept that human weakness can only be overcome by having a proper understanding of, and have a willingness to teach, the authentic Word of God. Breaking, or even bending God's teachings helps no one. Such actions only prolong the agony which already exists. In the long term problems become worse and the momentary mask of happiness turns into a full masquerade. The commandment, "Thou shalt not kill", refers only to the shedding of innocent blood, for God has many times commanded that those who shed innocent blood are to be executed. Death itself is not evil. Death is a consequence of sin, of evil. The good of executing a killer of the innocents is intended to stay the hand of God whose anger, whose wrath is already descending upon us, a society which has long been tolerant of grave evil. Moses, David, Elijah, Jesus and Peter would all be considered murderers by today's humanistic standards. How shallow is the thinking of this age. In "Touchstone", the 3rd quarter issue published by the National Federation of Priests' Councils, Msgr. James P. Lisante indicates that the silence of the clergy on the subject of abortion is undoubtedly responsible for the statistic that "Catholics are the highest aborters in America." Through silence we endorse the killing of our innocent children at greater rates than Protestant, Jews and even of those with no religion at all. He states that, "Many clergy fear that speaking about abortion somehow involves them in illegal political activity. I've known those who fear that the Church's tax exempt status may be compromised by speaking out. This is untrue. We are permitted by law to speak about moral issues and legislation from the pulpit. We are not permitted to endorse particular candidates. And politics, whether we like it or not, is the means by which governments implement moral choices." When a priest was asked, "How often would you give a homily on abortion?" He sheepishly admitted that he had never delivered a sermon on the subject. He said he was silent because `it's so controversial', and people might get upset and angry. It's such a political football." Admitting the difficulties involved with the subject, Msgr. Lisante said that, "I'm not sure that we, as clergy, really have much of a choice. We don't truly have the freedom to remain silent in the face of evil." Msgr. Lisante said that silence aids the oppressor. "It cooperates with evil. It makes us co-conspirators of the abortion holocaust. I am not naive. I do not believe that preaching alone can end the tragedy of abortion. But in an age where the law will not protect unborn children, winning over the hearts and minds of our people becomes even more clearly a matter of life and death." In reference to the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." St. Thomas Aquinas quotes St. Augustine who says that God does not take away from Himself the right to kill and referring to Rom 13:4 and EX 22:17-19 states, "Thus that which is lawful to God is lawful to His ministers when they act by His mandate." Publicly Defending the Unborn Child - The following letter was sent by the owner of a large used machinery tool business to his suppliers. The news was carried on all TV stations and headlined in the newspaper. Mr. Molloy was a most convincing spokesperson for the unborn child in these interviews. July 1993 ATTN: To Companies from whom we purchase supplies. Dear Supplier: We here at Mohawk Machinery are a 100% PRO-LIFE Company, and we have decided in our small way to try and counter our new Pres. Bill Clinton's Pro-Abortion stand, and his viewpoint on abortion--and his 98% Pro-Abortion appointments to his White House Staff. And now--thanks to Mr. Clinton--we will be changing our suppliers if our suppliers are Pro-Choice!! We only want to do business with companies that share our "RESPECT FOR LIFE" beliefs. We do now ask that you please send us a short note stating your beliefs. Needless to say, if we do not hear from you within 30 days, we will assume you are Pro-Choice, and our policy here at Mohawk will be to give all our business to Pro-Life companies. Thanks for helping us in this endeavor. Very truly yours, Bill Molloy, President In Christ we encounter the mercy of God, who understands our human weakness, yet never falsifies the standard of good and evil by accepting compromises which would adapt it to particular situations. ("V.S.") sincerely in Christ, fr. David C. Trosch * * Retired businessman and President of Currently in eccliastical hiatus without having been P.S. Upon arrival at St. Bernard's Abbey, Cullman, Alabama I was handed, by Abbot Victor Clark, a single page
document which clearly defended the position of "Justifiable Homicide". It had been written by retried Abbot
Gregory J. Roettger, O.S.B. Abbot Victor himself claimed uncertainty in regard to the position.  Editor
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