On Tuesday, Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro found herself under intense scrutiny on social media following a tweet in which she stated that her Catholic faith motivates her to “uphold a woman’s ability to choose abortion.” DeLauro’s statement was met with widespread criticism and received a substantial amount of “ratioing” on Twitter. Most of the backlash came from Catholics who were quick to underscore that the Church’s teachings classify abortion as a “grave sin.”
DeLauro wrote:
“I am a Catholic — baptized, raised, and confirmed”
“The fundamental tenets of my faith compel me to defend a women’s right to access abortion,” she added. “I am proudly part of the faithful large majority of US Catholics who support legal protections for abortion access.”
The tweet was met with harsh response on the internet and conservative commentator Liz Wheeler responded:
The Catholic Church declares abortion a grave moral evil, a mortal sin, rejecting Christ in the baby killed. You can’t be a Catholic in good standing & support abortion. By supporting abortion, you are rejecting Catholicism & Christ. I encourage—& pray—you will go to confession
Despite the intense reactions, there was no immediate response from DeLauro’s office when Fox News Digital sought comments.
DeLauro had also included a statement from Catholic Democrats in her tweet. It conveyed that the principle of separating church and state allows their faith to shape their public service duties and the way they best serve their constituents. It also clarified that this principle does not mean imposing religious beliefs and practices on others who might not align with them.
