A Roman Catholic pastor in Lexington, Massachusetts has endorsed Joe Biden’s campaign for president and appeared to endorse keeping abortion legal.
Monsignor Paul Garrity, pastor of two parishes combined in a collaborative known as Lexington Catholic Community, published the comments online earlier this week.
“I am pro-life and I believe in a woman’s right to choose. I will vote for Joe Biden for president because I believe that Joe Biden is pro-life like me,” Garrity wrote in a Facebook post. “I believe that any woman who becomes pregnant should have the right to choose to give birth to her baby.”
The term “woman’s right to choose” is usually used to express support for legal abortion. Monsignor Garrity did not directly address how the government should deal with abortion. But he mentioned Biden’s name four times and closely identified himself with Biden’s position on abortion.
The priest called for pregnant women to be offered practical help to enable them to give birth and raise a child, something Biden has also expressed support for.
“I am pro-life and I believe that every woman who becomes pregnant deserves to have the freedom to choose life. This is what I believe Joe Biden believes and is one of the many reasons that I will vote for him in November,” Garrity wrote.
Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, issued a statement Thursday, August 27 that doesn’t mention Garrity by name but calls on priests to articulate support for protecting human life “from the first moment of conception.”
“The Catholic community has the right to expect the priests of the Archdiocese and those entrusted with handing on the faith to be clear and unequivocal on the Church’s teaching concerning respect and protection for life from the first moment of conception to natural death. This teaching is of the highest priority for the Church,” Cardinal O’Malley said in the written statement, issued by a spokesman.
O’Malley also said that clerics and parishes of the Archdiocese of Boston “may not endorse or oppose candidates for election or political parties.”
O’Malley’s full statement follows:
Statement of Cardinal Seán O’Malley, OFM, Cap.
The Catholic community has the right to expect the priests of the Archdiocese and those entrusted with handing on the faith to be clear and unequivocal on the Church’s teaching concerning respect and protection for life from the first moment of conception to natural death. This teaching is of the highest priority for the Church.
With regard to statements of the clergy and religious and laity who minister or serve in the Archdiocese of Boston, following the guidance of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, as representatives of the Archdiocese they may not endorse or oppose candidates for election or political parties. This directive also applies to parishes and organizations directly connected to the Archdiocese.
The teaching role of the Catholic Church brings religious and moral principles to the life of our society, our Commonwealth, and our nation. Our advocacy addresses protection of human life at all stages and in all circumstances, including issues of social and economic equality, the pervasive influence of systemic racism and welcoming immigrants and refugees.
Catholics are urged to play an active role in our public life and to fulfill the basic obligation of a democracy, to vote. We are called to bring the light of faith and reason to our civic responsibilities as we strive to build a civilization of love.
Monsignor Paul Garrity 
