Abortion is a Blessing . . . Wait, What?

Or another installment in "Why I Am Glad I am a Roman Catholic."

The Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts just announced it has a new President and Dean, the Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale.

And she's a little liberal. Okay, that's to be expected with female clergy. But how liberal? Two of my friends sent me Amy Welborn's link this morning, likely figuring today will work better for me if I get my enraged screaming out of the way first thing this morning. Here's an excerpt from one of Ragsdale's sermons:

When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing.

And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion - there is not a tragedy in sight -- only blessing. The ability to enjoy God's good gift of sexuality without compromising one's education, life's work, or ability to put to use God's gifts and call is simply blessing.

These are the two things I want you, please, to remember - abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.

Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.

Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.

Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.

I want to thank all of you who protect this blessing - who do this work every day: the health care providers, doctors, nurses, technicians, receptionists, who put your lives on the line to care for others (you are heroes -- in my eyes, you are saints); the escorts and the activists; the lobbyists and the clinic defenders; all of you. You're engaged in holy work.

To any pro-life Episcopal/Anglican readers - applications for the Catholic RCIA will be available at the door. Plenty of room in Mother Church. I'll go put the coffee on. Welcome home.

To Katherine Ragsdale - may God have mercy on your tainted soul.