Paul Ryan vs. Joe Biden. Two Catholics were on display in last night's vice presidential debate. Or, more precisely, a Catholic vice presidential candidate (Ryan) was debating a "Catholic" vice president (Biden).

As a Catholic journalist/columnist who takes his faith very seriously, I have to say that Biden makes my blood boil. So do all the other pro-abortion "Catholic" politicians who not only espouse lies, but live them as well.

Ryan is a serious Catholic; Biden is not.

From LifeNews.com:

'I don't see how a person can separate their public life from their private life or from their faith. Our faith informs us in everything we do. My faith informs me about how to take care of the vulnerable, of how to make sure that people have a chance in life,' Ryan said. 'Now, you want to ask basically why I'm pro-life? It's not simply because of my Catholic faith. That's a factor, of course. But it's also because of reason and science.'

'You know, I think about 10 1/2 years ago, my wife Janna and I went to Mercy Hospital in Janesville where I was born, for our seven week ultrasound for our firstborn child, and we saw that heartbeat. A little baby was in the shape of a bean. And to this day, we have nicknamed our firstborn child Liza, 'Bean.' Now I believe that life begins at conception,' Ryan continued.

As for Biden:

'My religion defines who I am, and I've been a practicing Catholic my whole life. And has particularly informed my social doctrine. The Catholic social doctrine talks about taking care of those who-who can't take care of themselves, people who need help. With regard to-with regard to abortion, I accept my church's position on abortion as a-what we call a (inaudible) doctrine. Life begins at conception in the church's judgment. I accept it in my personal life,' Biden said.

'But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews, and I just refuse to impose that on others, unlike my friend here, the-the congressman. I-I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people that-women they can't control their body,' Biden continued. 'It's a decision between them and their doctor. In my view and the Supreme Court, I'm not going to interfere with that.'

I suppose I should cut the vice president a little slack here. After all, President Kennedy (God rest his soul) separated his faith from his public life. And the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin inflicted considerable damage on the American Catholic Church when he promoted his "seamless garment" philosophy, which gave pro-abortion "Catholic" politicians a loophole of sorts. They could now claim they were being faithful Catholics because they agreed with the Church (technically, Bernardin's version of the Church) on the other social issues.  

Yes, Mitt Romney does allow for exceptions: rape, incest, and life (and health?) of the mother. This is an illogical and extremely unfortunate position to take in regard to legalized abortion. But is Romney as pro-abortion as President Obama?

Definitely not.

Thus, all things considered, I think Catholics can vote for Romney with a clear conscience. As for Catholics who vote for Obama, the only legitimate excuse they can use is that they took "stupid pills" prior to voting.