Modesto pastor: Consider confession if you voted for Obama

The Modesto Bee ^ | November 29, 2008 02:20:20 AM | Sue Nowicki

[keat]

Parishioners of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Modesto have been told they should consider going to confession if they voted for Barack Obama, because of the president-elect's position condoning abortion.

"If you are one of the 54 percent of Catholics who voted for a pro-abortion candidate, you were clear on his position and you knew the grav- ity of the question, I urge you to go to confession before receiving communion. Don't risk losing your state of grace by receiving sacrilegiously," the Rev. Joseph Illo, pastor of St. Joseph's, wrote in a letter dated Nov. 21.

The letter was sent to more than 15,000 members of the St. Joseph's parish. It is one of 34 parishes in the Stockton Diocese, which has more than 200,000 members in Stanislaus, San Joaquin and four other counties.

{snip}

Though Obama's support of abortion rights angered many Catholics nationally during the campaign, Illo's letter is believed to be the first in Central California from a priest to his parishioners on the topic.

The Most Rev. Stephen Blaire, bishop of the Stockton Diocese, disagrees with Illo. He said Catholics should not feel compelled to disclose how they voted to their priest.

Blaire said Catholics who carefully weighed many issues and settled on a candidate, such as Obama, who was supportive of abortion rights, were not in need of confession. He said confession would be necessary "only if someone voted for a pro-abortion or pro-choice candidate -- if that's the reason you voted for them."

"Our position on pro-life is very important, but there are other issues," Blaire said. "No one candidate reflects everything that we stand for. I'm sure that most Catholics who voted were voting on economic issues.

"There were probably many priests, and I suspect many bishops, who voted for Obama."

[keat]

Experience tells me that the Bishop won't take this lightly. You can see that his comments to the paper were less than supportive.

Fr. Illo will need prayers and support. Please send him a quick email if you feel inclined: Fr. Joseph Illo frillo@stjmod.com

[keat]

ping

[GonzoII]

Tell it like it is Father!!

Amen!

[Northern Yankee]

The Most Rev. Stephen Blaire, bishop of the Stockton Diocese, disagrees with Illo. He said Catholics should not feel compelled to disclose how they voted to their priest.
The priest is not asking his parishoners to let the priest know who they voted for. He's telling them that they voted for someone who's supporting an intrinsic evil. That is worthy of confession.

Blaire said Catholics who carefully weighed many issues and settled on a candidate, such as Obama, who was supportive of abortion rights, were not in need of confession. He said confession would be necessary "only if someone voted for a pro-abortion or pro-choice candidate -- if that's the reason you voted for them." "Our position on pro-life is very important, but there are other issues," Blaire said.
If there is not a support for life, nothing else matters.

"No one candidate reflects everything that we stand for. I'm sure that most Catholics who voted were voting on economic issues.
Ecomomic issues?!!! As of the pocketbook is more important than the sanctity of life?!

Sounds as though this Bishop should be in confession himself! My goodness.

[JimRed]

Mrs. JimRed is the administrator for a moderate sized Roman Catholic parish. She would not be pleased with me if I were to ask the priests if anyone has confessed to voting Obama.

Not that I’d ask who, just IF.

[Northern Yankee]

"No one candidate reflects everything that we stand for. I'm sure that most Catholics who voted were voting on economic issues.

Ecomomic issues?!!! As if the pocketbook is more important than the sanctity of life?!

Fixed!

[Salvation]

Supporting abortion is a grave sin. The priest is correct. However, people need to make their own decisions. Will the hang onto this sin and be doomed to hell? Or will they seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation and have it erased from their Book of Life?

[Da Coyote]

Confession? Consider joining the church of “What’s Happenin’ Now” if you voted for the loon.

[Salvation]

1:

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2271  (618 bytes )  preview document matches 1 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2271.htm

97%

2:

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2272  (580 bytes )  preview document matches 2 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2272.htm

96%

3:

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2322  (290 bytes )  preview document matches 2 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 § 3), URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2322.htm

96%

4:	CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2274  (554 bytes )  preview document matches gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2274.htm

[Graybeard58]

I am not up on Catholicism but doesn’t confession require a contrite spirit? I believe that part will come when s*** head 0bama starts instituting his policies.

[BlessedBeGod]

The problem is that when they confess, they have to be truly sorry for their sin of having voted for Obama or else the confession isn’t valid.

I don’t think any of the Obama voters are sorry (yet). So their confession would be worthless.

[PAR35]

"There were probably many priests, and I suspect many bishops, who voted for Obama."

Before you click on the link, guess the job of the guy who said that.

[Deo volente]

If memory serves correctly, his bishop, Stephen Blaire, used to be an auxiliary in Los Angeles under Cardinal Mahony.

This does not bode well for the good priest who has courageously warned his parishioners they are in great spiritual danger if they voted for a proponent of baby-killing. This is what a priest should do, and a good bishop would normally support such a priest to the max. Bishop Blaire's reaction so far is very disappointing, but not unexpected.

[Republic_of_Secession.]

While voting for Obama is a sin: I doubt mant of those who did will admit it or be seeking to make a confession. At least not anytime soon - but certainly once they realize their error before his term is out.

[xp38]

I’d take Flip over Wright every time.

[keat]

Fr. Illo will need prayers and support. Please send him a quick email if you feel inclined:

frillo@stjmod.com

[xp38]

This is a confession few on this site will need to make.

[Guenevere]

Going back almost 36 years ago...

.. when my heart & mind and those of many just like me were not yet awakened...

.. that vile law was passed ...sentencing 50 million babies to die...

..and the Catholic church was in the vanguard with their voices condemning this action.....God bless them.

When others were not aware, or just didn't care...

..the Catholic church cared and stayed active allowing many Evangelical churces to catch up.

I have the clearest memory of a morning in 1993 as I prayed outside of an abortion clinic and some were willing to be arrested that day for these little ones...

...I was deeply touched as one of our local Catholic priests tenderly blessed his parishoners .... some of them decided they could be silent no longer....and were willing to risk arrest.

BUT FOR THOSE who voted for the most abortion minded President we've ever had, Evangelicals and Catholics alike

.. may God have mercy on your soul...

..because you sure didn't consider the souls of these most helpless little ones!

[Deo volente]

"Our position on pro-life is very important, but there are other issues," Blaire said. "No one candidate reflects everything that we stand for. I'm sure that most Catholics who voted were voting on economic issues."

That's right! The dismemberment of babies in the womb is far less important than the bailout of Bear Stearns. After all, Bishop Blaire's retirement plan has taken a big hit this year, I'm sure. We can't have the poor bishop suffering any economic hardship! What's the matter with this priest, and his obsession with unborn babies? And why is he making parishioners feel uncomfortable with all this talk about sin and confession? People want to feel good when they come to Mass!

/sarcasm off

[Saltmeat]

I am a Protestant. I am gravely embarrassed that we Protestants,by an act of omission on our part, are forcing you Catholics to shoulder the burden of opposing abortion in all forms alone. We are essentially doing nothing. I am angry at the leadership of my religion.

Thank you for taking such a visible and non-wavering stand against this holocaust. It is murder but we choose to call it abortion. The deaths now far exceed the atrocities committed by the Nazis against humanity in Europe. It is no less a holocaust though. God must be angry also, and He will not tolerate this abomination indefinitely.

The priest is right. The bishop is very confused to be generous to him. Please ask him to journey to the Vatican and argue his position to the Pope. My guess is that if he had to defend his position in such a manner, he would alter his thinking, and not need to leave his city limits.