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To: balch3

AFAIK, from another situation like this, in the Catholic Church the priests are not allowed to or supposed to conduct a funeral mass for an individual who was living in opposition to Cathlic teachings. A practicing homosexual who was the owner of a "gay" bar died, and his family wanted a Catholic funeral. There was a big to-do about it.

There are other services or memorial services that can be done.

Rules are rules, and the rules shouldn't be broken if those are the rules. If a person is flagrantly breaking the 10 commandments, for instance, knowingly, without any repentance - then that person is not a Catholic in truth. It's one thing to fall, and then be sorry about it, and beg for repentance. It's another thing to proudly live in opposition to God's instructions.

Kind of like the controversy currently happening in Canada (and here) - some priests are refusing to give communion to people who espouse, for instance, abortion and "gay" marriage.

Maybe a Catholic will comment about exactly how it's supposed to be in the Catholic church.


5 posted on 07/21/2005 11:44:25 PM PDT by little jeremiah (A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, are incompatible with freedom. P. Henry)
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To: little jeremiah

It seems to me that the pastor didn't take a too strict course of action. From the Code of Canon Law promulgated by His Holiness John Paul II:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P4C.HTM

THOSE TO WHOM ECCLESIASTICAL FUNERALS MUST BE GRANTED OR DENIED

Can. 1183 §1. When it concerns funerals, catechumens must be counted among the Christian faithful.

§2. The local ordinary can permit children whom the parents intended to baptize but who died before baptism to be given ecclesiastical funerals.

§3. In the prudent judgment of the local ordinary, ecclesiastical funerals can be granted to baptized persons who are enrolled in a non-Catholic Church or ecclesial community unless their intention is evidently to the contrary and provided that their own minister is not available.

Can. 1184 §1. Unless they gave some signs of repentance before death, the following must be deprived of ecclesiastical funerals:

1/ notorious apostates, heretics, and schismatics;

2/ those who chose the cremation of their bodies for reasons contrary to Christian faith;

3/ other manifest sinners who cannot be granted ecclesiastical funerals without public scandal of the faithful.

§2. If any doubt occurs, the local ordinary is to be consulted, and his judgment must be followed.

Can. 1185 Any funeral Mass must also be denied a person who is excluded from ecclesiastical funerals.


10 posted on 07/22/2005 12:27:20 AM PDT by fabrizio (W 04 - a huge "Dubya rocks, YEE-HAW " from Italy !!)
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