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Catholic Church: No One Who Has Done an Abortion or Assisted One May Become a Priest
lifenews.com ^ | September 16, 2016 | Micaiah Bilger

Posted on 09/18/2016 11:50:48 AM PDT by Morgana

The Vatican issued a strong ruling about the sanctity of life this week when it said a man’s involvement in performing or helping someone procure an abortion is an obstacle to orientation as a Catholic priest.

According to the National Catholic Reporter, the Vatican published the ruling on Thursday after Pope Francis approved the interpretation of church law during a Pontifical Council in May.

The Catholic Church considers the sanctity of life “so absolute” that the new ruling even includes men who were not Catholic at the time of the abortion, according to the report.

The Catholic Church is a strong advocate for the right to life of unborn babies across the world. Pope Francis frequently speaks out against abortion and encourages Catholics to support pregnant and parenting moms and their babies.

“All of us are called to respect life and care for it,” he said during a trip to Poland in July. “On the other hand, it is the responsibility of the State, the Church and society to accompany and concretely help all those who find themselves in serious difficulty, so that a child will never be seen as a burden but as a gift, and those who are most vulnerable and poor will not be abandoned.”

The report has more details about the new ruling:

Canon 1041 of the Code of Canon Law defines as “irregular for receiving (holy) orders” a person who has “committed voluntary homicide or procured a completed abortion and all those who positively cooperated in either,” as well as “a person who has mutilated himself or another gravely and maliciously or who has attempted suicide.”

A question was submitted to the Vatican asking if the canon also applies to a non-Catholic and therefore would require a special dispensation if the man were later to become Catholic and seek ordination as a Catholic priest. The pontifical council answered, “Affirmative.”

Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, told reporters the sin involved can be forgiven if the person is contrite, “but a warning sign remains,” and a special intervention of the bishop is needed before the person can be ordained.

Pope Francis often has spoken about unborn babies since he was elected in 2013. Initially, some feared he would water down Catholic Church teachings on abortion and other issues, but he has been a strong advocate for life.


TOPICS: Catholic; Moral Issues; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: abortion; catholic; priest; prolife
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To: piusv

There’s supposed to be, but it’s frequently ignored.


21 posted on 09/18/2016 2:29:33 PM PDT by Romulus
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To: Morgana
**National Catholic Reporter**

They actually said this?


22 posted on 09/18/2016 2:29:45 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Romulus

yaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwn.

That’s why I’m going to look at different Christian faiths.

Between the insane leftist pope and now this nonsense, it’s time to move on.

I’ll get my name off the ping list ASAP


23 posted on 09/18/2016 2:30:02 PM PDT by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
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To: dp0622

Your point seems to be that if one abuse is not punished, no abuse should be. That makes no sense.


24 posted on 09/18/2016 2:32:15 PM PDT by Romulus
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To: dp0622

Sorry if this bores you. I hope you will wind up in the true Church of Jesus Christ, not just a group that makes you feel OK about your preconceptions.


25 posted on 09/18/2016 2:35:45 PM PDT by Romulus
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To: Romulus

I tend to think participation in false ecumenism is a far greater scandal to the Faith and those faithful to the Catholic Faith.


26 posted on 09/18/2016 2:36:26 PM PDT by piusv (The Spirit of Christ hasn't refrained from using separated churches as means of salvation:VII heresy)
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To: 17th Miss Regt

What’s your basis for concluding that the sin is unforgivable? We don’t ordain men who have taken life, even in a just cause such as military service.


27 posted on 09/18/2016 2:38:58 PM PDT by Romulus
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To: piusv

Um...OK. so what?


28 posted on 09/18/2016 3:16:48 PM PDT by Romulus
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To: Campion
I agree with you. It is a privilege, not a right.

If I wanted to start an organization that barred from its leadership anyone who has ever stepped foot in New York or California, then those are the rules of the organization.

The priesthood is not a government job, they can set their own rules.

On the other hand, agreeing with if they should make that rule is different. I would never put myself under the teachings of someone that supports abortion. What if a person supported or participated in it and repented? “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.”

I guess that is a valid debate.

29 posted on 09/18/2016 3:21:30 PM PDT by GregoTX
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To: Morgana

Paul murdered Christians prior to his conversion....guess he wouldn’t be allowed in the roman catholic church today.


30 posted on 09/18/2016 4:12:48 PM PDT by ealgeone
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To: Romulus
he Catholic Church has for a very long time seen murder as an impediment to Holy Orders. This is nothing new, and has NOTHING to do with forgiveness or redemption. It is merely good policy that a man associated with this heinous crime represents too much of a scandal to be worth risking the faithful.

Good thing Paul isn't around today. You guys would kick him out.

31 posted on 09/18/2016 4:23:50 PM PDT by ealgeone
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To: Salvation; dp0622; piusv

It’s the National Catholic Reporter reporting....I mean for real when have they ever been actually catholic.....

I just posted because well...it’s gonna get out sooner or later that they said it.


32 posted on 09/18/2016 4:25:30 PM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: ealgeone

Hey, Paul had standards too.


33 posted on 09/18/2016 4:27:33 PM PDT by Romulus
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To: Romulus

I do not conclude that it is unforgivable. Indeed, scripture tells us that the only unforgivable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The way the article was written it appeared that the Catholic church was saying that such a sin would prevent someone from ever becoming a priest. But it is evident that this will only demand careful scrutiny as to whether such a sinner is truly repentant and that such a candidate may need to be reviewed at a fairly high level in the church. The writer of the article should clarify that - the headline is misleading.


34 posted on 09/18/2016 5:27:54 PM PDT by 17th Miss Regt
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To: Romulus
We don’t ordain men who have taken life, even in a just cause such as military service.

So an infantryman that kills another in lawful combat may not be ordained later?

35 posted on 09/18/2016 5:32:36 PM PDT by 17th Miss Regt
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To: piusv; dp0622

Because you have knowingly helped in the murder of an innocent. Forgiveness is available but the priesthood is not.


36 posted on 09/18/2016 6:10:18 PM PDT by pbear8 (the Lord is my light and my salvation)
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To: 17th Miss Regt

I am pretty sure that’s the rule.


37 posted on 09/18/2016 8:45:09 PM PDT by Romulus
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