Communion ban on lawmakers who back abortion starts furor

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | January 11, 2004 | Juliet Williams (A.P.)

[Holly_P]

MILWAUKEE -- A Roman Catholic bishop who waded into politics with a decree that lawmakers who support abortion rights can no longer receive holy communion has ignited a debate over the separation of church and state.

Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse cited Vatican doctrine, canon law and teachings by the U.S. bishops in an announcement telling diocesan priests to withhold communion from such lawmakers until they ''publicly renounce'' their support of abortion rights.

''This is about as stark a decree to come down against Catholic politicians as we've seen in recent history,'' said Barry Lynn, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.

''The problem with it is that elected officials have to represent people of all faiths and none, and not adhere to one religious demand like the bishop's,'' he said.

Pope John Paul II appointed Burke, 55, archbishop of St. Louis in December. Burke signed the decree in November, when he still had the authority to do so, but it was not made public until Thursday.

Burke is to be installed in St. Louis on Jan. 26 -- raising concerns among opponents that he may issue the same decree there.

The Vatican and U.S. bishops have urged Catholic legislators to consider their faith when they vote, and a task force is weighing whether to recommend sanctions for Catholic politicians who support policies contrary to church teachings.

In November, Burke wrote letters to at least three Catholic lawmakers, telling them they risked being forbidden from taking the sacrament by continuing to vote for measures he termed anti-life, including abortion and euthanasia.

Democratic U.S. Rep. David Obey, who received a letter from Burke, said Friday that he respects the sacred oath he took to uphold the U.S. Constitution. Obey said Burke can instruct him on faith and morals in his private life, but should use ''persuasion, not dictation'' to affect his political votes.

He said Burke had ''crossed the line.''

[sitetest]

Dear dangus,

Generally speaking, Catholic pro-abortion politicians have not incurred the penalty of excommunication, either latae sentientiae or by specific decree.

I think that Bishop Bruskewitz excommunicated pro-aborts in the Diocese of Lincoln, but he is the only bishop in the United States that I know who has done so.

Pro-abort Catholic politicians do not incur the penalty of excommunication for their stance from Canon Law. They are committing objectively gravely evil acts, and in many cases, may be culpable of mortal sin. But they aren't excommunicated.


sitetest

[Blue Collar Christian]

"It is convenient to exempt ones views from God's laws."

Many folks feel that there are degrees of sin that God lets slide for them or that they can leave God out in the parking lot when they go into the sin shop. I have been guilty of these myself on occasion. Thankfully, I have people who love me and help me.

It is sad. This tendancy is all too human, and that is why we need to surround ourselves with people that will hold us accountable, and can be held accountable themselves.

[Blue Collar Christian]

Don't worry WT, there are people working on the "So help me God" part. And you can bet that the pro-choice folks that have made that oath were just repeating the words, not really taking an oath. They, and a great majority of people world-wide act as though God does not exist.

[Salvation]

The Deadly Dozen

Canadian Prime Minister Taunts Church: "I Am A Catholic And For Abortion"
Catholic Church asks Tom Daschle to stop calling himself a Catholic
On Catholic Politicians and Faith
Vatican Urges Catholic Politicians to Vote Along Church Lines
Senator Santorum on Being Catholic and a Politician
William E. Simon, Sr. and Jr. Devout Catholics, Philanthropists and Politicians
Deadly Dozen senator taken to task over claims of Catholicism
THE BISHOP AND THE SENATOR [author links to FR thread regarding Daschle in her online column]
Blood On Their Hands: Exposing Pro-abortion Catholic Politicians
MI Gov Granholm Proclaims June "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month"
Colorado Governor To Media:'WE LOVE OUR CHURCH' [Gov. Bill Owens
U.S. Senator Brownback and Commentator Dick Morris Join Catholic Church
PRIEST REFUSES COMMUNION TO KNEELING PRO-LIFE POLITICIAN [Richard Black, Virginia]
Kerry [Catholic} says he'll filibuster Supreme Court nominees who do not support abortion rights
Pope to MPs: Stop gay marriage
Vatican - Considerations regarding ... homosexual persons
CONFUSIONS ABOUT POLITICAL JUDGMENT AND THE MORAL LAW
Prelate says politicians who back abortion shouldn't go to Communion
Bishop draws fire for targeting Chrétien
Kennedy likens Vatican stance on gay unions to 'bigotry' (oh, go get a job, you little creep)
Ignorance or Malicious Intent? "No religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to..."
George Weigel on Authentic Catholic Citizenship, and the Duty of Catholic Politicians to Behave as Catholics
Conservative Catholics urge Church to challenge "dissenters"
[Robert F., Jr.] Kennedy to speak at Festival of Faiths (Environmentalism as religion)
Faithful Catholic Politicians
Catholic Bishops Eye Possible Crackdown of Pro-Abortion Pols
PETITION TO EX-COMMUNICATE PRO-ABORTION CATHOLIC ELECTED OFFICIALS
It is Time to Excommunicate the Politicians
Church vows to fight gay marriage: Catholics pressure pols
Should politicians toe their church line?
Church May Penalize Politicans
Catholic politicians facing dogmatic threat
Bishop appeals to Catholic lawmakers [Wisconsin]
New St. Louis Catholic Archbishop Warns Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians of Excommunication.
Bishop Objected to AIDS Walk
Wisconsin Catholic Lawmakers Seek Victim Status In Feud With Bishop
Bishop Burke discusses the letters he sent to Catholic politicians
Congressman Places Internal Pro-Abortion Docs in Congressional Record
Flynn: Dems ignore Catholics
Granholm gay rights order "a slap in the face"
Calif. Bishop To Gov. Davis: Pick Abortion Or Communion [formal excommunication?]
California Bishop to Gov: Oppose Abortion or No Communion (New Title)
Sacramento Bishop Challenges Governor on Abortion; Tells Davis to Stop Receiving Communion
Granholm's Bible-thumping Sure to Rile GOP
Bishop: No Communion for Abortion Backers
Legislators can't have Eucharist, bishop says: Don't serve supporters of abortion rights, euthanasia
Wisc. Bishop Tells Pro-Abort. Catholic Pols: Change Your Stripes or Stay Away from Holy Communion
Diocese targets Granholm on abortion
NJ Governor McGreevey a devout Catholic, yet diplomatic {Barf Alert}
Communion ban on lawmakers who back abortion starts furor

[TheFrog]

I believe that is the modern version of "indulgence" for the rich!

[TheFrog]

Re: "This abomination of abortion is the darkest blot on our nation's conscience and continuing to remain silent does nothing but endorse it and will surely bring the wrath of God down on the entire nation."

I think you skipped the New Testament thing! God decided how and when he would bring around the end of the world before you or anyone you know was born. It is not for us men to know, or claim to know the details (other than the brief glimpse in Revelation), and it is definitely not for us to judge other men. All that matters in the end is if you have found Christ, and accepted him as your savior! You can spread the good news but you can not force people to believe it, following God’s Law without belief buys you nothing. Acknowledging you are a sinner, asking for Jesus to save you and doing your best to repent is the only path to salvation!

[Happy2BMe]

I've been down the Roman Road - all the way to the End.

One must remember that if God is God that he cannot change.

"Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

The same God who sat on His throne and sent fire down and destroyed Sodom is the same God today. He is the Judge, and will judge all men, both the living and the dead.

God gives us His Word to discern good from evil, right from wrong. And his word says that murder is a sin against God, and that those who perform it will be judged.

And that is why God gave us the Law. Thous shalt not kill.

So to say one is judging another for murdering a child through abortion is not fully understanding of the discerning nature of good and evil, which God has given to those who love Him to protect and lead them.

"Judge not, or you will be judged. Condemn not, or you will be ocndemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven."

God is righteous, holy, faithful, merciful - and yes even vengeful.

"Vengence is mine saith the Lord, I shall repay."

God doesn't say I might repay if it becomes politically correct and the Democrats and the Republicans will approve it and the USSC give the nod at the end.

God has no need of man. Man needs God. And God hates murder, loves the child, and that included even the unborn child.

Stay safe.

[Land of the Free 04]

Acknowledging you are a sinner, asking for Jesus to save you and doing your best to repent is the only path to salvation!

"Whatsoever you do to the least of My brothers, you do unto Me." Standing by while unborn children are murdered is standing by while He is murdered.