Posted on 01/16/2004 6:16:49 AM PST by NYer
NEW ORLEANS (AP) _ Catholic politicians who support abortion, assisted suicide or any other issues out of step with church teachings should refrain from taking communion, the head of the Archdiocese of New Orleans says.
Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes' statement, contained in his column in this week's Clarion Herald, the archdiocesan newspaper, is in stride with nationwide pressure by Catholic bishops to enforce orthodoxy among Catholics in public life. ``When Catholic officials openly support the taking of human life in abortion, euthanasia or the destruction of human embryos, they are no longer faithful members in the Church and should not partake of Holy Communion,'' Hughes wrote.
The pronouncement from the archbishop comes on the heels of several recent steps the Church has taken to try to bring elected Catholics into line with Vatican doctrine on abortion, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, cloning and the death penalty.
The issue came to the fore in November at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington where church leaders decried adherents picking and choosing which doctrines to uphold.
Speaking for the New Orleans archdiocese, the Rev. William Maestri drew a distinction Thursday between what Hughes' column means to a politician and what it means to a Catholic. Maestri said the church is not defining the parameters of a person's politics but of their faith. He said, however, that the lines are particularly clear on abortion, which Pope John Paul II has declared the defining issue of our time. ``To publicly support abortion is to be clearly outside the Catholic Church on a fundamental moral issue,'' Maestri said. ``It is simply unacceptable to cloister these things, if you will, to have these public-private walls of separation on fundamental commands such as those respecting life.''
Maestri said Hughes is calling for the voluntary withdrawal of opposing politicians from communion rail and not for priests to refuse to serve them.
Archbishop aims call at some Catholic politicians
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL - 1 hour ago
Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes' statement, contained in his column in this week's
Clarion Herald, the archdiocesan newspaper, is in stride with nationwide ...
Bishop Raymond Burke's Strange Nemesis CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH DOCTRINAL NOTE
DisInfo.com - Dec 29, 2003
By Matt C. Abbott. ... On Saturday, October 26, 2002 I stood before Archbishop ... Alfred
Kunz. ... When I asked, via e-mail, Detective Kevin Hughes of the Dane County ...
on some questions regarding
The Participation of Catholics in Political Life Living the Gospel of Life:
A Challenge to American CatholicsA Statement by the Catholic Bishops of the United States
Faithful Citizenship:
Civic Responsibility for a New Millennium
An Old Testament, Litany of Life
Canon Law and Abortion
Sign Petition:
The Gospel of Life--Evangelium Vitae
Herod's Heroes
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
Bishop's ban ignites church-state debate
(MI) Governor's effort is first step to give gays special benefits, weapon against religion [Granholm]
(Louisiana) LA Archbishop aims call at some Catholic politicians [Bishop Hughes]
Thanks, Salvation, for keeping track of this.
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