Kerry reaffirms rights to Receive Holy Communion Paterson, NJ Bishop Rodimer Agrees

The Record of Hackensack, aka The Bergen Record ^ | 04.24.04

[Coleus]

Kerry reaffirms rights

Saturday, April 24, 2004 By NANCY BENAC ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry delivered an unabashed defense of abortion rights on Friday, just hours after a top Vatican cardinal said that priests must deny Communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion rights.

Several other Catholic politicians said they, too, had no intention of altering the way they practice their religion or their politics.

With hundreds of Catholic politicians in the United States supporting abortion rights, the trans-Atlantic counterpoint was only the latest sign that the issue promises to be a recurrent one on the U.S. campaign trail this year.

"I believe that in the year 2004, we deserve a president who understands that a stronger America is where women's rights are just that: Rights, not political weapons to be used by politicians of this nation," Kerry declared at a rally with leaders of pro-choice groups mobilizing in Washington for a big march set for Sunday. "We are going to have a change in leadership in this country to protect the right of choice."

Speaking earlier from Vatican City, Cardinal Francis Arinze stopped short of saying whether it was right for Kerry to receive Communion but said a Catholic politician who supports abortion rights "is not fit" to receive the Eucharist. U.S. bishops have discretion in deciding who should receive Communion, but the cardinal's comments could put more pressure on them to sanction Catholic politicians whose positions are at odds with church teachings.

Kerry said he personally opposes abortion but supports a woman's right to choose. He did not directly respond to Arinze's comments, but campaign spokesman David Wade said Kerry believes the separation of church and state "helped make religious affiliation a non-issue in American politics."

Paterson Bishop Frank Rodimer said that he would give Kerry communion. While Rodimer remains adamant that abortion must be publicly condemned, he does not see a benefit in denying communion to a Catholic politician. "I would not make that the occasion for teaching; it is not a teaching moment," Rodimer said.

Rodimer said the proper time to have a conversation with a Catholic candidate about abortion or other spiritual matters is before Mass, not during the distribution of communion.

Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt countered that Kerry's views on abortion were "outside the mainstream" and said the president "supports a culture of life."

Judie Brown, president of the anti-abortion American Life League, said it was perfectly appropriate for voters to consider a candidate's religion and the way he or she practices it in deciding how to vote. She said the group is keeping tabs on 500 Catholic politicians at the state and national level who support abortion rights.

"If you are elected to public office as a Catholic, then your fellow Catholics expect you to be Catholic," she said, calling it "hypocrisy" for Kerry to say he is personally opposed to abortion while supporting wider access to the procedure.

But Frances Kissling, president of Catholics for a Free Choice, USA, said statements such as Arinze's "debase the political campaign" and would only isolate the church from its U.S. members, most of whom she said support abortion rights.

"Every time Catholic church leaders have attacked Catholic politicians for their view on abortion, the Catholic politicians have become more popular and the church has become more marginalized," she said. "It's a very foolish strategy relative to political influence."

She added: "Do they really want to tell Senators (Edward) Kennedy, (Barbara) Mikulski, (Patrick) Leahy and 70 other members of the U.S. Congress that they can't receive Communion? Because they can't just tell this to Senator Kerry."

Sen. Edward Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat whose brother was the nation's first Catholic president, stressed that Arinze was speaking for himself, not the pope, and said he did not expect to be denied Communion despite supporting abortion rights.

"I'm a very strong believer in the separation of church and state, as President Kennedy spoke to, and I continue to follow my own beliefs and will continue to serve the people of Massachusetts," he said.

Among American Catholics, 56 percent of non-Hispanic Catholics and 59 percent of Hispanic Catholics oppose making it harder for a woman to get an abortion, according to the Pew Research Center. Support for additional restrictions increases among Catholics who attend church at least once a week, with 50 percent of non-Hispanic Catholics favoring further restrictions and 43 percent of Hispanic Catholics.

Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Texas, was criticized by Republicans recently for keeping track of the votes of Catholic members of Congress and whether they are in keeping with church doctrine. He said the vote tallies grew out of meetings by a group of lawmakers exploring their own beliefs, "knowing many of us want to bring as much of our faith as we can to our action in Congress."

"We are trying to live the teachings of our church and we try to bring that to work," he said. At the same time, he added, Catholic congressional members struggle with adhering to their faith while representing people of many religions.

"I am not here to represent the Catholic church," he said.

Last week, Kerry met privately with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the Washington archbishop heading a task force examining whether there should be church sanctions for Catholic politicians who vote and support positions at odds with church teachings.

Bishop Raymond Burke, the archbishop of St. Louis, has said he would refuse to give Kerry Communion.

[Coleus]

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[spyone]

Here we go! A new precedent!

[Coleus]

McGreevey: Church wrong to dictate to Catholic politicians

Excommunicate Kerry Website        Catholics Against Kerry

Sign Petition: To  Excommunicate Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians       Herod's Heroes, Sign Petition

A Primer on Canon 915 Can. 915 Those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to holy communion

Canon Law and Abortion  The Gospel of Life--Evangelium Vitae

Kerry, Candidate and Catholic, Creates Uneasiness for Church

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
DOCTRINAL NOTE on some questions regarding The Participation of Catholics in Political Life

Living the Gospel of Life:A Challenge to American Catholics
A Statement by the Catholic Bishops of the United States

Faithful Citizenship:Civic Responsibility for a New Millennium

Teresa on the Stump, Teresa Heinz Kerry, from Mozambique, PRO-ABORTION Catholic, UN Employee, etc.

Teresa Heinz Kerry, Drummond Pike and the Communist TIDES FOUNDATION

The Bible and homosexuality [Kerry thinks the bible is for homosexuality]

Kerry’s Dirty Deeds (How, pray tell, do they comport with religious belief

Vatican Worries About Kerry  John Kerry and Unborn Victims

Catholic Pro-Abortion, Pro-Homosexual

Catholic and 100% Pro Abortion

Catholics Kerry and Kennedy have a 100% Pro-homosexual Record with the Human Rights Campaign! Page 10,11

[lainde]

These gutless priests are disgusting. I don't remember any nuanced, flip-flopping over moral issues when I was in school. Furthermore, setting a "bad example" was a big deal. Times have certainly changed.

[spyone]

Adios psycho!

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Several other Catholic politicians said they, too, had no intention of altering the way they practice their religion or their politics.

With hundreds of Catholic politicians in the United States supporting abortion rights, the trans-Atlantic counterpoint was only the latest sign that the issue promises to be a recurrent one on the U.S. campaign trail this year.

I think these guys may be wandering into quicksand. We live in dangerous times, and I sense the voters are in no mood for self-serving BS from those who would lead us.

[DestroytheDemocrats]

"Paterson Bishop Frank Rodimer said that he would give Kerry communion. While Rodimer remains adamant that abortion must be publicly condemned, he does not see a benefit in denying communion to a Catholic politician. "I would not make that the occasion for teaching; it is not a teaching moment," Rodimer said."

What in the hell is he talking about? Really. Does this sound ANYTHING like Catholic teaching? Well given this and similar stupid comments from other bishops I am lead to believe that we can expect nothing good to come of the task force that will be advising the bishops how to deal with pro-choice politicians.

The Catholic Church in American is OVER. The bishops are caving on abortion, indirectly they are caving.

[cpforlife.org]

perty much what I was expectin'

If the Pope himself flew to DC and did a fire and brimstone on this, w/ kerry, kennedy, & co. in the front pew I don't think they would care.

They are agents of Satan and should be excommunicated.

Archbishop Rummel excommunicated Louisiana politicians in the 60's over racism. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/905691/posts

For crying out loud how much worse is state sanctioned genocide.

[Numbers Guy]

Kerry believes the separation of church and state "helped make religious affiliation a non-issue in American politics."

Being told he can't accept communion has nothing to do with church and state. It's purely a church issue. The church chooses not to give the Eucharist to someone who publicly refuses to follow church teachings.

During the 1960's the church refused to provide Eucharist to segregationists in Louisiana. Someone should ask Kerry if that was an improper action by church officials.

[spyone]

no...somebody should ask the church, what has changed?

[cpforlife.org]

From open email I recieved:

Dear Friends,

Now that the Vatican has made it clear, will bishop O'Malley
finally become a good shepherd and issue an edict that if
John Kerry presents himself for Holy Communion, he MUST
be refused?

If Bishop O'Malley allows Holy Communion knowingly to a
person in the state of mortal sin, both he and John Kerry are guilty of direct material cooperation in the sinful act.

Bishop O'Malley, would be especially guilty since the person receiving Communion would not be able to commit the sin of sacrilege without his direct help.

My view is that Bishop O'Malley and the rest of the American bishops with the exception of Archbishop Burke of St. Louis and Bishop Bruskewitz of Lincoln Nebraska will continue ignoring Canon Law and be silent on this issue.until after the elections in November.

They know that without the Catholic vote, child killing Kerry is dead meat and it would be the death knell of the Democratic Party.The Catholic pro-abortion politicians, who by the way, run the "Party of Death" have sold their souls to the devil for political gain and power.

We shall see if the bishops have also sold their souls now that the Vatican had to interpret Canon Law for them.

Would you believe that the American bishops had to call for a meeting to determine what to do with pro-abortion Catholic politicians. The even said they may not reach a conclusion until after the elections

Why, when it is in black and white in Canon Law 915, which a ten year old would have no problem understanding?
After awhile this affinity the bishops have with the "Party of Death" becomes sickening.

For once, I hope and pray the bishops put the lives of children first and politics last. Is this really asking too much from them when the Catholic pro-abortion politicians really should be excommunicated for their heresy?


Frank Joseph MD

DFjosephMD@aol.com
www.hometown.aol.com/dfjoseph/abortion.html



64 posted on 04/24/2004 4:15:44 PM CDT by cpforlife.org (The Missing Key of the Pro-Life Movement is at www.CpForLife.org)
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[Numbers Guy]

Archbishop Rummel excommunicated Louisiana politicians in the 60's over racism

Beat me to it. But it's an excellent point to raise with the liberal so-called Catholics these days.

[BradyLS]

I'll tell you what offends me. Those sanctomonious, finger-in-the-air poses Kerry makes all the time that are reproduced in the press.

Right hand raised, finger pointing upward, eyes looking upward... Like he's some sort of saint himself. He's got all his Clinton moves down.

[Sareln]

Nothing has changed. I go to a catholic high school in California and the penalties for students who advocate any sort of abortion or "brag" about having one are severe. At the same time, historically American Catholics apparently have been more liberal in their interpretations of church doctrine. This pushes close to heresy.
They will all burn anyways.
At the same time, if the Vatican were to issue excommunications for John Kerry and his ilk, it would be massive disruption to catholic democrats, if any exist, while strengthening the conservatives. This inaction is damaging.

[dixie sass]

The Paulist Center is where he took Communion - this is a short history of the Center.

The Paulist Center attracts Catholics uncomfortable with some of the Vatican's orthodox teachings or who otherwise feel alienated from the Roman Catholic Church.

The congregation includes gay couples, whose adopted children are baptized there, unlike in some other Boston parishes. In November, its leaders refused to read aloud during Mass from a letter opposing gay marriage, as requested by the Massachusetts bishops.

The congregation is not geographical, but ideological, drawing people from as far as away as New Hampshire, said Drew Deskur, the center's music director and a parishioner for 25 years.

"It's not St. Around-the-Corner," Deskur said. "It's an intentional community that draws people from all over Boston. It tries to make sure that everyone feels welcome and that everyone participates in the liturgy."

The Archdiocese of Boston "does not hold to the practice of publicly refusing Communion to anyone," said archdiocese spokesman Rev. Christopher Coyne. He said it was up to the individual to decide whether to receive Communion.

In the days before Kerry attended Easter Mass at the Paulist Center, staff members received threatening phone calls and e-mails from Catholics who believed the senator should be denied Communion.

Coyne said he also received many letters and angry calls from concerned Catholics about Kerry's ability to take Communion. He said he contacted the Paulist Center ahead of time to ensure there would be no problem when the senator received the Eucharist.

The chapel celebrates Mass and can conduct every sacrament except marriage.

The center does not resemble a traditional church, but is housed among a row of brownstones. A band plays during worship, and the lyrics are projected onto the wall above the pulpit so parishioners can sing along.

Kerry joined in the singing from his pew near the back Saturday night. His wife was out of town, so he attended alone with several reporters and staff in tow.

Founded in 1970, the church is located within the Archdiocese of Boston and operates with the permission of the bishop. The center, however, is financially independent and has a history of reaching out to marginalized Catholics.

The Paulist Center began a support group for divorced Catholics that has since been replicated in churches across the country. The center also hosts a group for bisexual, gay and lesbian Catholics, as well as a program for lapsed Catholics who are considering a return to the flock.

The center helped launch the Walk for Hunger, a now annual fund-raiser for soup kitchens across the region, and has held funeral Masses for homeless people who die without family or loved ones.

[Sareln]

He called ahead to make sure there wouldn't be any problems with him taking Communion?!? Jeeze, evidence the whole thing was set up...

[spyone]

Mel Gibson bad..John Kerry good.

[DestroytheDemocrats]

You would think these politicians were Nazi's they way the bishops cringe at the thought of doing anything to tick them off. The only people most bishops have the courage to stand up to is those Catholics who just want orthodox liturgies, orthodox catechesis and their little boys left unmolested.