NJ Catholic Governor McGreevey disagrees with Vatican

The Newark Star Ledger ^ | 04.24.04

[Coleus]

Gov. James E. McGreevey sharply criticized the Vatican yesterday, saying it was wrong for church leaders "to force a false choice between one's faith and religious tradition and the importance of governing in an open, democratic society."

McGreevey, a former altar boy who attended Roman Catholic schools, has long been reluctant to discuss the balance between his faith and public service, saying the topic was too personal.

[Coleus]

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

McGreevey: Church wrong to dictate to Catholic politicians

Excommunicate Kerry Website        Catholics Against Kerry  Canon Law and Abortion 

Sign Petition: To  Excommunicate Pro-Abortion Kerry & McGreevey       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

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

Faithful Citizenship:Civic Responsibility for a New Millennium
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

Pushing church teachings, The Bergen Record of NJ Takes on the Catholic Church
Kerry reaffirms rights to Receive Holy Communion Paterson, NJ Bishop Rodimer Agrees
Letter to the American Bishops
What's in a Name? (Kerry calls himself a Catholic?)

[Coleus]

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[Prime Choice]

You mean I can call myself a Catholic even if I don't follow the church's core principles? Hot diggity!

[ElkGroveDan]

But his support for abortion rights and the death penalty have put him at odds with the church

The death penalty thing is a red-herring that the left try to drag out to create some sort of moral equivalency.

The Catholic Church does not have a blanket opposition to the death penalty, especially as it is so rarely applied in this country.

Let's get back the millions of babies being slaughtered for lifestyle convenience sake. That's where the discussion lies.

[TheEaglehasLanded]

McGreevey is some alter boy, probably gave bj's to his NAMBLA priest.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Well, McGreevy isn't a Bishop, so he has no authority in this matter. And the NJ Bishop has no authority over Kerry. Kerry's Bishop has spoken, an so has the Cardinal, and that should be the end of it.

[Coleus]

And the NJ Bishop has no authority over Kerry>>

Right, and this bishop does indeed have authority over McGreevey

NJ Bishop Smith blasts hypocrisy of ‘pro-choice’ Catholic politicians, Rebukes Gov. McGreevey

[Unam Sanctam]

It is just disgusting to have these politicians misrepresent Catholic teaching and tell the Church that her ministers cannot exercise their Constitutional rights to say anything they want to. If the bishops don't start getting vocal and correcting the erroneous statements of doctrine by these "Catholic" politicians, they will be derilict in their duty.

[PRSOrlando]

Thanks for posting the article. As Catholics, we must stand up to these rogue law makers and Clergy who reject the basic rights of the unborn. It is unfair for these people to be judge, jury, and executioner on an innocent LIFE.

[LibFreeUSA]

-"I will continue to practice my faith.... Yet, personally I must follow my own conscience, my own set of beliefs."

So, he's not "Catholic"!

[oldironsides]

Many of us still wait for the story on how this fellow broke his leg. Is it true his wife and kids live in Canada?

[jmaroneps37]

Catholics who have had enough of mcgreedy and lurch, and teddy and tiny tommie etc, please stop in at catholicsagainstkerry.com We have some ideas about how to do something about lurch.

[Robert Drobot]

"....In its Declaration on Religious Liberty (Dignitatis Humanae), the [Vatican II] council went on to say that, "It is through his conscience that man sees and recognizes the demands of the divine law. He is bound to follow this conscience faithfully in all his activity, so that he may come to God, who is his last end. Therefore he must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters" (3).

"So far, so good. We're always obligated to follow our consciences. But, if we're serious in our Catholic faith, we also need to acknowledge that conscience does not "invent" truth. Rather, conscience must seek truth out, and conform itself to the truth once discovered — no matter how inconvenient.

"Conscience is never just a matter of personal opinion or private preference. It never exists in a vacuum of individual sovereignty. It is not a pious alibi for doing what we want, or what might get us elected." -- Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, Denver Catholic Register, 21 April 2004 - What Vatican II did, and didn't teach about conscience ( Elections and voting booths are never 'faith free' zones )