Kerry’s Defiance the Best Thing to Happen to Catholic Church in North America?

LifeSite ^ | May 11, 2004

[Meldrim]

I'd say that their is nothing that has developed since the Vatican got rid of their death penalty in 1969 that would make me doubt that Aquinas is correct and Rembert Weakland is wrong. It is a matter of private morals...like whether or not somebody tithes or says the rosary daily. Supporting abortion is supporting murder. Equating homosexual union with marriage is calling evil good.

[Meldrim]

I think enough Roman Catholics in Ohio and Pennsylvania might care enough to cause Kerry problems in both states.

[lainde]

bttt

[BlackElk]

Thanks.

Are you among us yet?

God bless you and yours.

[Polybius]

Does anyone remember that this is a secular nation? The Vatican and all other religious bodies have no business interfering in political matters. We are either a "free nation" or a phony nation. What freedom are we defending and promising to other countries if our churches are allowed to try and control politicians?

That's a very nice speech.

What in blazes does it have to do with a Church enforcing it's own rules about who can and cannot receive Communion in that Church?

Kerry has a First Amendment right to seek to become a Protestant, a Jew, a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Druid or an atheist if he does not want to follow the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Kerry does not have a First Amendment right to receive Communion in the Catholic Church if the Catholic Church determines that he is in a state of mortal sin any more than I have a First Amendment right to show up at a synagogue and demand a Bar Mitzvah.

[Jim Noble]

Thank you for your kind wishes!

[xsmommy]

ping.

[AdA$tra]

"The Vatican and all other religious bodies have no business interfering in political matters."

Political issue? This NOT a olitical issue. It is a moral issue of the highest order. Our once great nation is doomed if we continue to lsaught ther unborn, the most innocent amoung us.

[BlackElk]

Brothers in Christ!

[LadyWilkie]

"The Church teaches that if you are not in a state of grace, going to Communion is an act of Eucharistic sacrilege: a very serious thing. Very serious."

One point that seems to have been missed is that according to Catholic faith and teaching it's not only a very serious act of Eucharistic sacrilege for the person who is in a state of grave sin to receive communion...it's also an even greater sacrilege for the minister to give it to them!

One could claim a certain degree of ignorance of the gravity of their spiritual state while under sin, what the spiritual consequences are for participating in the Eucharist without being reconciled first, blah blah blah. But a Priest or Eucharistic Minister knows (or should!) full well what the consequences to you would be. And if they do not refuse you communion then they are personally culpable in causing those consequences.

It's like showing up covered in gasoline...when they hand you the host they're handing you a lit match!

By demanding communion while known to be in a state of grave sin, no matter who you are, you are asking the minister to also perform a sin of the gravest magnitude by knowingly allowing you to commit a terrible sacrilege when they can easily prevent it.

And the stupid part is that it's nothing at all to refrain. Lots of people stay in their seats during Mass for a variety of reasons. My husband and I are two of them because I'm still in the process of annuling my first marriage. And we're hardly the only ones. No big deal!

That right there should tell you that his motives in making an issue out of this are purely selfish!

If he really wanted to try and be a good Catholic, but there was an issue on which he just couldnt find it in his conscience to agree with the Church, then he should follow her mandates for that situation...repent or refrain. Either way it doesnt preclude him from attending services or activities, just from receiving the rites of communion and reconcilliation (confession)...since ya cant honestly apologize for something you aint sorry for and which you have every intention of continuing to do.

Still waiting to hear about that...whether or not he's even tried to confess the sin of supporting/promoting abortion...and whether or not his priest would accept his confession as valid. I certainly hope not...on both counts!

I sure hope the bishops belly up on this (and other issues)...and not just in the case of public figures!

When leaders dont lead, followers wont follow, then everyone gets lost!