Practicing Catholics Back Bush; Kerry Gets Lukewarm Believers

NewsMax ^ | 8/11/04 | Carl Limbacher

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

The sad part of the Catholics-as-Dems saga is that FDR was an extreme anti-Catholic bigot who manipulated Americans impoverished by the Great Depression to support Big Government and socialism. Some people just never learn.
The urban Catholics still enslaved to the machine politics of the Democrats are a disgrace to the church. Kerry, Kennedy, et al.

[redhead]

I think the tide is turning, for one reason or another. A lot of those old FDR voters are dying off, and the younger farmers are more conservative. Minnesota has gone strongly to the conservative side in the last couple of election cycles.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

There is not now, nor will there be any time soon, a major political party in the U.S. which matches all points of Catholic teaching. However, it is gravely immoral for people to trade the lives of the innocent unborn in exchange for a higher minimum wage or the belief that they will receive more benefits from liberal policies. The anti-Christian and anti-Catholic agenda of the Dems may not be supported by Catholics presenting themselves for Holy Communion.

[Coleus]

It's a mortal sin to miss mass and holy days of obligation violating the 3rd Commandment. You need a really good excuse to not miss mass and not sin, i.e. being sick or taking care of a sick child/realative, you get a flat tire on the way, you render first aid to someone in a car accident on the way to mass . If you plan to miss mass it's a mortal sin.

Why is missing Sunday Mass a Sin?
Deliberately missing Mass on a Sunday or Holy day is a mortal sin because it disobeys the Third Commandment. "See that you keep my sabbath because it is a sign between you and me and your generation, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctify you" (Deut.5:12) It is not a 'meaningless rule imposed by the Catholic Church' it is a Commandment of God.

The Third Commandment (not, as has been pointed out by numerous commentators, the third 'recommendation or request') establishes the Sabbath as a day of rest and devotion to the Lord. This observance has been made since the earliest days of Jewish history, and is amplified in Christian tradition with the sacrifice of Mass, the unbloody reenactment of the crucifixtion.

Catholic or not, all Christians have an obligation to observe the Sabbath by attending Sunday Services, and avoiding unnecessary work. Not shopping, or mowing the lawn, or cleaning the car, or doing overtime.

Who Says So?
In addition to the Book of Deuteronomy, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

"2181: The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin."

Also, the 'Code of Canon Law' which is the collection of 'rules' of the Church, states:

"1246: The Lord's Day, on which the paschal mystery is celebrated, is by apostolic tradition to be observed in the universal Church as the primary holy day of obligation. In the same way the following holydays are to be observed: the nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (December 25), the Epiphany (January 6), the Ascension of Christ (40 Days after Easter), the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (June , the feast of Mary the Mother of God (January 1), her Immaculate Conception (December 8), her Assumption (August 15), the feast of Saint Joseph (May 1), the feast of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul (November 18) and the feast of All Saint's (November 1).

"1247: On Sundays and other holydays of obligation, the faithful are obliged to assist [attend] at Mass. they are also to abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body."

When is it Not a Sin?
Missing mass is not a sin if it is obviously impossible to attend Mass. This is not because there is a list of acceptable 'excuses' but because missing Mass in those circumstances isn't a deliberate disobedience of the commandment of God.

Illness, dangerous weather, lack of a priest or Church within reasonable distance (I would suggest an hour's travel time is a reasonable distance), small infants, the necessity to stay with a sick relative and no-one to relieve you for an hour or two, and shift work can all cause you - through no action or inaction of your own - to miss Mass.

2177 The Sunday celebration of the Lord's Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church's life. "Sunday is the day on which the paschal mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic tradition and is to be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church."110

"Also to be observed are the day of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension of Christ, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christi, the feast of Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, the feast of Saint Joseph, the feast of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul, and the feast of All Saints."111

The Sunday obligation

2180 The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass."117 "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day."118

2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor.119 Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

2182 Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to his Church. The faithful give witness by this to their communion in faith and charity. Together they testify to God's holiness and their hope of salvation. They strengthen one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2183 "If because of lack of a sacred minister or for other grave cause participation in the celebration of the Eucharist is impossible, it is specially recommended that the faithful take part in the Liturgy of the Word if it is celebrated in the parish church or in another sacred place according to the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop, or engage in prayer for an appropriate amount of time personally or in a family or, as occasion offers, in groups of families."120

[old and tired]

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of the Catechism. Perhaps your pastor would be willing to buy a copy for all his lectors and Extraordinary Ministers.

$8.99 at Amazon.com

I'd also suggest reading up on the Church fathers and the saints. Involved, faithful Catholics have a special obligation to be well versed in the Faith.

AMDG

[mtntop3]

' Can any fellow Freeper comment on this? Is it a mortal sin not to attend mass regularly? '

'Tis best to ask the powers above on this - and they have long ago supplied the answer. We need only to not close our hearts. If you do not affirm the Apostle's Creed regularly (at least once a week); do not Confess to the Lord regularly; do not say the Lord's Prayer regularly; and do not take Holy Communion regularly - do you not feel, well, a bit unright??

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

a country that does not take care of its elderly, its sick, its hungry while promising opportunity for only the wealthy.

I don't know what you are talking about. An American Secretary today would have to think long and hard about trading all the things that run on petroluem or electricity, and all the things made of plastic, and all the medicines and medical services which were invented in the past hundred years, for all the baubles Queen Victoria (1819-1901) possessed. That's opportunity "only for the wealthy" all right - if you understand that by biblical standards 'most everyone in America is wealthy.

God does not like George Bush.

I would not expect a Christian to make that claim; it is not obvious that we are permitted to assert that "God so loved the world . . ." does not include Mr. Bush.

[NYer]

Can any fellow Freeper comment on this? Is it a mortal sin not to attend mass regularly?

Yes! And .... just in case you some other aspects of the catholic faith slipped through, here is a truly worthwhile link to visit:
EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[Coleus]

Thanks, good link.

[NYer]

I'd rather have someone who has a strong faith in the White House than someone who has no clue exactly WHAT his faith is.

John Kerry has no clue about his catholic faith. And, apparently, neither do you. Here is a place to begin:

Faith in Jesus Christ, who is «the way, the truth, and the life»(Jn 14:6), calls Christians to exert a greater effort in building a culture which, inspired by the Gospel, will reclaim the values and contents of the Catholic Tradition. 
The Participation of Catholics in Political Life

In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is a moral obligation.

Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility

[Smartass]

Kerry will not get the Catholic vote.
Check out the link for more "Hanoi John" problems.

"Fortune Cookie John"

[afraidfortherepublic]

Or Saturday night "vigil" counts. -- Not A Saturday afternoon wedding, but a vigil mass -- must be after 5 PM, I think.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Combined data from the two most recent Gallup polls show that Catholic registered voters who attend church weekly, a group that represents about one-third of all Catholic registered voters, support Bush over Kerry by a 52 percent to 42 percent margin.

Thanks for the encouraging news, NYer.

[Last Dakotan]

Do you think that Mr. Kerry has ever gone windsurfing instead of to mass?

Depends on the proximity of TV cameras...

[Last Dakotan]

You are correct.

[Revenge of Sith]

I know many priests who say that mortal sins are extremely rare and that in all their years as priests, they never heard anybody confess a mortal sin. For a sin to be mortal, the sinner has to deliberately try to offend God.

[Eternally-Optimistic]

yes it is a mortal sin to miss Sunday Mass.

You must go to confession and confess this sin before receiving Holy Communion now that you have asked and know this to be a mortal sin.

Please get a copy of the Catechism and study the beautiful religion that Jesus has given us. There are reasons for everything.

[potlatch]

It has ALWAYS been a mortal sin to miss Mass on Sunday and days of Holy Obligation, always! You can't receive Communion till you go to confession.