Posted on 09/04/2004 10:15:59 PM PDT by neverdem
In the view of the nation's Roman Catholic bishops, politicians who belong to the church but depart from its teachings on abortion should be denied honors from a Catholic institution.
Unless, some would say, you happen to be a national hero of Sept. 11 who has raised a lot of money for a church-affiliated hospital.
That would be the former mayor of New York, Rudolph W. Giuliani, an abortion rights supporter, whose name will grace a new $25 million trauma center at St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan. Ground was broken last week.
The hospital is a branch of St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers, a system of eight hospitals, four nursing homes and a large home-health care agency, overseen by the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Sisters of Charity. Ultimate authority over the complex rests in the hands of Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and Sister Dorothy Metz, president of the Sisters of Charity.
Like all Catholic medical institutions, it does not provide abortions, contraception or other procedures that violate Catholic teaching.
"If you would name a center after somebody, certainly that would qualify as an honor," said the Rev. Frank Pavone, a priest who lives in Staten Island and runs the national anti-abortion campaign Priests for Life. Father Pavone called the naming "troublesome," saying, "It certainly isn't something I would do if I were in that position."
He said that Republicans who support abortion rights should be treated the same as Democrats who hold similar views, including some who have been denied communion. Mr. Giuliani is a Republican.
Christopher Slattery, an anti-abortion activist in the New York area, said the naming of the trauma center was "outrageous."
"I think it's a scandal that a Roman Catholic institution is prominently honoring a man who has a serious, at least one serious moral flaw, if not many," he said.
The nation's bishops issued their statement about such honors on June 18 amid a brouhaha over whether it was appropriate for Catholic politicians who are not abortion opponents to receive communion. Several bishops had publicly stated that politicians who back a right to abortion should stay away from the communion rail. Democrats like Gov. James E. McGreevey of New Jersey and Senator John Kerry were singled out.
The statement, titled "Catholics in Political Life," said politicians who support abortion rights were "cooperating in evil," and left the door open for bishops to deny them communion.
The document also included this paragraph:
"The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."
Bishop DiMarzio was not aware that the trauma center was being named for Mr. Giuliani until he read about it in the newspaper last week, said his spokesman, Frank DeRosa. Mr. DeRosa noted that the decision on naming the center was made a year before the bishop even arrived to take over the diocese in October 2003.
"While he recognized what Rudy Giuliani did for the trauma unit," Mr. DeRosa said, "he clearly disagrees with and is disappointed with Giuliani's pro-choice position."
Mark Ackermann, director of the hospital's fund-raising foundation, said the decision appeared to have the Brooklyn diocese's implicit approval. Bishop DiMarzio's predecessor was Bishop Thomas V. Daily.
"This naming opportunity like any other naming opportunity goes through our board and sponsors," he said, referring to the Brooklyn bishop and leader of the Sisters of Charity. "Because of the mayor's extra role in Sept. 11 and all of the efforts that were put forth, I think the sponsors felt comfortable with this."
Because St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan is in the Archdiocese of New York, Cardinal Edward M. Egan also has some say in whether the hospital conforms to Catholic teaching.
Sister Jane Iannucelli, vice chairman of the hospital board and the Sisters of Charity's main representative at the hospital, said the order and the archdiocese were in regular contact, and that she assumed the cardinal would have raised any objections if he had any.
Joseph Zwilling, Cardinal Egan's spokesman, said the cardinal's obligation concerned whether the hospital's activities conformed to the church's ethical and religious directives. He questioned whether the sisters consulted directly with the archdiocese on the naming of the trauma center.
Later, Mr. Zwilling issued a statement saying there was no "organizational connection" between the archdiocese and the hospital. He said that the archdiocese works closely with Catholic hospitals, and that the cardinal holds the Sisters of Charity "in the highest regard."
A telephone call to Mr. Giuliani's spokeswoman was not returned.
A spokesman for the bishops conference, David Early, declined to comment on whether the naming of the St. Vincent's center violated the bishops' policy, but he said they were aiming mainly at Catholic campuses in the document.
"It is my understanding that what prompted the bishops to discuss that clause that you're talking about was the number of chairmanships, the honorary degrees, the special platforms offered by Catholic universities or other Catholic entities" to those in favor of abortion rights.
The Rev. Thomas Reese, editor of America magazine and a prominent speaker on Catholic affairs, saw some irony in the position.
"They can name a hospital wing after him, but he can't give a commencement address or get an honorary degrees?" he said. "This makes perfect sense!"
Father Reese said the naming of the wing "raises serious questions about the consistency of the bishops' policy."
"Can Fordham name a building after Giuliani and honor him? If it can't but Catholic hospitals can, where are we? Certainly hospitals are much closer to issues of abortion rather than colleges and universities," he said. Sister Jane acknowledged that naming the trauma center after Mr. Giuliani might raise eyebrows. But she said honoring the former mayor grew out of the attacks of Sept. 11 and his role in the city's response. Mr. Giuliani is honorary executive chairman of the hospital foundation's $100 million capital campaign, which has raised about $30 million, including $8.5 million for the trauma center. His wife, Judith, is executive director of the campaign.
"This was something that was very out of the ordinary of our life and our daily routine," she said. "I think you have to take that into consideration."
Let me know if you want on or off my New York ping list.
From "Abortion and The Conscience of a Nation" (1983), by President Ronald Reagan.
I'm certain that the NYT has come down equally hard on Kerry. Oh? They haven't? Hmmmm.
I do think the world of Rudy, but I have to agree with this article. One can't say that Kerry should not receive communion but we will name a wing after another pro-abortionist. Consistancy is called for.
The Republican party has more room in it for people that are different on this view, but the Catholic church should not.
I thought you folks might find this interesting.
The Democrats are completely off message. Here in this article they're attacking both Giuliani and the Catholic church. Elsewhere they're attacking Zell Miller, Dick Cheney, and President Bush. They're complaining about healthcare, jobs, and who served 35 years ago back in some war called "Vietnam" that half of today's population doesn't even remember.
They are clearly spooked, reeling backwards, and rudderless at the moment.
Life is good.
5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires
Kerry: Abortion, HELL is a Reality and we are Free to Choose it, Bishop Samuel J. Aquila, Fargo
Teresa on the Stump, Teresa Heinz Kerry, from Mozambique, PRO-ABORTION Catholic, UN Employee, etc.
Teresa Heinz Kerry, Drummond Pike and the Communist TIDES FOUNDATIONSin to vote for pro-abortion politicians?
By Father Matthew Habiger, OSB
Kerry Will Hold Pro-Abortion Rally Prior to Sunday's Abortion March
Separation of church and state becomes political issue in N.J.
NJ politicians: Catholic Church is seeking too big a role, Senate leader leaves Church
NJN Video: State Senator Bernard Kenny Leaves the Catholic Church
Church, State and Dinner (Barf!)McGreevey: Church wrong to dictate to Catholic politicians
Kerry, Candidate and Catholic, Creates Uneasiness for Church
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
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
Canon Law and Abortion
Sign Petition: To Excommunicate Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians
The Gospel of Life--Evangelium Vitae
Herod's Heroes, Sign Petition
The Bible and homosexuality [Kerry thinks the bible is for homosexuality]
Kerry’s Dirty Deeds (How, pray tell, do they comport with religious belief
Kerry and Kenned, etc., Catholic Pro-Abortion, Pro-Homosexual
Catholic and 100% Pro Abortion
KERRY TAKES COMMUNION AMID CONTROVERSY
Kerry Ignores Reproaches of Some Bishops
Pro-Life Group Protests Pro-Abortion Kerry's Speech at Georgetown
Partial Birth Abortion Ban Court Transcripts (Please read & Forward to EVERYONE) Kerry and many Catholic Politicians support this!!
I hope it is not the maternity wing.
Thanks for the links.
God will be the final judge of all of us for our deeds and opinions. For now, NYC should be the judge of what they want to name their hospital. IMHO, I would not be surprised to see miracles performed there.
But, it's a Catholic Hospital ...
Also, Divorce does not necesarilly make a catholic not eligible for communion, but it is one of the drivers for the mass number of anullments. And few divorce Catholics, although made to feel like they are second class citizens, continue to receive communion .... the church is full of rediculous rules which are optionally enforced, and mostly ignored, which makes the rules look foolish.
That is true, and that being said, let them break the rules for someone like Rudy whose deeds and virtues probably far outweight any of his sins against the church.
I personally don't understand how an intelligent person like him can agree with killing babies and that alone will lose him millions of his party votes if he elects to run for national office.
let them break the rules for someone like Rudy whose deeds and virtues probably far outweight any of his sins against the church.
Sorry, but I can't forgive someone who agrees with killing babies and it's not a sin against the church but against humanity.
Simple: have the Church ask Rudy to change his views.
That would be harder than having him change his views on the Second Amendment.
I guess Rudy will have to take his chance with God and voters collectively judging him. One thing you will find with Rudy, there will be no flip flopping just to please you. He might negotiate, but won't change his opinion just for a vote.
Rudy Giuliani is personally opposed to abortion. I know that draws scorn from some, but the truth is that we needed him desperately to be our mayor from 1994 to 2002, and the only way he could do that was to be "pro-choice."
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