Posted on 11/25/2004 10:29:28 AM PST by Coleus
TESTING THE FAITH
Priest busted for Communion wine
Wants variance of city law so he can say Mass outside abortion clinic
A Catholic priest has run afoul of the law in Colorado Springs, Colo., after being caught with an open container of sacramental wine while performing Mass outside an abortion clinic.
The Rev. Bill Carmody was warned by a police officer after the cop asked him what he was holding.
"The police officer asked me what's in the flask," he told the Colorado Springs Gazette. "I really didn't know what to do."
Carmody has asked the Colorado Springs City Council for a variance, allowing him to legally say Mass outdoors.
"I do not want to break the law. I'm simply asking for a variance," Carmody told the City Council on Tuesday. "This is a religious ceremony."
According to the Gazette, city ordinance 2.5.704 prohibits drinking in any street, alley, sidewalk, avenue, park – even public stairways.
The priest has been using the wine during weekly protests at a local Planned Parenthood facility. Someone apparently reported him to the police.
Vice Mayor Richard Skorman told Carmody his question about a variance would be researched, the paper reported.
Lenox Powell, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, told the Gazette Carmody's group tries "to bully and use scare tactics and threaten and shame women" outside the clinic.
"As for the issue of the wine and the Mass – our area of concern is women's health care," she said.
We're talking about only 2 ounces of wine for the Mass. I think the police have better things to do than to question a priest conducting Mass outdoors. There happens to be a first amendment to the US Constitution which states that Congress shall make NO law preventing the free exercise of religion. The SCOTUS actually decided to allow Santeria "priests" to conduct animal sacrifices if no animals are tortured so I think the city should be wise enough to not violate the US Constitution and let the Catholic Priest practice his faith.
Priest seeks exception to Colorado Springs open-container law
Priest tells lawmakers not to emulate JFK
He should have used a small hip flask with the holy spirits.
It's not about the wine. If it had been a Baptist preacher with grape juice they would have still found a complaint.
If it had been a Baptist preacher with grape juice they would have still found a complaint. >>
Yep, organizing without a premit, no parade permit, no rally permit, no sound permit. It could have been anything, they just want to permit Satan's work and let the abortion mill conduct their business.
To the PC crowd, it is abortion that is the sacrement..The only choice liberals think one should have.
If the priest uses the proper form, matter and rite, then it's no longer wine when he consumes it.
I guess it might make them nervous to be reminded God watching what they are doing in there.
I see these folks all the time outside PP on Colorado Ave, unfortunantly I'm usually working and can only give em a honk and thumbs up.
They drive the libs insane all the time, guy I work with has bonafide liberal kool aid drinkers living on every side of him that go off on huge insane tirades about the protesters. The protestors are doing good work!
The religion of Baal - Si
The religion of Christ - No
Maybe the good Bishop of Colorado Springs ought to enlighten the folks in Colorado Springs. The Young Bishop Sheridan has spoken out strongly against abortion...
Wrong answer Padre. You were offering the blood of Christ, in an area zoned for the gluttonous consumption of baby blood.
It is both prayer and protest... Sometimes the prayer is more effective in getting people to change their minds. God bless & Happy Thanksgiving...
We're talking about a disregard for the law no matter how much wine is involved.
If we keep spouting absolutes about the Rule of Law to the Left we should be expected to held to the same standard. If the priest gets his variance, fine. If not, he needs to abide by the laws of the community.
Ha! I figured it would be Fr. Carmody when I saw the title. He is by far the most publicly vocal opponent of abortion in Co. Springs. Kind of sad that one would expect him to be the protaganist of the story.
I am not at all surprised that the police would harass Fr. Carmody over a little wine, which in no way violates the intent of the ordinance they are attempting to apply. But the law enforcement officers in this area are absolute tyrants and will molest any citizen for the slightest scent of a violation of the most insignificant ordinance or law. Their prosecutorial descretion always comes down on the side of making the taxpaying citizens suffer the consequences of becoming involved in the Kafkaesque justice system. The jails are overflowing with so-called criminals, usually the young and poor, who have committed the most benign of offenses.
It is just an example of how stupid the people who run the courts and city councils and local law enforcement agencies are, and I mean dumb, dumb, dumb, that Fr. Carmody would have to go to the trouble getting a variance. That Richard Skorman, whose constituency in the Springs are the progressives and gays in the city, is going to be his advocate isn't very hopeful.
I am not at all surprised that the police would harass Fr. Carmody over a little wine, which in no way violates the intent of the ordinance they are attempting to apply. >>
Neither am I. I do sidewalk counseling outside a mill and see cars drive up with PBA & FOP shields in the windows.
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