Posted on 04/28/2008 4:46:50 PM PDT by tcg
Edward Cardinal Egan of New York issued a formal statement concerning the reception of the Eucharist by the former Mayor of New York and former Republican candidate for President, Rudolph Giuliani.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholic.org ...
There is no doubt that the message and the meaning of the week will be unpacked for months, even years, to come. In some instances the absolute beauty of the Liturgies and the deep wisdom of each of the homilies was accompanied by some inappropriate responses.
Unfortunately, included among those,was the reemergence of the ever present concern that some Catholics in Public Life, who take positions on protecting and defending human life which are completely at odds with the Magisterium, insist on coming forward to receive the Holy Eucharist at very public Liturgical Celebrations.
The discussion concerning the multiple aspects of this issue has been carried on for years within the Catholic Church in America. There are legitimate differences among the American Bishops as to pastoral approach and application.
However, they all agree with the infallible teaching of the Catholic Church concerning the dignity and inviolability of every human life and the intrinsic evil of legalized abortion. They also agree that the reception of the Eucharist implies that the communicant is in full communion with that teaching.
The disagreement comes in the arena of the proper pastoral care of all souls.
What magnifies the problem, and continues to bring it back into the public discussion, is the behavior of Politicians who overtly dissent from the truth about life and want everyone to know that they disagree with their Church.
For example, when advocates of legalized abortion on demand come forward in very public Liturgies, knowing full well what kinds of signals this action sends to the faithful and to the public, a response is appropriate. That is precisely what happened at St. Patrick's Cathedral on April 19.
This kind of overt behavior raises the specter of what is called “scandal” in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Sections 2284-2287).
It at least shows a lack of concern for the souls of others when a Catholic in public life, knowing full well the teaching of his or her Church on this issue, insists on coming forward to receive communion in a very public Liturgy.
Edward Cardinal Egan of New York issued a formal statement concerning the reception of the Eucharist by the former Mayor of New York and former Republican candidate for president, Rudolph Giuliani.
The former Mayor is a proponent of the current American approach to abortion which, since Roe v Wade, makes it ‘legal’ throughout all nine months, profanely calling it not only a “choice” but a “right”.
However,every procured abortion is irrefutably the intentional taking of innocent unborn human life. This is clear in the medical science.
Taking innocent human life is also universally immoral. This is clear in the in the Natural Law which binds all men and women.
It is also clearly and infallibly taught by the ordinary Magisterium of the Catholic Church to be intrinsically evil.
The statement of the Cardinal is found on the web site of the Archdiocese of New York:
“The Catholic Church clearly teaches that abortion is a grave offense against the will of God. Throughout my years as Archbishop of New York, I have repeated this teaching in sermons, articles, addresses, and interviews without hesitation or compromise of any kind.Thus it was that I had an understanding with Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, when I became Archbishop of New York and he was serving as Mayor of New York that he was not to receive the Eucharist because of his well-known support of abortion.
I deeply regret that Mr. Giuliani received the Eucharist during the Papal visit here in New York, and I will be seeking a meeting with him to insist that he abide by our understanding.”
Cardinal Egan is to be commended for his statement and his courage.
Hopefully, his statement will lead the Mayor to reexamine the clear error of his position and lead him to repentance and to the fullness of the sacramental grace of the Church.
Hopefully as well, it will speak loudly to other Catholics in public life, in both political parties, who are wrong concerning this fundamental human rights issue and help to bring about a genuine conversion of mind, heart and behavior.
At least it tells the Catholic faithful that the Archbishop of New York cares about the effects of such behavior. It comes at a critical time, when they desperately need to hear such a message.The Cardinal is to be commended. He defended life, and the truth,by pastorally correcting Giuliani.
Pelosi received communion at the Pope’s mass in Washington.
Egan has a pair. Who knew?
It's about time the Church started turning up the heat.
I mentioned at the time that if John Cardinal O'Connor was still alive, he would have had a chat with him the same day.
Will have to see what happens in DC since Pelsio, Kennedy and Kerry all received it during the Papal Mass in Washington
Egan isn’t Pelosi’s Bishop.
So long as Egan and others simply say "Tut tut," they're derelict shepherds, and it is, indeed, business as usual. What the public needs to see is Guliani coming to the communion rail and being turned away by the Celebrant.
I’ll applaud Egan and other Roman bishops when they direct their priests, on pain of excummunication, to refuse to serve the Eucharist to Guliani or to any other figure who is known to support the murder of infants.
So long as Egan and others simply say “Tut tut,” they’re derelict shepherds, and it is, indeed, business as usual. What the public needs to see is Guliani coming to the communion rail and being turned away by the Celebrant. “
What you said deserves repeating.
What is a perceived embarassment to a politician, who spits in the eye of the Church, versus their support of 4,000 babies being sliced and diced every single day in America?
Pelosi, Guilani, Kerry, et al. should have been intercepted well in advance, informed that they were in sin, and that until they made amends, the Eucharist was not available to them in accordance with Scripture and Church teaching.
At some point,Christians will no longer have room to keep backing up in the face of evil.
And bishops, as with elders, are accountable to Jesus Christ for their flocks, and held to a higher standard.
Please aim your hysteria and dispepsia at one of the bishops who is not trying to address the situation head on.
Clearly Cardinal Egan is trying to do just that, and he is met by your inaposite whining.
Its like bitching at your kids for not having an A when they bring their grades up to a B from a C.
Nice try.
Cardinal Egan should be doing more than just trying to get Rudy to agree to their little “understanding”.
The cardinal has the power and the responsibility to enforce Church law and doctrine.
I’ll give him points for raising the subject, but when there is overt sin, there needs to be reproof and correction.
The Apostle Paul set the standard in I and II Corinthians.
Sin has to be confronted by the shepherds, not accommodated by “understandings”. “Understandings” tend to get abused, as in this case.
The Cardinal also has the responsibility for setting the tone with the bishops.
So regardless of your opinion of my dyspepsia, nothing has been said that is not true. I did not ask to get the red robe, but if you are going to wear it, you better do the job the Chief Shepherd expects.
A line drawn in the sand is long overdue.
I see no line.
And, you think baby-hamburger compares to bad grades? No wonder the cowardliness of Roman bishops doesn't bother you.
You clearly exhibit both hysteria and dyspepsia, which you are free to do.
One could view this as a direct positive response by Cardinal Egan to an inspiring and empowering visit by the ontiff - a stern public rebuke of a supporter of mass murder and a public revelation that he has counseled Giuliani that he was not to take communion and a public promise that he will be counseling him again in the future about his disdain for the Church’s teaching on Life. This is an amazing development.
Or one could piss and moan that Egan is not wearing his red robes the way you think he ought to (all while pretending that you are not equipped to wear the scarlet - and ignorantly claiming that a man who asked to wear scarlet would be called to wear it).
One could view this as a direct positive response by Cardinal Egan to an inspiring and empowering visit by the pontiff - a stern public rebuke of a supporter of mass murder and a public revelation that he has counseled Giuliani that he was not to take communion and a public promise that he will be counseling him again in the future about his disdain for the Church’s teaching on Life. This is an amazing development.
Or one could piss and moan that Egan is not wearing his red robes the way you think he ought to (all while coquettishly pretending that you think you are not equipped to wear the scarlet while at the same time telling one who does what he is doing wrong - and ignorantly claiming that a man who asked to wear scarlet would be called to wear it).
Your first paragraph of post 15 is evidence of the low expectations that you accept from Church leadership. The Cardinal is being very diplomatic, but Guiliani has not only disobeyed Church teaching, he has flaunted his disobedience, and publicly rebuked the Cardinal’s good efforts to have an “understanding” with him. Guiliani threw down a gauntlet.
Mr. Guiliani is in sin, flagrantly so, and seemingly unrepentant. If Guiliani accepted the authority of the Cardinal, he would not have gone against the Cardinal, especially in such a public manner.
Why the waking on eggshells? Because Guiliani is a famous politician? What is that in light of a responsibility to Jesus Christ to faithfully lead and shepherd the flock, and to protect it from apostasy and those who cling to public sin?
In the greater context, all levels of the Catholic Church leadership have been timid in their stand against abortion and those in power who are Catholic and who publicly rail against the Church’s teaching and Scripture on the issue.
As for your second paragraph, your thinly veiled insult is very uncharitable. Have you walked this walk? Have you had direct responsibility for a group of believers as an elder or a bishop? Have you confronted sin in the flock and worked to restore an apostate to fellowship?
How do you know that I have not?
Paragraph 1 is a suggestion that charity would have you view this as a positive development. Egan had seemingly been dormant, but suddenly took public action. That is a sign of a wonderful and significant development.
Paragraph 2 is a rebuke of your glass-half-empty negativity in light of a very positive and unprecedented step by this cardinal. In light of this positive development, your reaction is to yelp. Most uncharitable of you. It is also a rebuke of your pretense that you have an inkling of what it takes to be a cardinal, the pressures faced in trying to faithfully carry out the duties of that office, or the way the world’s largest institution conducts its affairs. Egan is one of 200 of the very highest level leaders in a church with 1 billion members, and his own archdiocese has millions of believers and non-believers of all stripes. No one asks for or lobbies to get the job of cardinal. If one does, they are excluded from consideration. And no matter what your experience, you could not possibly have a cluse about these things, let alone be in a position to offer advice to him regarding a man you have never met.
Why is this “a positive and unprecedented step” by the Cardinal?
Are you kidding? This is not only long overdue by the Cardinal, it is also a half measure.
As for the Cardinal’s responsibilities, he carries them out with the help of the Holy Spirit, hopefully not in his own power. To whom much is given, much is expected.
Scripture describes the qualities, works and responsibilities of church leadership. It is a high honor, but carries a grave responsibility, as you are accountable directly to Jesus Christ for your actions as a shepherd.
As for no one asking or lobbying for the job of cardinal, history is replete with tales to the opposite. But that has nothing to do with Cardinal Egan.
The Cardinal stands no higher in front of Jesus than you or I. However, I have had the same responsibility, on a smaller scale. The responsibilities are the same, and so is the accountability. The rules are the same for him as for others in leadership at whatever level, and whatever the size of the flock. So, even if you do not agree, I am qualified to review and comment on the Cardinal’s actions.
Have you ever talked to Mayor Giuliani about this and counseled him as his pastor?
No, you have not.
Shut up.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.