Posted on 11/13/2008 4:43:36 PM PST by upchuck
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."
The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.
"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.
"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exits constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."
During the 2008 campaign, many bishops spoke out on abortion more boldly than four years earlier, telling Catholic politicians and voters that the issue should be the most important consideration in setting policy and deciding which candidate to back. A few church leaders said parishioners risked their immortal soul by voting for candidates who support abortion rights.
But bishops differ on whether Catholic lawmakersand votersshould refrain from receiving Communion if they diverge from church teaching on abortion. Each bishop sets policy in his own diocese. In their annual fall meeting, the nation's Catholic bishops vowed Tuesday to forcefully confront the Obama administration over its support for abortion rights.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Just repeating what the Pope has ordained.
Fair enough. Thanks for the nice, enlightening discussion.
I think its a stretch to extend what the Pope said to any schmuck who happens to vote for a democrat for reasons that often have little to do with abortion. A lot of people voted for Obama for other reasons - namely Bush, the bailout and the fact many just always vote for dems.
In the report I was familiar with The Pope was talking about legislators themselves who knowlingly sponsored abortion legislation.
http://romancleric.blogspot.com/2007/05/pope-benedict-catholic-politicians-and.html
Yes, quite. #131 is worded nicely but is an interpretation or opinion.
Nor does #131 address the fact that, according to the Church, one can vote for a choice candidate as long as he/she has done thoughtful introspect into the moral reasons for voting as he/she chooses and has a clear conscience in doing so. For example, if someone votes for a pro-choice candidate because they feel he/she will do more to better economic conditions which are directly related to the rate of abortion, then, they can justifiably have a clear conscience on the matter.
I've never denied God. Only a fool would do that.
And neither of the next though someone with the intellectual brilliance of an assistant manager of a shoe store authoritatively declares it so.
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.
Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: If they make a mistake, I dont want them punished with a baby.
Speaking honestly, I'm mystified that otherwise intelligent people regard with such fear the interdict of someone just sufficiently schooled because he's wearing watered silks, burning incense, ringing bells, waving his arms and speaking in a dead language.
There is even a secular beauty in the Communion celebration for people like you to appreciate.
It can be fine theatre, but so too are watching Jews piously praying at The Wailing Wall, or seeing thousands of Muslims in unison bowing in prayer toward Mecca. But all the outward symbols remain just that: Only theatre, which distracts from Christianity's central truths.
There are more things in this universe that might be, i.e. in the realm of the possible, than are or ever will be. To simply assert something is so, even if you do it in what you regard is a pleasantly aesthetic fashion, does not make it true.
Just because the pope declares something to be so makes it no truer (even if you're moved by his declaration) than a well done stage performance of Peter Pan proves that somewhere in the world there were once pre-pubescent children who could fly.
So if we need to know what God is thinking, if he's not available, we can check with you instead? How reassuring to learn there are people who know the mind of God.
When did you make that declaration? It seems contrary to your current position.
Ah, now the ad hominem attacks. When you can't attack the person's arguments, attack the arguer. Very convenient.
You deny His Church, you deny Him.
Good thing Catholics don't do that.
I assume you'll be bringing out the boiling oil and the thumb screws shortly? Only a fool would think a mortal institution could speak for God.
You assume wrong. I'm not surprised.
Only a fool would think a mortal institution could speak for God.
Stop changing the subject. I am not talking about a mortal institution, I am talking about the Catholic Church.
Zealotry is such an ugly thing, no matter who it's from.
An institution run by mortal men for mortal men, albeit encumbered with pretty ceremonies that obscure the central teaching of The Gospel.
Irrelevant, but correct.
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.