Posted on 11/14/2008 5:11:41 AM PST by Kaslin
I want you to meet a priest from Greenville, South Carolina named Rev. Jay Scott Newman.
He is the pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in downtown Greenville.
And he has become my personal hero.
In a nutshell, Fr. Newman told his parishioners that if they voted for Barack Obama, they embraced “intrinsic evil” since Obama's opponent was a “plausible pro-life alternative.” And as a result, those Obama voters need to seek forgiveness from God before they receive Holy Communion again.
Does this guy have guts, or what?
Finally, a religious leader comes along and deals with the 800-pound elephant in the room: how do supposedly religious people reject the sanctity of life and support someone who voted against a “Born Alive Infant Protection” law which would protect babies accidentally born alive after a botched abortion?
Frankly, if that's not evil, I'm not sure what is.
And it takes a priest in Greenville, South Carolina to rise up against all the moral relativism we face in the world and speak the truth.
In a letter posted on the church website, Rev. Newman said that Catholics who voted for a pro-abortion candidate should seek penance for their sin before receiving the Holy Sacrament of Communion, “lest they eat and drink their own condemnation.”
Of course, he's not just making this up. He cites the Bible as the basis for his message, quoting from I Corinthians that forbids partaking of the body of Christ “without recognizing the body of the Lord.”
I'm pleased to report that the response from his congregation has been overwhelmingly positive. According to the priest, church members have approved of his message by a margin of 9 to 1, which leaves me to wonder why those in the minority would see fit to question their pastor.
When discussing this gutsy priest on my radio show this week, a few liberals called in and complained about him “mixing politics with religion.”
It seems to me that life and death issues aren't very political in nature. At least they shouldn't be.
And the fact that the left has managed to turn the issue of abortion into “politics” is simply a deceitful way to try and make the taking of an unborn baby's life something as mundane and ordinary as taxes or fixing potholes.
The Catholic Church has certainly had its hands full in dealing with controversies and ugliness. There is no question that many wish the church would have better handled the terrible scandal of sexually abusive priests over the years.
As a result of that scandal, many Christian- and Catholic-bashers saw fit to condemn the entire Roman Catholic Church with hateful and vicious attacks, despite the fact that millions of loyal, faithful Catholic churchgoers were as appalled by the abusers as anyone else.
But one thing that can be said with clarity and consistency: the Catholic Church has been a beacon in leading the fight against the destruction of the unborn.
Say what you will, but few religious faiths and organizations have had the rock-solid conviction to fight for unborn babies like the Catholic Church has had.
And judging by the actions of this one priest in South Carolina, they're just getting started.
I pray that more priests, ministers, and rabbis follow suit.
How can a spiritual leader stand at the pulpit every week and ignore the slaughter of millions of innocents?
Why would a pastor be inclined to defend an individual, politician or otherwise, who could support partial-birth abortion or the destruction of the life of an unborn baby at any stage?
May a hero like Rev. Jay Scott Newman of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville, South Carolina serve as a wake-up call to sleepy, lazy church leaders who don't want to address this issue, one of the most important issues of our lifetime.
If our church leaders don't fight for the unborn, who will?
He’ll be “apologizing” within a week.
I think you will enjoy this
“Reverend,” “Father,” why use either? But that’s not the subject here.
Are we to have the impression that this man is the only one, or one of only a few who openly takes such a stand?
I could drive you through the Smokey and Blue Ridge Mountains, and to many other regions around the States where Preachers have have taken and are taking an open stand, opening the Bible, and telling people what is happening in this Obama guy, and what is happening to our country. A lot of those folks are among the many stocking up on arms.
Perhaps we should take this to mean that “finally” a liturgical-style clergyman has taken such an open stand.
Some priests DO use the term Rev....I had one who used the term VERY REV. ......
Now is the time for the Vatican to have the same temerity this priest did and speak the truth of Scripture and condemn those that voted for any abortion rights candidate. Only when the Vatican speaks will this priest’s stance resonate with Catholics throughout this world.
No, the time for the Vatican and the Catholic Church to speak out was a long time ago. I resent the fact that the “leaders” have waited until now. Maybe better late than never?
If you want to get technical, it should never be Rev. Jay Scott Newman for any denomination. It should be The Rev. Jay Scott Newman, which would be appropriate in this case, though The Rev. Fr. Jay Scott Newman would be best.
I waited in a long line to vote. I noticed a teacher working the lines with Obama pin proudly displayed on her jacket. She is a long time member of the Catholic church.
I asked her in front of everyone how she could support Obama and be a Catholic considering his views on abortion. She just smiled. Several people thanked me for speaking up.
They said if it were not for Catholics breaking ranks on abortion matters things may be different. They may be correct.
Nope - this is why Catholic attendance by center-rights has decreased dramatically, while parishes/schools are being closed at record pace, why lawsuits against the church have skyrocketed and why contributions are at it’s lowest (even before the economy woes). See it’s us center-rights in the Catholic church that are the money of the church, not the far right or the left. So unless the church changes and has to scrounge for loose cannons like this guy or immigrants to fill its pulpits then the church will continue to wither here in the US. Facts are facts - keep religion (telling someone they cannot receive Communion) out of politics.
Oh, they bastardized his quote. It’s PERFECT:
supporting [0bama] “constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil”
GK,
If you think the Catholic Church should water-down its doctrine and trade its integrity for revenue, I assert that you are sadly mistaken and questionably Catholic.
Perhaps another center-right Christian faith is more appropriate for you.
Regards,
Red
So the Church should overlook the killing of the unborn? If they don’t stand up for life, who will? America is morally adrift. It is not for the Church to “change” because of this.
Officially, yes, it does. We don't say it, but it's on all the documentation.
It was the Feast of All Souls. You shouldn't have even had that. All Souls in my parish is almost a solemnity.
[exasperated sigh out of Des] How are the faithful supposed to learn the faith if THE CLERGY WON'T TEACH IT!!!!!!
Rant off.
So you are suggesting that the Catholic church should side-step the Bible, tradition and morality so that it can remain popular and keep its coffers full?
No thanks.
Some may have considered Jesus Christ a “loose canon”.
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