Posted on 04/25/2009 10:47:08 AM PDT by Steelfish
OPINION
The holy war over Kathleen Sebelius Catholic leaders' threats to deny Communion to the Health and Human Services nominee have serious ramifications.
By TIM RUTTEN April 25, 2009
When Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius this week vetoed another in the seemingly unending series of restrictive abortion bills her state's Legislature churns out, it guaranteed that her confirmation as secretary of Health and Human Services would become a battleground in the increasingly nasty campaign being waged against officeholders who are both Catholic and Democratic.
Politics in Kansas has long been poisoned by extremism on both sides of the abortion question. This latest bill is one of a number that Sebelius, who is not a lawyer, has been advised to veto as unconstitutional.
The measure would have amended an existing statute on late-term abortions, which Kansas permits after the 21st week of pregnancy only if the mother is at risk of death or severe physical or mental injury.
The amendment would have required far more detailed reporting by physicians and would have allowed prosecutors who disagreed with the doctor's judgment to file criminal charges. Husbands who objected to the abortion would have been allowed to file civil suits.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
“For years, most bishops — though unswervingly pro-life — have avoided such an either/or moment, not least because, on the vast majority of issues apart from abortion, their social agenda coincides more closely with the Democrats than the GOP.”
The chickens come home to roost. Most bishops stuck their heads in the sand and now think they can become relevant overnight. I think not — nobody will listen to them anymore.
“Politics in Kansas has long been poisoned by extremism on both sides of the abortion question.”
####
Gee, what might the LA Times consider “extremism” on the pro-life side?
Actually NOT dismembering babies and throwing their limbs in clinic trash receptacles?
My tagline certainly applies to Rutten.
Timothy Rutten has a LOT to learn. Anyone who has the time and/or the inclination to try and “educate” Rutten, you can reach him here.
timothy.rutten@latimes.com
The entire tone of this opinion piece is one of fallacy.
Of course the bishops have a right to determine who is in good standing with the RCC and should be permitted to receive communion in their church. The idea that’s its just a “nasty campaign” is just silly.
If Sebelius, or Biden or Kerry or the Kennedy family, doesn’t like the Catholic Church’s stand against abortion, and don’t appreciate the canonical penalties they face, they are free to choose another religion which is more to their liking.
Its still a free country.
This is a nasty business with serious implications, and the bishops might want to consider where they'll find themselves if even their own co-religionists come to believe they're in the business of dictating officeholders' actions rather than forming consciences.
Some things are so stupid as to make it difficult to know how to engage.
Remarkable disconnect from reality here. Moral teaching involves instructing about actions. People who want to be in good standing with the church want to do what the church says to do and to not do what the church says not to do.
Still, can you imagine what a nasty piece of business this is of trying to shut down the Catholic Church, and how serious the implications are, and the LA Times editors might want to consider where they'll find themselves if even other MainStreamMedia come to believe they're in the business of dictating officeholders’ actions rather than delivering the news?
Right now, we have a bad choice. Either Kathleen Selebius becomes Secretary of HHS, or in 2010, she’s elected to the U.S. Senate. We lose, either way. The question is, in which capicity does she do less damage?
Actually, most Priests and Bishops have ignored the fact that Church Doctrine strongly OPPOSES socialism.
Subsidiarity is the doctrine that states that the lowest authority able to handle an issue should be in charge of that issue.
Catholic officials are very ignorant on the subject of economics.
(1) Consequences are a really good way to help form consciences.
>>Actually, most Priests and Bishops have ignored the fact that Church Doctrine strongly OPPOSES socialism.<<
Do you have a reference handy about that?
I’m in a battle with a bunch of Catholic homeschool moms about this very issue.
It would sure shut them up to see it from the Vatican.
Like I said, I won’t even dignify this piece of garbage by Rutten with a response. When the clowns at the LAT & the rest of the newspapers find themselves unemployed; I just don’t want them crying to me! LOL
Sebelius is beyond redemption.
Many democrats have abortion blood on their hands ... Sebelius has it dripping from her purse.
Someone ought to get a warrant for a serious search.
Start here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidiarity
When they ask for “Catholic Authority” (even though Catholic Authority is referenced in Wiki) Send them to:
Page 797, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Index:
Subsiarity, Principles of
And collectivism; 1885
contents: 1883-85
In the relationship between society and family: 2209
Read the encyclical “Lamentabili Sane, issued by Pope St. Pius X. It condemns 65 errors that are to be considered heresy.
“In Quadragesimo Anno Pope Pius XI said: “No one can be at the same time a sincere Catholic and a true socialist.” It is likely that most Catholics acquainted with this remark conceive that the main reason for this incompatibility is the antagonism between socialism’s doctrine of state ownership and the Church’s defense of private property.”
http://www.newoxfordreview.org/article.jsp?did=0396-storck
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