If this had happened in a Protestant church, the feds would be looking into revoking its tax-exempt status.
I don’t know why the Vatican doesn’t publicly excommunicate these people. You either have beliefs and convictions or you don’t. Stop being wishy-washy about everything.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excommunication#The_Catholic_Church
According to the Catholic Church, excommunication, in the sense of a formal proceeding, is not a penalty, but rather a formal proclamation of a pre-existing condition in a more or less prominent member of the Catholic Church. When such a person commits acts that in themselves separate him from the communion of the faithful, particularly when by word, deed, or example he or she “spreads division and confusion among the Faithful”, it is necessary for the Church to clarify the situation by means of a formal announcement, which informs the laity that this is not a person to follow, and notifies the clergy that the person, by their own willful acts, has separated from the Church and is no longer to receive the sacraments, with the exception of Reconciliation if they turn from their ways. The decree may also indicate the mode of Reconciliation required for re-entry into the Church, specifying whether the local bishop may administer the process or it is reserved to the Pope. Excommunication is never a merely “vindictive penalty” (designed solely to punish), but is always used as a “medicinal penalty” intended to pressure the person into changing their behaviour or statements, repent and return to full communion.
You know, we ex-Catholics keep getting shredded by FRoman Catholics for our relating what we know what grassroots Catholics believe.
We are constantly being told that it is not accurate, that that’s not what the Catholic Church teaches, etc.
But look at a situation like this. And look at all the Catholics that vote Democratic during elections and put the likes of obama, Kennedy, Kerry, in positions of power.
All that does is go to show that we are correct about what the average grassroots Catholic believes and that the Church, by its silence and inaction, is giving tacit agreement to it.
There’s a big difference between what FRoman Catholics would like the Church to teach, how they would like the Church to function, and what they wish it would be,... and what it really is.
This shows what it is in practice. Right or not, it’s reality.
Only where a Republican speaks. The "Rev" Jackson and Sharpton seem not to have a problem inviting Clinton or Obama to speak. Yet Palin's church can be firebombed and no one says a word.
Personally, the Democrats are the ones trying to take away religious freedoms. They are for homosexual activities, abortions, etc. Why a church think they should hear them speak is beyond me. For the Catholics to invite Pelosi to speak is like the early Christians wanting to hear Nero points of views.
chutzpah, industrial strength.