Posted on 03/11/2015 12:11:29 PM PDT by keat
NORFOLK, VA, March 10, 2015 (LifeSiteNews.com) -- A Virginia Knights of Columbus council is pressing forward with plans to honor pro-abortion, pro-homosexual “marriage” Gov. Terry McAuliffe by having him as grand marshal of its St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In response, the parish priest has strongly reproached the council and cut ties.
Norfolk Knights of Columbus Council 3548, which has organized the Norfolk Saint Patrick’s Day Parade since 1967, had secured McAuliffe as grand marshal, apparently keeping the choice from the pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, where the council is based. When Father Dan Beeman took it up with the state council on the advice of his bishop, he was told by the state council that another grand marshal would be chosen, a decision that was reversed ten days later.
“Governor McAuliffe stands contrary to the Catholic Church in not one but many of the most essential teachings of the Church in the political arena,” the Norfolk pastor wrote in a March 5 letter to parishioners, distributed at Sunday Mass on March 8. “He himself promised to be a ‘brick wall’ against restrictions on abortion, has taken away commonsense protections for women in abortion facilities and lowered safety standards, and consistently takes money from pro-abortion lobbying groups.”
“Further, he not only favors the re-definition of marriage, he himself performed a gay ‘marriage’ as soon as a court overturned the law of the Commonwealth,” Father Beeman wrote. “Marriage and Life are two of the foundational efforts of the Knights of Columbus as a national organization, so it is dumbfounding how the Knights could then decide to honor the Governor.”
Father Beeman was acting on the advice of Richmond Bishop Francis DiLorenzo in contacting the state council, he said, as well as in making the national office aware of the situation.
He had written the council last year at the request of one of the bishop’s vicars to request the committee keep the parade a non-political event and not honor any political candidate, office holder or former office holder above the city level.
“Politicians at those levels often make decisions about issues which Catholics hold as non-negotiable to our Catholic faith,” Father Beeman told his parish. “It was our strong urging that they not honor any political persons, but that if they did, they should not honor anyone who stands in opposition to the teaching of the Church on issues of life, marriage, or religious liberty.”
When he contacted the committee last year, also at the request of the bishop, he said, it was “to be sure that the Knights understood this is an important part of distinguishing our Catholic identity in public forums and awards.”
However, the Council 3458 parade committee had already chosen a grand marshal for 2014, someone who took public stances against Church teaching. Father Beeman met with them and after the discussions the committee chose another grand marshal.
It was late in the process this year when Father Beeman learned of the choice of McAuliffe as the 2015 grand marshal, via a bulk mailing from the Knights.
“I was saddened and shocked to learn only two weeks ago that the Knights of Columbus had, again, decided to give the honor of Grand Marshall to a politician,” Father Beeman said. “Going against their word to me last year, this year they decided to honor Governor Terry McAuliffe.”
I don’t know much about him, but if he is a member and not ex-communicated I’d say the Catholic Church agrees he is Catholic.
For some reason...
So did I (BA, 1976). Does that make me a bad person too?
GOD doesn’t agree.
The Grand Knight of this council should be fired, never to having anything to do with the Knights of Columbus again. It is the job of the KoC to support the local parish priest. If you cant do that then you have no business calling yourself a Knight. This is despicable and I can attest it that of the 200 members of my council I guarantee 95% vote republican and are 100% pro-life. Supreme Knight Carl Anderson will hopefully fire this Obama supporter that mascarads as Grand Knight of the council in question.
Some times people get stars in their eyes as well.
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