California Bishop to Gov: Oppose Abortion or No Communion (New Title)

The Sacramento Bee ^ | 23 Jan 03 | Pamela Martineau

[Mr. Silverback]

Sacramento, CA -- Sacramento Bishop William K. Weigand, leader of 500,000 Catholics in Northern California, called on Gov. Gray Davis on Wednesday to renounce his support of abortion or stop taking Holy Communion.

Speaking at a morning Mass on the 30th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, Weigand told congregants at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament that Davis should refrain from taking communion while he continues to support abortion.

[Mr. Silverback]

Never mess with...

THE BISHOP!!

Hope this starts a trend...BTW, original article title was "Bishop challenges Davis on abortion."

[Mr. Silverback]

ProLife Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

[FR_addict]

About time a bishop stood up to some of these people that claim to be Catholic and yet do not follow the Church's teachings.

I am not a Catholic, but appreciate the stand taken by this bishop. If more bishops did, we would have fewer abortions, at least among Catholics.

[RonF]

Lopez criticized the bishop for "telling the faithful how to practice their faith."

Uhh ... what? Last time I checked, that was the primary job description for a bishop!

[Overtaxed]

The "E" word comes to mind.

[RonF]

I'm not Catholic, and I'm pro-choice, but I certainly see the logic in what this bishop is doing. If the Catholic Church sees abortion as a mortal sin, then it's got a right to ask Catholic politicians to oppose abortion. Seems to me the bishop has every right, and even a duty, to condemn any pro-choice Catholic politician and to deny them the sacrament.

Reminds me of when Kennedy was elected. He was the first (and so far only, I think) Catholic to be elected President, and he had to tell people that he would a President who was Catholic, not a Catholic President.

What you may well see is that this will hinder Catholics from holding political office, at least at levels where abortion legislation is influenced and in areas where the majority is pro-choice.

[Numbers Guy]

Lopez said that Weigand's comments could alienate members of the Catholic Church who support abortion.

Oh darn.

"There are a lot of Catholics who are pro-choice. Does the bishop want all Catholics to stop receiving Holy Communion?" asked Lopez. "Who's going to be left in church?"

Uh, people who believe in one of the most central teachings of the Church?

[afraidfortherepublic]

Outstanding! Now is the other Bishops would just stand up to Kennedy, Kerry, Daschle, Leahy, Biden, et al.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Outstanding! Now is the other Bishops would just stand up to Kennedy, Kerry, Daschle, Leahy, Biden, et al.

[Castlebar]

Shocking - a U.S. Bishop who is actually a Catholic.....

[Campion]

What you may well see is that this will hinder Catholics from holding political office

Political power is not an end in itself, unless your name is Clinton. It is a means to an end, that of building a just and free society. If people would rather elect someone who pledges himself to the service of a vicious, bloodthirsty, Satanic lie, which is what abortion is, then they will get a vicious, bloodthirsty, Satanic society ... because they asked for it.

Abolitionists had a hard time winning elections in the pre-Civil War South. That didn't make them wrong.

[RonF]

I didn't say it was wrong, I was just pointing out the result.

As far as political power being an end in itself; it's quite interesting how many politicans pledge themselves to term limits, and then when that limit comes up decide that the Republic can't get along without them.

[Campion]

I wonder if the priests who were molesting children still receive communion, or has the church called for them to stop receiving it as well?

Any half-decent Catholic catechism will tell you that such acts are gravely sinful, which automatically implies that one who commits them and is unrepentant cannot receive Communion. No special "call" should be necessary to reiterate a basic point of doctrine that every Catholic should have learned as a child, and one of which no priest can possibly be ignorant.

[robertpaulsen]

"then it's got a right to ask Catholic politicians to oppose abortion"

If Catholic politicians followed the rulings of the Catholic church in their legislative decisions, then what happens to the church-state issue? How is this much different from a theocracy?

The church believes in tithing - giving 10%. Wait, this might be a good thing for politicians to adopt!

[uncbob]

What you may well see is that this will hinder Catholics from holding political office

Catholics will not support abortion in order to gain political office .
Politicians who CALL themselves Catholics may but they will be told point blank to quit calling themselves Catholic

[Cicero]

Bravo. For too long the Cathedral in Sacramento has catered to people like Gray Davis. Bishop Weigand is acting as a shepherd should.

[wcbtinman]

...asked Lopez. "Who's going to be left in church?"

Gee, I don't know. Maybe Christians?

[Slyfox]

Gray-out Davis sounds like one of those who say they are Catholic are not, but do lie.

[capitan_refugio]

"There are a lot of Catholics who are pro-choice. Does the bishop want all Catholics to stop receiving Holy Communion?" asked Lopez. "Who's going to be left in church?"

The faithful.