Calif. Bishop To Gov. Davis: Pick Abortion Or Communion [formal excommunication?]

National Catholic Register ^ | Feb, 2-9, 2003 | WAYNE LAUGESEN

[Polycarp]

Bishop Weigand told the Register that he is considering formally forbidding Davis from receiving Communion if Davis doesn't change his mind on the issue.

"We're studying that right now," the bishop said. "That time could come. That time could be very near, especially with his statements that say he doesn't have to give one inch. He has manifested publicly a hardness of heart - an in-your-face hardness of heart response."

The bishop said that because of the public controversy he does not expect Davis to attend a Red Mass, a traditional Mass celebrated for members of the legal profession, he is celebrating Feb. 12. But if the governor does attend and approach the bishop for Communion, the bishop said he will give him a blessing and ask him to see him after Mass.

Bishop Weigand said he wants to follow canon law carefully, saying it requires two official admonishments before forbidding Communion. He

Courage is a beautiful thing.

[Desdemona]

"I, myself, thought I would live and die Catholic," Lopez said. "Now I don't know. It depends on how ugly this gets. They're obviously trying to beat us up, and we're not backing down. The Church has so many problems right now that I'm surprised the diocese is embarking on something that's this exclusionary and divisive."

The Church's teaching on this has NEVER changed. As a life-long Catholic you, Mr. Lopez, should know that. No excuses.

[babygene]

I wonder if this will spread...

[chimera]

"We know it is not politically correct to be pro-life; but right and wrong, good and evil, are never revealed in a poll," he said. "All human life is sacred. A true leader stands up for what is right, not for what is popular."

Can't be summed up any better than that. Would that all leaders of the Church had such courage.

[yendu bwam]

Courage is a beautiful thing.

Indeed. We need bushels more of it from our Church leaders.

[Bigg Red]

Bless this bishop and bless the priest that wouldn't let Davis come to the orphanage! We need more of this in the Church.

Pyro, check it out.

[SunnyUsa]

thanks for the ping! This is a wonderful move....I am so sick of the "catholics" who only buy into what they want and thing the rest is negotiable.

[TomSmedley]

Bless this bishop and bless the priest that wouldn't let Davis come to the orphanage! We need more of this in the Church.

And this protestant freeper says, "Amen."

[Pyro7480]

I've seen the article about this over the past several days. It's about time a bishop started taking action against so-called "Catholics" in positions of power. My bishop in Wilmington, DE kicked out Biden's campaign kickoff in a local parish hall for his pro-abortion stand. We need to see more of this!!

[Sgt_Schultze]

Here's hoping this catches on with the Catholic Church USA. Representatives like Kennedy and Mikulsky should start choosing a faith which mirrors their beliefs.

[B Knotts]

The bishop is, of course, correct.

We must pray for the conversion of the governor's heart.

[ArrogantBustard]

Excellent! Nothing like a bit of intellectual honesty. If Gay Davis wants to support slaughtering infants, it's hypocritical and dishonest for him to pretend to be Catholic. Likewise that Lopez character. The Church isn't a democracy.

[WaveThatFlag]

Give the Bishop a white rag to replace his hat, get him to grow a beard and send him to Iran. He'll fit right in.

Why? Is the "right" of mothers to kill their babies fiercely protected by "feminists" in Iran? Geeze, that country's more screwed up than I thought.

[workerbee]

Davis has taken exception to Bishop Weigand's statement and says he will neither stop taking Communion nor renounce legalized abortion.

Let's see -- Davis stopped taking Communion for the 15 years prior to his marriage being formalized by the Church. Yet he thumbs his nose at the suggestion he stop taking Communion because he's o.k. with killing babies.

Curious standard of pick and choose, I'd say.

[MoGalahad]

If you truely believe what you just wrote then clearly you can't distinguish between right and wrong. I'm very sorry for you.

[Xenalyte]

". . . I'm wondering why the bishop is making a concerted effort to exclude and push away those Catholics who favor women having choice."

I'm not even Catholic, and I'm pretty sure the Catholic Church doesn't look kindly on women choosing to kill their babies.

[Xenalyte]

In the 30 years since its legalization, abortion has become the most common surgical procedure in America.

More common than tonsillectomies? I'm finding that hard to believe.