American Bishop Bars Faithful from War Effort

Catholic World News ^ | March 18, 2003 | staff

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

CANTON, Mar 18, 03 (CWNews.com) -- An American Catholic bishop has forbidden his flock from participating or cooperating in military action against Iraq, under pain of mortal sin. Bishop John Michael Botean, the head of the Romanian Catholic eparchy (diocese) of St. George in Canton, Ohio-- which has jurisdiction over all Byzantine-rite Romanian Catholics living in the US-- invoked the full measure of his authority in a Lenten Letter to his people. The bishop declared with "moral certainty" that the proposed attack on Iraq "does not meet even the minimal standards of the Catholic just-war theory."

The bishop announced that he "must declare to you, my people, for the sake of your salvation as well as my own, that any direct participation and support of this war against the people of Iraq is objectively grave evil, a matter of mortal sin."

Bishop Botean acknowledged that the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2309) identifies public authorities as the final judges of whether military action is justified. But he argued that "the nation-state is never the final arbiter or authority for the Catholic of what is moral." An unjust law or order should not be obeyed, he observed.

Writing with obvious emotion, the Romanian Catholic prelate admitted that "I would much prefer to keep silent." And he pointed out to his people: "Never before have I spoken to you in this manner, explicitly exercising the fullness of authority Jesus Christ has given his apostles." However, he said, he felt a moral burden to guide his people.

Arguing that a military assault on Iraq does not fit the criteria of the just-war tradition, Bishop Botean concluded in stark terms: "Thus, any killing associated with it is unjustified and, in consequence, unequivocally murder."

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

It's even scarier to think how high up these infiltrations reached.

[nickcarraway]

Well, I hate to tell you this but the hierarchy that I've heard of in the Orthodox Churches is against the war. But you only rail against the Catholic leaders who are. Interesting.

[Stultis]

The ignorance of that post is not even worthy of address.

If you don't think the E.O. church has a problem with antisemitism, you're blind.

[Maeve]

I believe that too. I am trying to learn how to pray all day like my mother does. I have never been able to master praying the rosary or the chaplets while doing housework, driving the car, or chasing after the kids. But the more we go down this road I find myself praying without a conscious effort to do so, and I think that must be graces from the Lord for this troubled time.

[nickcarraway]

Just an example: Patriarch Alexis Speaks out Against War in Iraq

By Anna Bobina

March 6, 2003 (RIA Novosti) -- His Beatitude Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, addressed a board session of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As on many previous occasions, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church strongly called against war in Iraq.

The Church opposes the idea of nations imposing their will on other nations. It raises its voice against violence in these crucial days when the fate of the Middle East and, possibly, of the whole world is at stake, said His Beatitude as he quoted St. Philarete Patriarch of Moscow: "Righteousness is always stronger than malice and perfidy."

The Patriarch highlighted the peacekeeping mission of the Russian Orthodox Church. It has been active for many years to settle conflicts in the post-Soviet area, the Balkans, the Middle East and the Korean peninsula, he said.

Alexis II thanked Igor Ivanov, Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the entire ministerial personnel for partnership with the Church to the benefit of Russia, and of international ties, peace and security.

[nickcarraway]

Can you please give us the name of this priest?

[nickcarraway]

Take your own advice!

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Of course, being from a top down model, you don't understand the extent to which we Orthodox ignore the political pronouncements of our hierarchs, pat them on the head, and then go on our merry way. This aspect of not taking their political views seriously in the US extends through the parishes and auxiliary bishops - thus while our hierarchs occasionally say stupid things (for which I've personally scolded my Metropolitan), our parish priests support the war effort, serve as military and LEO chaplains, offer up prayers for our President and armed forces, and move along in support of our nation, with the independence of thought and independence of action, with no likelihood of retribution.

Even with that said, I've not seen any moral condemnation by an American Orthodox bishop of troops or people supporting the war effort - it just wouldn't be contemplatable.

[ultima ratio]

This is a classic case of a bishop transcending his authority. What a farce.

[Conservababe]

I am saying that if the priest said this, he was uninformed and completely out of line. I didn't mean that your mother's story was untrue; I meant that what the priest said was untrue. Your mother was under no obligation to get your father's permission for surgery, or the bishop's permission. If she had a health problem requiring a hysterectomy, she had an absolute right to get the proper treatment.

Father McGowan, my mother almost died while trying to be a devout Catholic because of an uninformed and completely out of line priest.(your words) And still you say 'IF' the priest told her that she had to get permission. He did.

The Bishop finally allowed his permission. He did not tell my mother that the priest was out of line for his mandate to my mother.

Are you all in denial of your absolute power?

[dsutah]

Sadly, you're right! It's so inspiring to read of the beautiful sacrifices given by the faithfull, starting with the Lord himself. Many stayed within, and tried to make things better for the rest of the faithful, even under frightening and troubled conditions, and corrupt authorities. It was like they had brooms and mops, and cleaned up in their corner of the church where they saw problems that needed fixing!

[nickcarraway]

Well, you could say the same things about Catholics. People on this site often do. If you aren't going to recognize what your own hierarchs say, then don't recognize what other people's say. Fair enough? It would hardly make sense for you to put more stock in others' hierrachs then your own, right? Even with that said, I've not seen any moral condemnation by an American Orthodox bishop of troops or people supporting the war effort - it just wouldn't be contemplatable.

And so far you've seen one Byzantine Romanian Catholic Bishop do that to troops or people supporting the war. (I wouldn't be surprised if he has a couple hundred people in his flock, or less) But you can generalize about everyone else from that. Go back and read your post about ignorance.

[Poohbah]

This article says "Byzantine-right Romanian Catholics"...sounds separate from the Roman Catholic Church? I've never heard of them before.

The Byzantine Catholic Rite is in communion with the Roman Catholic Rite, but they are not one and the same.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

What are your reading comprehension skills? That guy is one of yours. He is in communion with Rome - not us.

[hchutch]

I can almost hear Bush quoting a lyrical poet in response to this:
They don't think twice about dissin' me!

THE lyrical poet.

[Broward Lion]

Bump bump bump The church has lost it's moral authority and may never regain it. The pope really blew it on the predator homo priest discipline issue. Too bad, he did faairly well before that.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Your hierarchs have an entirely different relationship with your people - it is more of a command presence which has long been part of your church culture, and as such, the antiwar pronouncements of your hierarchs carry more weight with the laity. Don't parse - its unbecoming.

[Poohbah]

IMNHO, as a devout Catholic...my prudential judgement is that this man has far exceeded the charism and authority of his ordination.

Heck, to say that the Pope has the authority to do so is a stretch. The Catholic Church teaches that the Pope is infallible only in matters where he is dogmatically defining doctrines of faith and morals; the Pope's opposition to this war is a prudential judgement, as fallible as mine, yours, or any other man's.

[dsutah]

There are RC chaplains in the military, and I'm sure they are in the gulf as well as other chaplains. I would imagine that some of them aren't wild about going into Iraq, but they are going in for the benefit of the soldiers in their 'flock'.

If you saw "The Patriot", there was a scene where the colonial minister was following the militia as they left the town. One of the men called out: "Rev?" The minister turns around and says something like: "A shepard must follow his flocks, and sometimes drive away the wolves!". He pulls off his wig, and claps on his hat, and goes on! But he went on through the picture without using his gun, until... If you haven't seen it, I don't want to spoil it for you, past this point!

My point? I believe that there are a great number of these 'shepherds' out there, and they have a huge flock. Of course, they aren't all RCs, but I imagine a lot of them feel like the minister in this movie, even in this day and age. That no matter what they might feel about armed conflict and peace, they feel like they must go where they are needed. Even if it cuts across their personal feelings.

[Scupoli]

Ping!