Posted on 03/18/2003 4:56:14 PM PST by 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."
That's a sound principle, as far as it goes. But it doesn't answer the question about a PARTICULAR war. If the bishop were correct that this is an unjust war, then he would be correct to instruct his people that they must not participate in it. In that case, "render unto Caesar" would be irrelevant. Caesar has no right to demand that the citizen do anything that is immoral.
As it is, the bishop is correct regarding the moral principles he discusses. He's just wrong about this war. It is not an unjust war of aggression.
"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. "Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Yup. Sad. This bishop is clearly exercising his fallible judgement.
Nothing to do with the rest of us!
We all belong to the Catholic (Universal) Church. There are about 30 Rites within the Church. The most common Rite in the US is the Roman Rite or Roman Catholic Church.
He was tied up to a pole, had his tongue cut out, mulitated and left to bleed to death as an example for others who would disagree with him
I am Catholic and as the Holy Father said we must answer to God for our actions.
Fair enought I can live and die with my belief that this is a just and moral war.
Read your Bible.
1 Timothy 3:15
if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.Matthew 18:17
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
So, am I correct in reading this that, if you're a Catholic, you surrender the determination of your will and your soul to the determination of your bishop? Simply because I live in one city and the bishop determines that I am going to Hell because I serve in the 2nd Gulf War, while, in another city, a different bishop determines that I won't?
What happened to your free will, people? What happens to taking responsibility for your own soul, to being willing to make a decision based on your faith, intelligence, and God-given talents and facing God when your time has come and giving an account of yourself for yourself?
Hmmm. What ever happened to Jesus?
The question, "What ever happened to Jesus?," is moral theology.
Where is "a personal relationship with Christ" in the Bible?
Should anybody really be surprised at this?
He was an alter boy.
The head priest was doing alter boys.
That's tragic, but no reason to leave the Church. Fathers sometimes rape their sons and daughters, but that doesn't mean we should abandon fatherhood. Remember Judas.
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