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."

[xsmommy]

i need to know if this bishop dispenses communion to officeholders who have cast votes in favor of abortion. if he has his panties in a wad over an unjust war against Iraq, what does the daily slaughter of unborn babies do for him?

[xsmommy]

EOD, i meant to ping you, as well.

[Aquinasfan]

Also Catholics have added books to the Bible that I don't believe is the inspired Divine Word of God but rather Jewish history.

Uh, no. Luther removed several books from the Bible because they gave support to doctrines he didn't like.

We can both agree that Luther taught the doctrine of "the Bible alone," right?

If that's true, then by what authority did he remove books from the Bible? Where in the Bible did Luther find the list of books to remove?

[oldironsides]

They do not know what that means.......

[7thson]

Cavuto@foxnews.com; Friends@foxnews.com;

Foxreport@foxnews.com; Hannity@foxnews.com;

Ontherecord@foxnews.com; Special@foxnews.com;

Studiob@foxnews.com; Myword@foxnews.com;

Oreilly@foxnews.com; Cavuto@foxnews.com

I just emailed this story to the above FOX shows. I hope someone runs with it.

[Aquinasfan]

This is what I love about the catholic church. They abuse an altar boy in the sacristy and then they go out to the pulpit to preach about how the rest of us are going to hell.

The percentage of priests who abused teenage boys numbers around 1-2% of all priests.

My guess is that the rate is comparable to most institutional churches or other similar institutions, like the teaching profession.

Should we be shocked that there are sinners in the Church and the Church hierarchy? No. Should we be outraged by every crime and by every cover-up? Yes.

[Claire Voyant]

Your mother did get the surgery, right? Why did she leave the Church?? By the Bishop giving her "permision" he in fact SAID that the Priest was WRONG.

My brother and his wife left for a similar (?) reason, but in their case they seemed to be looking for an excuse not to get up on Sunday morning.

While having NO idea WHY she asked PERMISSION to get a necessary surgery done, one does NOT....NEVER...know what was said...how it was interpreted....what the circumstances are the others don't want us to know.

The Catholic Church is just as Arthur McGowan said....MILLIONS of people have gladly given their lives for the Church.....true Martyrs and Saints. God Bless Your Family.

[Aquinasfan]

And I suppose a church that "hides" child molestation is NOT committing a mortal sin?

Individual bishops have made grievous judgements in covering up incidents of sexual abuse by priests. That doesn't represent the Church's institutional endorsement of the covering up of instances of sexual abuse by priests.

[hobbes1]

The Bishop is an A*hole.


No less an Authority on the Subject than Jesus himself, said
Luke 20:25. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's."

Military Service, and fealty is part and parcel of that which is Caesar's

[EODGUY]

Opinions are like, well you know.....everyone has one. I would have preferred he express his statement as an opinion rather than taking it upon himself to make a seemingly Papal "ex-cathedra" pronouncement (which we know only involves Church doctrine) about the results of Catholics' participation in this war.

He should be reminded that we have a living Pope who, although He isn't enthusiastic about any potential loss of life, hasn't condemned members of his flock who will participate in this war.

Although I am tired of this overused and abused phrase, "What Would Jesus Do?", I'd like his answer to that question. It is my understanding, without even considering the many attrocities and inhumane acts perpetrated by Saddam, that his acts of redirecting food and medical supplies provided by the US for the Iraqi people to his military has resulted in the death of 5000 Iraqi children per year. Yes, Archbishop, what would Jesus do?!

God bless America,

EODGUY

[G Larry]

This Bishops ruling HAS NO EFFECT ON ME AS A ROMAN CATHOLIC!!!!!
Get it??????????
He CAN NOT bar ANY Roman Catholics from participating in this war effort!

[valkyrieanne]

There's no need to shout. : ) This bishop *is* Catholic, but his pronouncement affects no one but those living under his direct jurisdiction (i.e. in his eparchy - their word for diocese.)

[L,TOWM]

Galations 2:20-21

[L,TOWM]

Obviously, you believe that the Holy Spirit meant what he said when he had Paul write Romans 14:12--But then again, churches that have the word "rite" in their ID probably are'nt too big on that Bible thingy...

[yoe]

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 would join with the Islamic memo that says “kill all who are not Muslims”? What was that story yesterday about shredding people alive for their supposed crimes against Saddam? The Bishop approves of torture of the innocent just because they oppose Saddam? Our military and others are now being threatened by the WMD that the madman said he didn’t have? I suppose this Bishop also voted for Bill Clinton..............

[Aquinasfan]

There are a few born-again catholics that I know of, but they struggle to introduce true Christian doctrine into that church.

That's because your "born again" doctrine is not Biblical or Traditional.

John 3:5
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

"Born of water and the Spirit" refers to Baptism.

Acts 2:38
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Matthew 3:16
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.

Mark 16
15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."

John 4
1The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.

Acts 8:36
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"[ 8:36 Some late manuscripts baptized?" 37 Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]

Acts 18:8
Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.

Acts 22:16
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'

Romans 6:3
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

[12B]

Move, Shoot, and excommunicate.

[Protagoras]

(And I thought we Presbyterians were confusing...)

Not too confusing, just two kindsof Presbyterians in actuality. Christians and non Christians.

[E Rocc]

Interesting....Romania (where the home base of this church presumably is) is part of the Coalition.

-Eric