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."

[Theophilus]

Hey, it was a left over self deprecation from a previous thread :-)

[Diddle E. Squat]

Anybody got the street address of this guy's church building? I've got a thesis to nail to his door.

[Aquinasfan]

Galations 2:20-21

And?

[TradicalRC]

I completely agree. Where is his fullness of authority when it comes to the slaughter of the innocents we euphimistically refer to as abortion. Or the sexually carnivorous pederasty by Catholic priests that was all but encouraged by the protection of the bishops? I am greatly saddened by these supposed shepards that strain at the gnat but swallow the camel.

[TradicalRC]

What does the phrase " "personal relationship with Christ" mean? In contrast to what other type of relationship?

[TradicalRC]

Your first sentence sounds Manicheeist. That was an early Church heresy, attacked by St. Augustine.

[traditionalist]

This Bishop does not have the authority to do this. The Church has the authority to teach the criteria of just war. It cannot authoritatively determine when those criteria have been met. The Catechism states that only those responsible for the common good, i.e. secular rulers, have the competence to do this. A cleric can have an opinion on whether a given war is just, but such an opinion does not bind the faithful as it is not a matter of faith or morals.

[TradicalRC]

The Catholic Church is the sorce for the proper canon. The Protestants edited the Bible that they hold so dear because there were parts that they did not like.

[traditionalist]

The Romanian Byzantine-Rite is a right within the Catholic Church. This Bishop submits to the pope and is in communion with all Roman Catholic Bishops.

The only differences between Byzantine Rite and Roman Rite Catholics concern liturgy and canon law, but Byzantine liturgical and canonical norms are subject to the pope's regulation. Otherwise, for instance in matters of doctrine, there are no differences.

That being said, this Bishop only has jurisdiction over Romanian Byzantine-Rite Catholics, so only Catholics belonging to this rite have to listen to him.

[TradicalRC]

Who has to do their homework? Please explain to me (if you can) why Jewish leaders the world over praised the Pope right after WWII but are now turned against him? I know that the book Hitler's Pope satisfies many prejudices but looking straight at the Truth requires a certain tenacity of mind.

[L,TOWM]

AND I suggest that you read those verses in response to your question posed in post 216.

[TradicalRC]

Succinct, yet bitter. I love you. We need more of that.

[traditionalist]

Catholics have never heard of this Byzantine-rite Romaninan sect

It is not a sect, but a rite within the Catholic Church. Byzantine Rite Catholics submit to the pope and are in full communion with with Roman-rite Catholics.

A rite is a section within the Catholic Church that is allowed to observe non-Roman liturgical and canonical traditions, subject to papal approval.

There are many rites within the Catholic Church, including the Roman rite, the Ambrosian rite, the Mozarabic Rite, various Byzantine rite, the Melkite Rite, the Chaldean Rite, and many others. They are no less Catholic than Roman Catholics, which is short hand for Roman-rite Catholics.

[ladyjane]

I love you.

You made my day! (Hope you are male.)

[ladyjane]

I know the percentage of abusers is small. The majority of priests are very decent people who are devoting their lives to helping others. Unfortunately the coverup mentality (and behavior) has resulted in a further erosion of trust in the institution.

[RamingtonStall]

Reference your comments: <<"I'm witholding my contributions till further notice." and
"I'm with you, no more money for the Vatican until or unless they smack this guy down.">>

TWO POINTS:

1) In order to get their Attention, it needs to be a Total Cut-off of support for the Church, not just the occassional collections for the Vatican.

2) This guy (bishop) is from the "Romanian" Catholic Church as opposed to the Roman Catholic Church, so he could care less if you stop giving to the Vatican.

For my own protest, I cut off all direct support to the Catholic Church early last year over the Church's coverup and paying of Bribes to Lawyers over the Homosexual Priest Scandals and the Pedophile Priets Scandals. No way that I want my contributions to be used for paying LAWYERS or for Paying to cover the bad behavior of bad priests.

I'll give money directly to Adoption Counselling Centers instead and hope God agrees.

Peace, Joy, and Love! ([: ^ )

Through Applied Force!

RamS

[pinz-n-needlez]

Does he have the anwer to how many angels dance on the head of a pin, I wonder....

[Gophack]

I think you are correct. From everything I have heard from priests and theologians on Catholic radio, the Pope has not spoken infallibly on the justness or unjustness of this war, and individual Catholics can make independent judgements on this matter provided that we listen to the Vatican and give weight to their concerns.

I, personally, think that the Pope is very concerned about the fate of Christians world-wide at the hands of Muslems and terrorists when we go to war with Iraq, and very well he should be. Hundreds of thousands of Christians are being martyred, dying for their faith, throughout the world. We think we have it hard here in American because the press ridicules us and selectively reports on Catholic concerns (we're right wing nuts because we oppose abortion, but we're great when we oppose a war).

Before anyone condemns or criticizes the Pope's concerns, I think we should all examine our consciences and pray long and hard for the Christians who will undoubtable be slaughtered for the SOLE REASON THEY ARE CHRISTIANS. This happens daily, but we are not given the information by our secular press.

I think I understand the Pope's concerns and I think they are justified. HOWEVER, I do think that if America does nothing to stop Saddam Hussein from funding and supporting terrorism, far more will be at stake. I have thought long and hard about this, and have tried to pray on it, and I do think that America action is justified under the just war doctrine. I think that every avenue of diplomacy has been exhausted, and I trust President Bush that he knows more than we, the people, know in this situation.

But I will not criticize the Pope, or anyone who has through prayer and discernment feels like the war is NOT justified. But as a practicing Catholic, I do believe I can make an independent decision in this matter and I support the President, America and our troops.

God bless.

[windcliff]

burn in hell ping

[MississippiMan]

This business of a man declaring another's salvation to be in jeopardy over an issue like this is an aspect of Catholicism I've never understood. My salvation is between me and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So is yours.

MM