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."

[dighton]

St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church

Very well, Bishop, here's your fifteen minutes.

[katnip]

I didn't think so either, but then why is he listed in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops?

link here

[Cultural Jihad]

The Rite of Constantinople

(Also BYZANTINE RITE.)

The Liturgies, Divine Office, forms for the administration of sacraments and for various blessings, sacramentals, and exorcisms, of the Church of Constantinople, which is now, after the Roman Rite, by far the most widely spread in the world. With one insignificant exception -- the Liturgy of St. James is used once a year at Jerusalem and Zakynthos (Zacynthus) -- it is followed exclusively by all Orthodox Churches, by the Melkites (Melchites) in Syria and Egypt, the Uniats in the Balkans and the Italo-Greeks in Calabria, Apulia, Sicily, and Corsica. So that more than a hundred millions of Christians perform their devotions according to the Rite of Constantinople.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04312d.htm

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Bishop John Michael Botean

Romanian Catholic Church of the Byzantine Rite (Greek Catholic) is an Eastern Rite Catholic Church in full communion with Rome. It is not a Latin Rite (Roman Catholic) Church. There are 6 rites and 22 autonomous Churches or Churches sui juris within the Catholic Church. Each autonomous Church comes under any of the 6 rites. Except Roman Church (Latin)which is the Western Church, all other 21 Churches belong to Eastern rites.

[apackof2]

One of the many reasons (other than Scriptural) that I am not a Catholic anymore

[realpatriot71]

As if people need some sort of "church" approval for salvation . . .

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Nothing to do with the rest of us!

Not true. He's a member of an Eastern Rite Church in full communion with Rome.

[Cultural Jihad]

His Grace John Michael Botean, D.D.
The Bishop of the Romanian Byzantine Catholic Diocese of Canton, Ohio

Most Reverend John Michael Botean, DD
Bishop for the Romanian Byzantine Faithful of the United States.
Ordained May 18, 1986
Appointed July 15, 1993
Episcopal Ordination August 24, 1996

[nickcarraway]

He has no authority to do so- he's a Byzantine-rite Romanian Catholic bishop. I doubt there are even that many people in his eparchy (diocese).

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I'm going to clarify that this bozo IS NOT Eastern Orthodox. He's in a church that celebrates a modified Byzantine rite liturgy, but is in communion with Rome - and as such, is taking his cues from the Vatican leg of the Axis of Weasels.

[nickcarraway]

He is a Catholic Bishop- just not a Roman Catholic. So he is a member of the USCCB. But he is still only the bishop to those in his Church.

[griffin]

What a crock-'o-crap.

[KeyWest]

Alter boys, however, are fair game.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

I've found three different articles on this website in today's release. They all share the same tone. This is not good. I feel really bad for our Catholic military men and women.

War Would Be a "Crime," Prelate Charges


VATICAN, Mar 17, 03 (CWNews.com) -- Archbishop Renato Martino has argued against war on Iraq in the strongest language yet used by a Vatican official.
The president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, told a Vatican Radio audience that a war against Iraq would be "a crime against peace that would cry out for God's vengeance."

Archbishop Martino-- who was until recently the Vatican representative at the UN-- has been among the most outspoken prelates in Rome in his opposition to US plans for military action. He reacted strongly to the news that the US had withdrawn an proposal for UN approval of military plans. The archbishop complained, "To a country that is asking for bread after 12 years [of international economic sanctions], we are preparing to give 3,000 bombs."

If war does break out, Archbishop Martino said, "the Church will continue to insist, all the more strongly, on the necessity and urgency of peace." He added that, "as always, the Church will be the Good Samaritan," providing relief for those who suffer because of the war.

In a separate Vatican Radio interview, Iraqi Bishop Shlemon Warduni, an auxiliary in Baghdad, called upon international leaders to "have pity on the children if Iraq, the young people, the aged, and the women-- who are in desperate need."

[griffin]

"Catholic moral theology"

Hmmm. What ever happened to Jesus?

[sinkspur]

is taking his cues from the Vatican leg of the Axis of Weasels

He has no authority to impose the pain of mortal sin on his diocese for supporting a war which is, at worst, morally neutral.

Even His Weirdness, Thomas Gumbleton, Peacenik Auxiliary bishop from Detroit, hasn't come out with anything this outrageous.

[wimpycat]

With all due respect to right-minded Catholics everywhere, all I can say is, "Thank you, Lord, for making me a Baptist."

The whole concept of a pastor declaring that anyone who does so-and-so is a sinner and is bound for the Lake of Fire unless he repents is not alien to any Baptist, but it is always understood that the pastor can't "forbid" anyone to do anything. It's ultimately a matter between you and your Maker.

Another thing; reading this article makes me glad that Baptists can fire their preachers.

[longtermmemmory]

be cautious, orthodox churches are also "caltholic" or universal.

[JCEccles]

I wonder if this overwrought (over-rot?) bishop is gay, too.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

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CWNews DAILY NEWS BRIEF for MARCH 18, 2003
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Vatican: Bush Taking Heavy Moral Burden
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VATICAN, Mar 18, 03 (CWNews.com) -- US President George W. Bush has assumed a heavy moral burden by saying his intention to go to war against Iraq, the Vatican has warned.
In response to the American leader's announcement that the US will soon launch a military assault, the Holy See issued a terse one-sentence statement: "Whoever decides that all peaceful means that international law has put at our disposition have been exhausted assumes a serious responsibility before God, his conscience and history."