Replies

1 posted on 01/08/2004 5:39:04 PM PST by Jaded

To: NYer; Salvation

2 posted on 01/08/2004 5:40:54 PM PST by Jaded (Personally, I think they should bring back flogging and burning at the stake. /so)

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is picking on ME?
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3 posted on 01/08/2004 5:42:27 PM PST by Support Free Republic (Freepers post from sun to sun, but a fundraiser bot's work is never done.)

God Bless Bishop Burke for having the courage to do what us lay people have been waiting some Bishop to do for decades!

5 posted on 01/08/2004 6:18:55 PM PST by Gerish

6 posted on 01/08/2004 6:37:22 PM PST by Tax-chick (I reserve the right to disclaim all January 2004 posts after the BABY is born!)

I saw Bishop Burke on The world Toight on EWTN. It should run for the next few weeks. Check your TV lisitings.

Bishop Burke is a power house.

7 posted on 01/08/2004 7:18:45 PM PST by franky (Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Pray for our own souls to recieve the grace of a happy)

Yeeeeeee-haw! Ride'em, Bishop. Dig those spurs in.

8 posted on 01/08/2004 7:29:37 PM PST by dsc

To: Jaded; pseudo-justin; Desdemona

Bishop Burke ping. The news just gets better and better.

9 posted on 01/08/2004 9:31:00 PM PST by pseudo-ignatius

To: Jaded; american colleen; sinkspur; Lady In Blue; Salvation; Polycarp; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; ...

Thans for the ping! Heard this on EWTN last night. From the LaCrosse web site:

The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, announced Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2003, that Bishop Raymond Leo Burke, Bishop of La Crosse, has been named as the new Archbishop of St. Louis. He will be installed as Archbishop on January 26, 2004.

Bishop Burke has issued a notification for Catholic Politicians (pdf file is linked on the right side of their web site)

DIOCESE OF LACROSSE

11 posted on 01/09/2004 12:05:00 AM PST by NYer

12 posted on 01/09/2004 12:21:36 AM PST by nickcarraway (www.terrisfight.org)

13 posted on 01/09/2004 12:34:40 AM PST by .45MAN (I don't know, What I don't know)

Priests of parishes where such lawmakers attend Mass must withhold communion from them until the lawmakers publicly renounce their support of abortion rights, Burke said in the decree

Thank God!

Some will argue that this is Church interference with political matters. Generally, public policy isn't within the competence of the Church, or more accurately, within the infallible teaching authority of the Church.

But abortion as a political issue isn't comparable to other matters of public policy, like Social Security, welfare, environmental regulation and the like. These issues fall within the realm of prudential judgement, and should generally be left to statesmen to decide. Abortion is intrinsically evil, and is never morally permissible (except in the rare case where a mother's life may be endangered).

16 posted on 01/09/2004 4:38:24 AM PST by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)

Here's the story from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

Don't serve supporters of abortion rights, euthanasia, Burke says
By TOM HEINEN
theinen@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Jan. 8, 2004
In what one national group called an unprecedented action, La Crosse Bishop Raymond L. Burke has issued a document that says Catholic legislators who support abortion rights or euthanasia should not present themselves to receive Communion and should be refused if they do so.

Burke's Notice

Here is an excerpt from Bishop Raymond Burke's notification to Catholic legislators:
A Catholic legislator who supports procured abortion or euthanasia, after knowing the teaching of the Church, commits a manifestly grave sin which is a cause of the most serious scandal to others. There, universal Church law provides that such persons 'are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.'

Burke's four-paragraph "Notification" was published in the weekly diocesan newspaper Thursday and was posted on the diocesan Web site, along with a 10-page pastoral letter titled "On the Dignity of Human Life and Civic Responsibility."

Citing Vatican doctrine, canon law and teachings by the U.S. bishops, Burke says in the notice that it is his duty as bishop "to explain, persuade, correct and admonish those in leadership positions who contradict the Gospel of life through their action and policies."

The notice says: "Catholic legislators who are members of the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse and who continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia may not present themselves to receive Holy Communion. They are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, should they present themselves, until such time as they publicly renounce their support of these most unjust practices."

Judie Brown, president of the American Life League in Stafford, Va., said of Burke's broad ban, "This is the first time this has ever happened in the history of the pro-life movement, and I am so grateful to Bishop Burke."

Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Neb., a former Wauwatosa pastor, excommunicated Catholics in his diocese in 1996 for belonging to groups that support abortion rights and the right to die, but he did not target legislators, Brown said.

Brown's group launched a "Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church" last year, in which it began naming Catholic politicians who support abortion rights and calling for bishops to crack down on them.

Gov. Jim Doyle is among 14 Wisconsin officials on the group's list. Doyle has said that he was obligated to listen to all the state's residents, and that a group in Virginia should not have much say about what is done in Wisconsin.

Burke's pastoral letter says Catholic politicians cannot defend voting for an unjust law, whether it supports abortion rights or an action such as racial discrimination, "on the grounds that they are following their constituency or the will of the 'majority.' "

Pope John Paul II named Burke archbishop-elect of St. Louis on Dec. 2. An installation is scheduled for Jan. 26.

Burke sparked a national church-state debate two days after his appointment, when it became known that he had sent private letters last year to three unidentified Catholic officials from Wisconsin: a member of Congress and two state legislators. The letters warned them that they risked their spiritual well-being if they continued to support "anti-life" legislation involving issues such as abortion rights.

One of the legislators was state Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point).

U.S. Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.), whose name is on the American Life League's list, said last month that he welcomed clergy to influence him on issues that affect people of all religions. He did not say whether Burke had written to him.

When it became known that he had sent the private letters, Burke said in reply to a question that Catholic politicians in the diocese who refused to mend their ways would be told not to present themselves to receive Communion.

What he did not indicate was that he had signed the pastoral letter and the notification Nov. 23, before his new papal appointment limited his role in La Crosse to that of diocesan administrator.

The Catholic Times diocesan newspaper reported Thursday that "Bishop Burke affirmed that both the letter and the notification carry the full weight of his authority as bishop of the diocese."

How Burke's notification, which was issued on diocesan letterhead, will play out was unclear Thursday night. Neither Burke nor his spokeswoman could be reached for comment.

Father Robert Cook, pastor of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Viroqua, said the notification in the newspaper was the first he had heard of the bishop's directing priests to refuse Communion.

Father Richard Gilles, a canon lawyer and Burke's chief of staff, said: "That is a direct statement to the priests. They have an obligation to not give them (politicians) Holy Communion. But I think any pastor who has any sensitivity or common sense would sit down in private with these people and dialogue and talk to them and ask them not to come to Holy Communion."

Gilles said Burke's document was not as strong as a decree because it essentially reminded legislators and priests of the teachings of the church without making new law. But Burke goes a step further and removes doubt by specifically applying church law and teachings to Catholic politicians, and by saying that those who continue to support abortion rights after such warnings should be denied Communion, Gilles said.

Gilles said that Burke had previously communicated with the pastors of the three legislators who received letters from Burke last year.

On the Web: www.dioceseoflacrosse.com

19 posted on 01/09/2004 4:46:34 AM PST by ninenot (So many cats, so few recipes)

Finally! An authentic bishop and an authentic man. I hope it inspires some of the other compromisers to start living their faith.

31 posted on 01/09/2004 6:40:54 AM PST by johnb2004

To: cpforlife.org; Mr. Silverback

State and federal lawmakers who support abortion rights can no longer receive Holy Communion in the Diocese of La Crosse, Bishop Raymond Burke ordered in a decree made public Thursday.

Sorry ... forgot to ping you!

32 posted on 01/09/2004 6:41:24 AM PST by NYer

To: Jaded; NYer; Aquinasfan

"... the decree, posted on the diocese's Web site"
Here's the decree:

As Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, I am bound to be "solicitous for all the faithful entrusted to [my] care" (Code of Canon Law, can. 383 Sec.1). With respect to the fundamental responsibility of safeguarding and promoting the respect for human life,it is my duty "to explain, persuade, correct and admonish those in leadership positions who contradict the Gospel of life through their action and policies" (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics [November 1998], n. 29).
His Holiness Pope John Paul II, upholding the constant teaching of the Church, has frequently reminded us that "those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that attacks human life. For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them" (Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in political life [November 24, 2002], n. 4 Sec.1). A Catholic legislator who supports procured abortion or euthanasia, after knowing the teaching of the Church, commits a manifestly grave sin which is a cause of most serious scandal to others. Therefore, universal Church law provides that such persons "are not to be admitted to Holy Communion" (Code of Canon Law, can. 915).
I hereby call upon Catholic legislators, who are members of the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse, to uphold the natural and divine law regarding the inviolable dignity of all human life. To fail to do so is a grave public sin and gives scandal to all the faithful. Therefore, in accord with the norm of can. 915, Catholic legislators, who are members of the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse and who continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia may not present themselves to receive Holy Communion. They are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, should they present themselves, until such time as they publically [sic] renounce their support of these most unjust practices.
I ask for the prayers of all the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse and of all people of good will within the Diocese of La Crosse, that Catholic legislators who have promoted procured abortion or euthanasia, with the help and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may undergo a conversion of heart in this most grave matter, so that human life may be protected and fostered in the greatest way possible and these legislators may be admitted once more to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
Given at La Crosse, on the twenty-third day of November, the Solemnity of Christ the King, in the Year of the Lord 2003.

39 posted on 01/09/2004 7:03:17 AM PST by eastsider

To: Jaded; *Catholic_list; father_elijah; nickcarraway; SMEDLEYBUTLER; Siobhan; Lady In Blue; ...

Catholic Discussion Ping!

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47 posted on 01/09/2004 8:56:05 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

Great courage on the part of the Bishop.

I wonder if the wolves will leave the flock now that they've been exposed?

48 posted on 01/09/2004 8:56:45 AM PST by xzins (Retired Army and Proud of It!)

Posted yesterday Here

This Bishop has guts!! God Bless him!!

53 posted on 01/09/2004 9:03:41 AM PST by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)

54 posted on 01/09/2004 9:05:48 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

State Sen. Julie Lassa, a Democrat, received a letter from Burke and has said she would not let religion decide how she serves her constituents.

Now here is someone dedicated to their faith! Good riddance.

57 posted on 01/09/2004 9:38:53 AM PST by Andyman

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