Did you all see (or hear about) this?
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Salvation
ATTABOY!!!!!
"A LETTER FROM BISHOP MICHAEL SHERIDAN OF COLORADO SPRINGS: NO COMMUNION FOR PRO-ABORTION / HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE VOTERS "
I'm sure the usual suspects will be whining about 'separation of religion and politics'... I mean 'separation of church and state'... err, 'freedom to oppress religion'.
Well good for this Bishop! God bless this man for standing up for what is right in the sight of God.
Now I know exactly what he meant in spades. This letter is brilliant. It is thorough and deserves to be read from every pulpit in the land. God bless Bishop Sheridan and may his brother bishops attain the courage to preach the gospel of life as he has.
Living the Gospel of Life:
A Challenge to American Catholics
A Statement by the Catholic Bishops of the United States
Can. 915 Those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to holy communion
Faithful Citizenship:
Civic Responsibility for a New Millennium
The Gospel of Life--Evangelium Vitae
Thinking of You
By Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick
The disagreement that I have with the folks who are annoyed at me is that I disagree that in this instance we should use denial of the Eucharist as a public sanction. As a priest and bishop, I do not favor a confrontation at the altar rail with the Sacred Body of the Lord Jesus in my hand. There are apparently those who would welcome such a conflict, for good reasons, I am sure, or for political ones, but I would not.
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Yes, this is true. The Church has had a specific teaching for a long time regarding the obligations of politicians.
Any Catholics who vote for candidates who stand for abortion, illicit stem cell research or euthanasia suffer the same fateful consequences.
I would like to see the canon law. I believe that this is clearly false. Catholic ARE allowed to vote for the lesser of 2 evils. Personally, I do not do so. I will not vote for anyone who is not 100% pro-life. But that does not mean that other Catholics are not allowed to make a different prudential decision.
Basically this bishop is saying that Catholics cannot vote for the re-election of President Bush. After all, Bush stands for abortion in various circumstances and he has permitted stem cell research to proceed. I admit that he is LESS pro-abortion than others including Kerry, and he is LESS supportive of stem cell research than others including Nancy Reagan just this week. But that is not what the pastoral letter says. It says that you have excommunicated yourself if you vote for anyone who "stands for abortion." Thre is nothing about exceptions.
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Homosexual Agenda Ping - A long read but a good one. Even though this is written by a Catholic Bishop for Catholics, I consider it worthy of the attention of any person of any faith.
The basic point is that if a person claims to be an adherent or follower of any religion which teaches moral absolutes, especially regarding the holiness of marriage and the illicit and immoral nature of homosexual acts (as well as other wrongs such as abortion and euthanasia) yet holds an opinion in variance or opposition to the moral teachings of the religion he espouses - is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. And a hypocrite.
If anyone doesn't "like" Catholics, just read it anyway, and try to get over sectarianism, to see the principle involved. It is a vital principle - that not only will help stem the cultural breakdown, but promote great personal spiritual growth.
Note what the Bishop says here:
"As in the matter of abortion, any Catholic politician who would promote so-called “same-sex marriage” and any Catholic who would vote for that political candidate place themselves outside the full communion of the Church and may not receive Holy Communion until they have recanted their positions and been reconciled by the Sacrament of Penance."
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Where is the usual qualifying mish-mush what lets people pretend this doesn't apply to them? Where is the moral vaguery that lets Catholics pretend voting for a tax-cutting candidate is just as morally bad as voting for a pro-abort?
Too many terrific lines in this letter to attempt excerpting. I think I have a new favorite among American bishops.
The right judgment of conscience is not a matter of personal preference nor has it anything to do with feelings. It has only to do with objective truth.Alleluia!