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On Cardinal Stafford’s Speech: Are the Church and the State on an Unavoidable Collision Course?
ReligiousLiberty.TV ^ | 1/26/09 | Robert Moon

Posted on 01/26/2009 9:30:34 PM PST by ReligiousLibertyTV

“ . . .if Obama, Biden and the new Congress are determined to implement the anti-life agenda which they spelled out before the election, I foresee the next several years as being among the most divisive in our nation’s history.” Cardinal Stafford

“Widespread religious skepticism was the outcome. Nothing is recognized as definitive and “meaning itself is forever postponed.”[26] A movement toward “a dictatorship of relativism” is the diagnosis which Pope Benedict XVI has given to this phenomenon.

Is the current struggle between Catholic Moral Theology and Social policy, and Secular society political policy on an unavoidable collision course? The Pope’s recent phone conversation with Pres. Obama and Pres. Obama’s executive order making possible the use of American funds to support abortion internationally have profound implications for a potential collision course. Cardinal James Francis Stafford’s November 13, 2008 Address to Catholic University of America, “Being True with Body and Soul”provides valuable insights from a Catholic perspective to complex religious-state-secular questions.

Moral Theology is the Catholic teaching about how man must live to obtain favor with God. Social policy is the body of social principles and moral teachings written in papal, conciliar, and other official documents.

The most recent is “Sacramentum Caritatis” (Exhortation on the Eucharist) by Pope Benedict XV1. Cardinal Stafford’s address links sex and the Eucharist in a most interesting manner which bears much reflection. It should be recalled that Protestants have no Moral theology- ethics would be the closest consideration. It should also be recalled that the U.S. was formed by the “Protestant ethic” and that Catholic moral and social teachings in the high places of government are of recent origin.

(Excerpt) Read more at religiousliberty.tv ...


TOPICS: Current Events; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: abortion; cardinalstafford; obama
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1 posted on 01/26/2009 9:30:34 PM PST by ReligiousLibertyTV
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To: ReligiousLibertyTV
The Catholic church MUST decide which side they think God would approve of. Either God approves of infanticide and sodomy and loves to steal from people to support people that won't work, lay around and fornicate, and vote consistently to mock God, or vote Republican. This crap about helping the poor is the job of the Church, not the government. The government has been substituted for the church and it seems the Church likes it. Jesus was not a communist. Telling a poor person where the welfare office is located isn't the same as helping the poor.

Any preacher, of any denomination that teaches from the Bible should have left NO doubt that voting Democrat, especially for Obama, was a sin. The last few verses in Romans 1 tells us we don't even have to commit the sin, but just approve of those that do to be guilty of the same. If you vote Democrat, you kill babies, period!

How the Catholic church can continue to ignore the Kennedy's, the Kerry's, the Pelosi's, and multiple others, is beyond believable. The Church will decline just as others have such as Presbyterians and Episcopalians, until they wash the filth out of the pews. People that join the church don't even know what they are joining today. They can interpret what they believe with any filter they wish. If Teddy Kennedy is a good Catholic that is bound for Heaven, then anyone can believe anything and still call themselves saved.

2 posted on 01/26/2009 9:50:23 PM PST by chuckles
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To: chuckles

>>If Teddy Kennedy is a good Catholic that is bound for Heaven, then anyone can believe anything and still call themselves saved.<<

I agree with you but I have my own salvation to worry about so I would not make a statement such as this.

P.S. Kennedy is a royal PIG. I will say that.


3 posted on 01/26/2009 10:02:48 PM PST by unkus
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To: ReligiousLibertyTV

B Hussein and the Rats could care less what the church thinks because Catholics will reliably vote for Rats, much like blacks do, although not quite at the 90 percent rate of blacks. If every Catholic had voted Republican, John McCain would be president today.


4 posted on 01/26/2009 10:10:58 PM PST by AlaskaErik (I served and protected my country for 31 years. Democrats spent that time trying to destroy it.)
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To: chuckles

that 10% tithe to Church has been replaced with a 25-45% tithe to government. I would have thought the Church would have realized that when the state squeezed us, that leaves less money for them, thus the Church would have been against these taxes becuase effectively the State has been usurping the role of the church, and the church is permitting it. And when the church messes up, change comes very quickly because the dollars will dry up.


5 posted on 01/27/2009 5:11:09 AM PST by Piers-the-Ploughman (Just say no to circular firing squads.)
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To: chuckles
**How the Catholic church can continue to ignore the Kennedy's, the Kerry's, the Pelosi's, and multiple others, is beyond believable. The Church will decline just as others have such as Presbyterians and Episcopalians, until they wash the filth out of the pews. People that join the church don't even know what they are joining today. They can interpret what they believe with any filter they wish. If Teddy Kennedy is a good Catholic that is bound for Heaven, then anyone can believe anything and still call themselves saved.**

I don't know what you mean by ignoring, but that is not what the bishops did in proclaiming that life was the primary issue in the election. They are also coming out against Obama and FOCA right now.

Here's a refresher list of pre-election bishop statements:

Over 100 Bishops Have Spoken Out on Priority of Life Issues
Posted on October 28, 2008, 11:59 AM | Deal W. Hudson
The list of U. S. bishops who have spoken out on the priority of the life issues in this election is now over 100. The list now contains 70 individual bishops and three joint statements.
I would like to continue updating this list until the day of the election. I have tried to incorporate all the comments thus far. If I dd not get them all, I apologize. (For a few of the suggestions, I could not find a suitable link.)
Please continue using the comments section to let us know what bishop is not on this list who should be. This would include any bishop who has individually, or jointly, published a statement about this election pointing out the primacy of the life issues.
Thank you for your help.
1. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver
2. Bishop James Conley, auxiliary of Denver
3. Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C.
4. Justin Cardinal Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities
5. Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, chairman of the Committee on Doctrine
6. Edward Cardinal Egan of New York
7. Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo
8. Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh
9. Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs
10. Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio
11. Bishop Oscar Cantu, auxiliary of San Antonio
12. Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre
13. Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa
14. Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas
15. Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin
16. Sean Cardinal O'Malley of Boston
17. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando
18. Archbishop John Nienstedt of Saint Paul/Minneapolis
19. Francis Cardinal George of Chicago, President of the USCCB
20. Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker
21. Bishop Jerome Listecki of La Crosse
22. Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland
23. Bishop Ralph Nickless of Sioux City
24. Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco
25. Bishop Glen Provost of Lake Charles, LA
26. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn
27. Bishop Joseph F. Martino of Scranton
28. Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
30. Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte
31. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh
32. Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, KS
33. Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO
34. Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison, WS
35. Bishop Ronald
Gilmore of Dodge City, KS
36. Bishop Paul
Coakley of Salina, KS
37. Bishop Michael
Jackels of Wichita
38. Bishop Gerald M.
Barbarito of Palm Beach
39. Bishop Kevin W.
Vann of Fort Worth
40. Bishop Rene H. Gracida, retired, of Corpus Christi
41. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo of Houston
42. Bishop Paul S. Loverde of Arlington
43. Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond
44. Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Center
45. Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester
46. Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Patterson
47. Bishop Robert Herrmann of St. Louis
48. Archbishop Edwin O'Brien of Baltimore
49. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix
50. Bishop Thomas D. Doran of Rockford
51. Bishop Joseph A. Galante of Camden
52. Bishop Robert J. Baker of Birmingham
53. Archbishop Alexander J. Brunett of Seattle
54. Bishop J. Peter Sartain of Joliet
55. Bishop John M. Smith of Trenton
56. Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing
57. Bishop Leonard R. Blair of Toledo
58. Bishop Frances J. Dewane of Venice
59. Bishop W. Frances Malooly of Wilmington
60. Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison
61. Bishop John Yanta , retired, of Amarillo
62. Bishop James V. Johnston of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
63. Archbishop John Vlazny of Portland
64. Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Rapid City
65. Bishop Lawrence Brandt of Greensburg
66. Bishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinatti
67. Bishop Larry Silva of Honolulu
68. Bishop Paul Swain of Sioux Falls
69. Bishop Michael J. Sheehan of Santa Fe
70. Bishop Eusebius Beltran of Oklahoma City
71. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Harrisburg
72-94. Joint Statement by the bishops of New York State (22 bishops)
95-111. Joint Statement by the bishops of Pennsylvania (16 bishops)
112-116. Joint Statement by the bishops of Kansas (4 bishops)
117-126. Joint Statement by the bishops of Florida (9 bishops)
Added by me
 
127. Bishop Tobin -- http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=30333 ^
 
128. Archbishop Wilton Gregory  georgiabulletin.org ...
 
 
130. Archbishop Elden Curtiss Omaha http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2123119/posts?page=1
 
131. Bishop Carlson's of Michigan pastoral letter in full, go to:
http://www.saginaw.org/images/election-statement_carlson_102...

 

6 posted on 01/27/2009 7:21:16 AM PST by Salvation ( †With God all things are possible.†)
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To: chuckles

If you want a refresher list on how the Bishops came out against Pelosi, Biden, Daschle, et al, I can provide that too. Believe me, that’s where the Bishops started speaking out! God bless them.

You are right on one account. We need more bishops to speak out against these atrocities.


7 posted on 01/27/2009 7:22:50 AM PST by Salvation ( †With God all things are possible.†)
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To: chuckles

**People that join the church don’t even know what they are joining today. They can interpret what they believe with any filter they wish.**

Do you have a link or source on that statement or is it of your own experience?

In our parish, people DO know what Catholicism means and what the laws of the Church are.


8 posted on 01/27/2009 7:25:41 AM PST by Salvation ( †With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Piers-the-Ploughman
Bingo! You "get" it. The mindset of churches has to change about "helping the poor". The Jesuit's are pretty much communistic and, IMHO, care more for "social justice" than the plan of Christ. Father Phleger comes to mind. He would have no problem lining a few capitalists up against a wall thinking it was the will of God. In these South American countries you often hear of priests being murdered by some regime, but what you don't hear is they were working with the underground to overthrow a government. They invariably turn out to be Jesuit's. I missed the verse in the Bible about gun running for commie thugs.

It would be interesting to poll Catholics today to see what they think of a "good" Catholic like Hugo Chavez. I think there are a few Kennedy's that think he is a Saint.

9 posted on 01/27/2009 7:31:52 AM PST by chuckles
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To: Salvation

We also need bishops to use public discipline to teach what the Church believes about baby butchery. Scolding is better than doing nothing, but if they scold and nothing changes it just sends the message that the issue must really not be that important. It’s really an awful scandal.

Freegards, thanks for all the awesome pings


10 posted on 01/27/2009 7:37:13 AM PST by Ransomed (Son of Ransomed Says Keep the Faith!)
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To: Ransomed; baa39
Check out this thread to see what the Bishops are doing about FOCA. Add information about your diocese, too.
11 posted on 01/27/2009 7:42:32 AM PST by Salvation ( †With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
Can you tell what the Church's position is on abortion by watching Pelosi? How about the position on gay marriage? Are their members in San Francisco that might believe you can take one from column A and one from column B?

You have to admit about half of Catholics vote against God every election. If your congregation votes right, then God bless, but that's not the norm. I also would suspect many of them lied because the figures don't bear them out. I have seen many politicians wear their little ash spot on their foreheads during a news conference to explain their vote for abortion and gay marriage. All I'm saying is for the church to be consistent and excommunicate willing blasphemers and sinners. They willingly kill babies and promote abomination, along with a host of other sin, and go to church and everything is swept under the rug when the check clears. If I were a Hollywood liberal type, I could easily feel the Catholic church was for me and I don't have to change a thing because Pelosi is a famous Liberal Catholic and Old Teddy is revered all over the world.

It will be interesting to hear the eulogy of old Ted when he finally passes. Will there be any mention of Mary Jo, or abortion, or prayer in school, or any of the thousands of anti God legislation he has supported over the years? I doubt it. No, it will be days of his generosity with my money, incense burning with a sea of lit candles and priests and Bishops and Cardinals all extolling the "Lion of the Senate". The whole time he will be smoldering in hell. Unless of course a big check will still buy indulgences.

12 posted on 01/27/2009 8:04:23 AM PST by chuckles
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To: Ransomed
I have gone on and on about stuff here to make a point when you made it simple. The point is, there are many people that “talk” and there are few that “act”. The usual suspects here need to be counciled, and then disciplined if they won't conform. Excommunicating a Pelosi or a Kennedy would do more for the cause of Christ and saving the lives of babies than all the political movements we could muster across the country. Until the church looks serious, Christian's won't be taken seriously.

I know the world is full of Kennedy's and Pelosi's, but where are the leaders of the church? It just looks like they are either waiting for the check to clear, or they are afraid of controversy. Sure, there are many that "speak" out on the issues of the day, but nothing material ever changes. At some point, you have to move the ball to be taken seriously. Nothing changes because they don't believe us. 40 years of Roe vs. Wade and we are still talking. Just try to imagine if the church declared some members will be disciplined over abortion or gay marriage. Pelosi declared that the church has no clear position on abortion before the election and skated on by with that. It must be true because NOTHING MATERIAL happened. Why bother marching and protesting if the Church stands like Jello against the storm? How much would it be worth to have Pelosi either repent and follow Christ, or be removed from office because the Church no longer supported her? Do we really believe the Kennedy's could keep their power without church backing in Catholic country?

We must ask if Hitler could be a member of the church in good standing because he only murdered 20 million and Kennedy murdered 50 million babies and the church doesn't seem to care.

13 posted on 01/27/2009 8:33:50 AM PST by chuckles
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To: AlaskaErik
If every Catholic had voted Republican, John McCain would be president today.

If Catholics voted their theology, abortion and "gay rights" wouldn't even be a blip on the radar screen. And the same can be said for Blacks, Jews, and white Southern "yellow dog Democrats."

The Democrat party seems to simply own certain ethnic groups and drag them with it wherever it goes. It's absolutely demonic.

14 posted on 01/27/2009 8:44:37 AM PST by Zionist Conspirator (Vayhi be`etzem hayom hazeh, hotzi' HaShem 'et-Benei Yisra'el me'Eretz Mitzrayim `al-tziv'otam.)
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To: AlaskaErik
Catholics will reliably vote for Rats, much like blacks do, although not quite at the 90 percent rate of blacks.

(Self-identified) Catholics voted for zero in almost exactly the same ratio as the general electorate.

Catholics who are weekly Mass-attendees (= they actually practice their faith) voted for McCain by a small margin.

(Self-identified) Catholics voted for Bush in 2004, in preference to a (self-identified) Catholic.

How is that "reliably voting for Rats, much like blacks do"?

15 posted on 01/27/2009 8:50:52 AM PST by Campion
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To: Salvation

This list that keeps reappearing is very misleading.Take the case of Cardinal Egan since this is the situation I know best.How would you compare his pro-life efforts to his predecessor,the GREAT pro-life Cardinal John O’Connor?On a scale of 1-10 I would give Cardinal O’Connor a 10+. I let others fill in for Cardinal Egan.
I will just mention 2 examples.The way Cardinal Egan treated Father Pavone,head of Priests for Life.Also when Cardinal Egan came to NY we had a dynamic WEEKLY Catholic newspaper,which informed our Catholics about pro-life issues that were never covered in the main stream media,perhaps to not annoy people such as the NY Times Cardinal Egan turned ‘Catholic NY’ into an undynamic MONTHLY.This at a time when the NY press will not even mention that tens of thousands just attended a pro-life March in Washington.


16 posted on 01/27/2009 9:42:49 AM PST by ardara
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To: ReligiousLibertyTV

The Church and the state are on an unavoidable collision course every time a moral issue is put to a vote, regardless of the outcome of that vote.

Remember, Christianity started with an election. Barrabas won by a landslide.


17 posted on 01/27/2009 9:49:16 AM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: chuckles

Well, here’s the thing, at least as I see it. The truth of the Church is there whether or not bishops do their job. It’s a hard thing to accept that this truth isn’t affected even when the flawed men in the hierarchy don’t do their jobs. And it’s very easy to put the actions and lack of action from these flawed men up against the truth of the Church and become discouraged and give up on the Church. And this would make the Enemy very happy indeed.

I reckon it’s a good thing that some faithful Catholics and other Christians concentrate on the good things the bishops have done as concerns baby butchery. And I reckon it’s a good thing that some faithful Catholics and other Christians keep pointing out that the bishops only started to do barely half of what they should have been doing all along, and that the lack public discipline to teach in this matter is a scandal dwarfing the homosexualist priest scandal.

Freegards


18 posted on 01/27/2009 10:14:06 AM PST by Ransomed (Son of Ransomed Says Keep the Faith!)
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To: ReligiousLibertyTV

Yes.

Pick a side.


19 posted on 01/27/2009 10:39:26 AM PST by Petronski (For the next few years, Gethsemane will not be marginal. We will know that garden. -- Cdl. Stafford)
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To: Ransomed
The Bishops should be leading the church, not the other way around. Even the pope says abortion is wrong and has not instructed the bishops to discipline their flock. Just as a hypothetical, lets say everyone can agree that porking alter boys is wrong for the church. But for some reason, when the problem was brought to the open, the church CHOSE to sweep it under the rug. Be sure your sin will find you out. Sure enough, more children were hurt and the church looked worse in the long run.

If we have a difference of opinion between the pope and the bishops on abortion and gay marriage, why not take care of it now? They say they are in agreement with the church, but continue to give the sacraments to un believers. What does that do to the church? I say it weakens it's position. It allows people to fall back into worldly thinking with no consequence. A bishop in Texas could bemoan Pelosi or Kennedy, but what is the bishop in Boston or San Fran willing to do? I don't think we would need a big purge of the church, but some examples need to be made. If for no other reason but to tell Catholics they don't have to vote for people that hate God. I have to wonder what an Irish Catholic from Boston would think if Kennedy AND Kerry were drummed out of the church in an embarrassing way? It may start a new wave of thinking for the church. Is it even possible for a non Catholic to win election in Boston without the backing of the Church?

20 posted on 01/27/2009 5:07:57 PM PST by chuckles
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