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Priests Say it in Plain English: "Catholics Cannot Vote for Obama"
lifesitenews ^

Posted on 11/02/2008 8:21:14 AM PST by flyfree

October 31, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The priests of CallforherSOS.org have delivered what may be the most blunt directive yet to Catholic voters in the upcoming presidential election.

In three short videos, Fr. Tom Celso and Fr. Don Eder embellish little upon a simple, strict manifesto of Catholic moral teaching.

"It is the mission of the Catholic Church to pass moral judgements in matters related to politics, whenever the fundamental rights of man require it," say the priests. 

"The Democratic party and Barack Obama have brought shame and horror to this nation.  Mr. Obama has promised to legalize partial-birth abortion, the savage murder of babies during birth. We are outraged.

"Catholics must uphold human rights, avoid sin, and cannot vote for abortion candidates. They cannot vote for Obama."

The videos were created by by the Catholic coalition CALL FOR HER - SOS, i.e. "Catholics Activated Leading Laity For Openly Recognizing Human Elementary Rights - Salvation Of Souls." 

The website explains the coalition's mission to "activate Catholics and other Christians, especially laity, to lead other persons to recognize ... the most basic human rights and the importance of saving souls in the context of the current election."

The only other known Catholic leader to openly condemn voting for Obama by name is retired Texas Bishop Rene Gracida.  In a letter to Catholic World News, the Bishop explained why most Bishops will not endorse candidates by name. "In the United States the danger of losing the tax-exempt status of the Church may perhaps be seen as justification for caution on the part of Ordinaries (Bishops in charge of particular dioceses))," said Gracida

The bishop added however, "It would be wrong for an Ordinary to jeopardize the tax exempt status of his Diocese for any reason short of the most important, the defense of innocent human life. Therefore, I do believe that abortion is a great enough threat to our society to justify an Ordinary taking a strong stand against the candidacy of such a pro-abortion candidate as Barack Hussein Obama.  An Ordinary need not name the candidate by name, as I have done, but surely the Ordinary possesses the literary skills to condemn the candidacy on moral grounds in such a way as to leave absolutely no doubt in the reader's mind as to the identity of the candidate whose candidacy is being condemned."

To see the videos, go to: http://www.callforhersos.org/

See the letter to Catholic World News:
http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/blog.cfm?id=300&nb...;


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; catholic; catholicvote; mccain; obama
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To: The Great RJ

The Bishops have been very clear and very vocal this cycle. Good for them.


41 posted on 11/02/2008 12:32:21 PM PST by narses (http://www.theobamadisaster.com/)
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To: livius; informavoracious; larose; RJR_fan; Prospero; Conservative Vermont Vet; ...
Bishop Gracida did say it in plain Spanish (and English). IN fact, he said that Catholics cannot vote for Barack HUSSEIN Obama!
May God Bless and reward His Excellency. Many of our beloved Pastors have been heroes this year. Tell them we noticed, pray for them and raise your sons up to follow in their heroic footsteps.
42 posted on 11/02/2008 12:34:22 PM PST by narses (http://www.theobamadisaster.com/)
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To: doug from upland

I agree.


43 posted on 11/02/2008 12:37:54 PM PST by narses (http://www.theobamadisaster.com/)
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To: UnRuley1

They need to be gently but publicly rebuked. A copy of the USCCB voters guide and a gentle word can work wonders.


44 posted on 11/02/2008 12:39:11 PM PST by narses (http://www.theobamadisaster.com/)
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To: Aggie Mama
I’m really disgusted with our parish priest and with our Cardinal DiNardo.

Second that here from Boston. I guess Cdl. O'Malley did appear at some rally and wax on about Trig Palin -- carefully avoiding any mention of actual candidates or being very specific. No mention of the elections in the sermon at the Mass I attended today in my parish, but in the Petitions was a prayer that voters would take into consideration "concern for the poor, [something else I can't remember], and respect for life." Note "respect for life" came third.

I don't know if it's related, but the lector who did the readings read the Psalm (The Lord Is My Shepherd) substituting "God" for every "he"! That particular lector is a nun I've seen out doing anti-war protests in the local shopping area. Sheesh.

45 posted on 11/02/2008 12:54:31 PM PST by maryz
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To: doug from upland

“Can we Catholics, in good faith, have some minor disagreements with the Church? I think we can. But when it comes to something this fundamental, life, we cannot disagree. Kerry, Kennedy, Pelosi, et al should have been excommunicated long ago. They can start their own church.”

Yup. The bishops refusal to use discipline to teach what the Church believes when it comes to baby butchery will be looked back at as much more shameful than the homosexualist priest scandal.

Freegards


46 posted on 11/02/2008 12:55:39 PM PST by Ransomed (Son of Ransomed Says Keep the Faith!)
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To: flyfree

And if they do, may Almighty God judge them as complicit in murder.


47 posted on 11/02/2008 12:56:26 PM PST by pray4liberty (This election will separate the wheat from the tares. Watch, pray, work and VOTE!)
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To: flyfree

I saw a huge sign draped across the fence today at the catholic church in my town. It said to celebrate life from conception to natural death. I mean this was a HUGE sign....in more ways that one!


48 posted on 11/02/2008 1:03:14 PM PST by dormee
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To: dormee; Mrs. Don-o
It said to celebrate life from conception to natural death

I have a question and will include my wife for an answer. Whence "celebrate life"?

How about "defend life" for it is certainly under attack?

49 posted on 11/02/2008 1:06:46 PM PST by don-o (My son, Ben - Recruit training at Parris Island from October 20)
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To: sneakers

The problem has been that too many Catholics convince themselves (often with the help of misguided priests), that abortion is just one of many equal issues. In point of fact it is the most important issue because without the right to life there is no right to anything else. Many many more Catholic bishops have been stepping up to say this very thing and I am glad to hear it. But, I hope it isn’t too late for the average Catholic who has been left to his own devices when it comes to proper catechesis since and probably even before Vatican II. It is going to take many years to un-do the damage done since the 1960s.


50 posted on 11/02/2008 1:39:22 PM PST by Diva
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To: Diva

***The problem has been that too many Catholics convince themselves (often with the help of misguided priests), that abortion is just one of many equal issues. In point of fact it is the most important issue because without the right to life there is no right to anything else. Many many more Catholic bishops have been stepping up to say this very thing and I am glad to hear it. But, I hope it isn’t too late for the average Catholic who has been left to his own devices when it comes to proper catechesis since and probably even before Vatican II. It is going to take many years to un-do the damage done since the 1960s.***

Yup. Got into a heated discussion today at the church lunch with a liberal baby boomer whose wife appears on a local Democratic candidate’s flyers. He got apoplectic when I first defined left and right and how they got their names, and then lumped the socialists, communists, Nazis and fascists all firmly on the left; the right is more economic and personal freedoms and responsibilities, while the left is all about control over individual men.

He refused to believe that Wall Street bankers are 9-1 Democrats, as are the news media; he seemed to think that the entire conventional media on the left is balanced by Fox and that it is okay. That generation of liberal socialists is gradually fading away; but their damage will live on for decades until it can be repaired.


51 posted on 11/02/2008 3:32:29 PM PST by MarkBsnr ( I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so.)
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To: dormee
"The Democratic party and Barack Obama have brought shame and horror to this nation"

I would like a Really HUGE bumper sticker that says this!!
52 posted on 11/02/2008 3:34:26 PM PST by NewCenturions
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To: don-o; dormee

I agree.

“Celebrate life” is appropriate when mother and baby are fine. When mother is being tempted by all the suave and pefumed powers of Hell to commit a desperate and irrevocable act, and baby’s life is moments away from the edge on a knife, the active, transitive verbs are “guard,” “defend,” “protect,” “rescue”-— not “celebrate.”


53 posted on 11/02/2008 4:28:16 PM PST by Mrs. Don-o ("Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets." - Isaac Asimov)
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To: flyfree
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U9btB8FSPA

And...

http://patriotroom.com/?p=3739

54 posted on 11/02/2008 4:29:28 PM PST by PureSolace (Trust in God)
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To: Melian

Yes, the Catholic Church is speaking out. Our good priests, here in Los Angeles — the Belly of the Beast — have been unequivocal about voting pro-life and pro-marriage. They are a feisty bunch.


55 posted on 11/02/2008 4:50:08 PM PST by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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To: flyfree
130 out of 197 Bishops state that life is the most important issue when voting.

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)
 
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

 

56 posted on 11/02/2008 10:17:09 PM PST by Salvation ( †With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation

***130 out of 197 Bishops state that life is the most important issue when voting.***

Our bishop is missing; our pastor was wishy washy. Pray God that the liberal outhouse of our bishopric be cleansed of its temporal ways.


57 posted on 11/03/2008 7:19:53 PM PST by MarkBsnr ( I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so.)
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