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."

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Ping! This is big. Can any of you ping your lists? Thanks!

[aynrandfreak]

These Bishops risk losing more members.

[DensaMensa]

To be filed under: I didn't leave the church, the church left me.

[observer5]

HE IS AN IDIOT!

[jdogbearhunter]

Whatever... as a life long Catholic, this last bit of news puts it over the top. I'm witholding my contributions till further notice.

[observer5]

"Arguing that a military assault on Iraq does not fit the criteria of the just-war tradition"

I guess if the UN had OKed it would? Moron.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Clean up your own house of homosexual predators
before you say anything about Americans!

[jwalsh07]

Well, this Catholic has a message for this bishop who is putting even more of a load on the young men and women on their way to liberate Iraq.

Bishop Botean, you are a disgrace.

[Mr. Lucky]

Never before have I spoken to you in this manner....

Meaning, of course, that pedophilia and abortion aren't of sufficient gravity to warrant his attention.

[pgkdan]

Blind fool. No moral justification for war? All national security interests aside, Saddam's tyrrany is moral justification enough.

[x1stcav]

I left the Catholic church in 1970 over Liberation Theology. I was just back from the war when I had to sit in mass and be sermonized by a priest, who is now quite high in the church, as to the immorality of our efforts in Vietnam. I got up, walked out, and have never gone back.

Looks like they're at it again.

[looney tune]

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."

Is he saying that if you are in the military you are going to hell?

[jwalsh07]

I'm witholding my contributions till further notice.

I'm with you, no more money for the Vatican until or unless they smack this guy down.

[Arthur McGowan]

He's right about the principles involved, and he has the authority, as a bishop to teach those principles. A Catholic (or anyone else) is forbidden ever do anything immoral, and being commanded to do something immoral does not authorize anyone to obey that command. I.e., there is no such thing, in Catholic moral theology, as the excuse, "I was just obeying orders." If the act is immoral, BOTH the one who commanded it and the one obeying are guilty.

So it is not an adequate answer to the bishop to tell him that the President says we are going to war, so shut up. That is a mindless response to the bishop.

The question is: Is the bishop correct in his judgment that this war violates justice? He has no special charism or authority to make that judgment. He can be as easily wrong as right.

I think he is wrong, because we have been at war for years--i.e., the U.S. is not about to initiate unjust aggression--and Saddam is a killer who is manifestly preparing to kill again.

[G Larry]

> Byzantine-rite Romanian Catholics<

READ people!!!!

Romanian NOT Roman!!!!!

Nothing to do with the rest of us!

[MEG33]

Note Byzentine Romanian.

[Moose4]

This article says "Byzantine-right Romanian Catholics"...sounds separate from the Roman Catholic Church? I've never heard of them before.

(And I thought we Presbyterians were confusing...)

}:-)4

[longtermmemmory]

Gee, during the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman empire the Greek Orthodox priest were not unknown to take up arms and actually kill an enemy or two. Then again many of them had wives and children....

Seriously is this a joke? Is this an urban legend?

Is this a leftist/homosexual priest?

[Centurion2000]

An American Catholic bishop has forbidden his flock from participating or cooperating in military action against Iraq, under pain of mortal sin.

The continuing death of Catholicism revealed. I'm glad that Catholics are Christians, but their leaders are COMPLETE MORONS.