New Jersey Governor, at Odds With Church Over Abortion Rights, Says He Won't Receive Communion

TBO.com ^ | 5/4/05

[FBDinNJ]

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Gov. James E. McGreevey, at odds with the Roman Catholic Church over his support for abortion rights, said Wednesday he will honor the wishes of the Newark archbishop and not receive communion.

Archbishop John J. Myers said in a statement that abortion rights supporters should not seek communion when they attend Mass. Myers stopped short of saying that priests would refuse to serve it to Catholics who disagree with the church's position.

"With abortion, there can be no legitimate diversity of opinion," Myers wrote in Wednesday's Catholic Advocate newspaper. "The direct killing of the innocent is always a grave injustice."

While some church officials have challenged McGreevey and other Catholic politicians, including presidential candidate John Kerry, over their support for abortion rights, Myers' statement did not name any officials.

At a news conference Wednesday, McGreevey said he respectfully disagrees with the archbishop but will honor his request and not receive communion.

The governor said he is committed to both his Catholic faith and his pro-choice stance on abortion and believes strongly in the separation of church and state.

"I believe it's a false choice in America between one's faith and constitutional obligation," McGreevey said.

AP-ES-05-05-04 1609EDT

[FBDinNJ]

Praise be to God and Archbishop Myers!

[Fifthmark]

Deo gratias!

[AMDG&BVMH]

Not sure if it is intellectual honesty, or fear of public confrontation. Either way, this is good news. Tho I pray the gov will soon/ultimately accept the greater good, and be able to go to Communion in good conscience, having repudiated abortion and etc. . . .

[gbcdoj]

Good for Abp. Myers!

The governor said he is committed to both his Catholic faith and his pro-choice stance on abortion and believes strongly in the separation of church and state.

"I believe it's a false choice in America between one's faith and constitutional obligation," McGreevey said.

Too bad the "separation of Church and State" is incompatible with the Catholic faith! But that great god Expedience always comes first, right?

48. Catholics may approve of the system of educating youth unconnected with Catholic faith and the power of the Church, and which regards the knowledge of merely natural things, and only, or at least primarily, the ends of earthly social life.—Ibid.

55. The Church ought to be separated from the State, and the State from the Church.—Allocution "Acerbissimum," Sept. 27, 1852.

56. Moral laws do not stand in need of the divine sanction, and it is not at all necessary that human laws should be made conformable to the laws of nature and receive their power of binding from God.—Allocution "Maxima quidem," June 9, 1862.

57. The science of philosophical things and morals and also civil laws may and ought to keep aloof from divine and ecclesiastical authority.—Ibid.

77. In the present day it is no longer expedient that the Catholic religion should be held as the only religion of the State, to the exclusion of all other forms of worship.—Allocution "Nemo vestrum," July 26, 1855.

[NYer]

Archbishop Myers bump!

[thegreatbeast]

Finally. Wonderfully.

[Coleus]

NJ Bishop Smith blasts hypocrisy of ‘pro-choice’ Catholic politicians, Rebukes Gov. McGreevey

Archbishop Myers Issues Pastoral on Pro-Abortion Lawmakers

[ardara]

Thank goodness Archbishop McCarrick left Newark. McCarrick would give Kerry a letter of recommendation or else he would still be mulling over the situation.

[lightman]

Behold....a Jerseyite in whom there is no guile!

But how tragic that ANYone should choose the false bread of tear-laden ideology over the Bread of Life.

[saradippity]

McGreevy may save more souls than many bishops,and I hope that he will come to renounce his position on abortion sooner rather than later.

I didn't take Holy Communion for about 5 years because I was in a state of mortal sin. I hated what I was doing,but just couldn't muster the where-with-all to repent and confess. My hunger for the Body and Blood of Christ was instrumental in finally putting an end to my dalliance on the dark side. I pray that this will have the same effect on him.

It also will serve to point out the hypocrisy of those catholic politicians who flaunt the Church teachings and insist on taking Communion. I hope people start questioning whether they want to be represented by men and women who refuse to hear their shepherds. Maybe voters will realize that if a politician can't even be true to that Faith to which s/he professes,s/he has no truth within,and where there is no truth there can be no trust. And,who wants to live in a world like that?

Prayers for McGreevy's change of heart on abortion. Does anyone know if his opponent is pro-life?

[Aquinasfan]

Praise be to God and Archbishop Myers!

Amen.

And at least Gov. McGreevey has a shred of integrity.

[Mark in the Old South]

McGreevey said "it's a false choice in America between one's faith and constitutional obligation"

He is right, it is a false choice. Legal abortion is not compatible with faith nor is it compatible with constitutional law. Seven judges can not make it so when their ruling was so far off the mark. Abortion violates ever single principal that the law was formed to prevent.

The governor is wrong on abortion and the law, the Bishop is right on the Law of God and (if he but knew it) he is right on the law of men.

[Arguss]

I'm curious about Gov McGreevy's motivation in obeying the Bishop. Is he being obedient and the rest is just bluster to save face, or is he at this time repudiating his Catholic faith?

Somebody made the point that he made the wrong choice. I couldn't agree more. Let's see, eternal life with God or the favor of political idealogues for the length of the twinkling of an eye, Hmmmmm! Which will it be?

Like Sara, for a long time I wouldn't receive Communion either because I was in sin, and didn't see an end to it. At Mass I would say, along with everybody else, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word and I will be healed." But with me it was more of a plea and I would stay in my seat until He invited me personally. He did, and I pray that the Governor will be invited also.

Way to go Abp Myers - and to a lesser extent Gov McGreevy.

[saradippity]

At least Governor McGreevey has a shred of integrity.

I think a focus on integrity is key to removing the blinders so many catholics in America are wearing. Simply put:A person of integrity espouses a belief system that affects his world view,his words must reflect that belief system and his actions must correspond to his words.In other words,his thoughts,words and deeds must be congruent.

As long as we are earth bound the only way we can hope to discern and make prudent decisions (judgements) about political candidates is to see how well they adhere to those core beliefs they say they hold. This is why I find it downright scary to think a Catholic could vote for Kerry,for example. This whole political campaign could end up a great force for God in the world. Jesus did not come to sow confusion,that's the work of the "other guy". And it all starts with a lie.

[saradippity]

Post #14 was for you too.

[old and tired]

I just heard in the news hour update on Rush Limbaugh (I think it's CBS news here in Philly, but I'm not sure) that McGreevy is not saying one way or the other if he will attempt to receive Communion next Sunday. Has anyone else heard this? It's hard to believe they'd get it wrong since Philly talk radio 1210 broadcasts to all of South Jersey - I even get it when I'm down the shore.

[Argus]

Thanks for the ping.

I grew up in New Jersey. I hardly recognize the place now. But I guess I could say that for most of the rest of America too. In any case, the Archbishop is right.

[old and tired]

UPDATE: I heard the tail end of McGeevey being interviewed this morning on local talker Michael Smerconish. McGreevey said he wouldn't do anything to "disrespect the archbishop." He wouldn't receive at "public events."

Smerconish followed up and McGreevey clarified that at private functions, like family baptisms, he would receive, but that he wouldn't do anything to disrespect the archbishop. Also, he began to say that he wouldn't receive in NJ. He definitely left the door open for other states.

[Arguss]

It sounds like McGreevy is trying to be reasonable - according to his own standards. But he JUST DOESN'T GET IT.

He thinks he has found way to circumvent what the Bishop ordered by not going to the Bishop for Communion. LOL Isn't that just like a politician.

Why can't he understand he is in sin, and is compounding the sin by receiving unworthily. It's not so hard to figure out. Is he a demo-rat?

[BlackElk]

The presumed opponent of McGreevey for the 2005 gubernatorial election in NJ is Brett Schundler, a passionately pro-life Evangelical Christian and former mayor of Jersey City. He will be opposed by a woman state senator of the once dominant baby-killing wing of the NJ GOP. She will lose the primary to Schundler. McGreevey is losing by a substantial margin to Schundler in recent polls which I believe show Schundler with 53% and a chunk of undecided voters. McGreevey beat Schundler last time in an extraordinarily bitter election and has given NJ voters every reason to resent that outcome. McGreevey is also rumored to have, ummm, unusually close relations with, ummm, young men.

Also note that the new bishop of Camden, Joseph Galante has fired on McGreevey and other pro-abort "Catholics" saying thatthey are not in communion with the Church and ought not receive the Eucharist. Archbishop Myers has a strong history on the subject of abortion and at least one other bishop has also taken the hard line.