Archbishop Dolan will not deny Communion to pro-abortion politicians

Catholic World News ^ | March 10, 2010

[Pope Pius XII]

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York told an Albany television reporter on March 9 that he does not favor denying Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion and same-sex marriage.

“NEWS10's John McLoughlin asked Archbishop Dolan if he favored denying the Church's Sacraments to politicians, like Governor David Paterson, who are Roman Catholic but also pro-choice and pro-gay marriage,” WTEN-TV reported. “The prelate acknowledged that some of his fellow bishops might favor such a ban, but Dolan said he does not, preferring to follow the lead of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who said it was better to try to persuade them than to impose sanctions.”

Archbishop Dolan was in Albany to lobby on behalf of Catholic schools, which face increasing financial strain because of unfunded government mandates.

[DarthVader]

I fully agree with you and this goes to prove Jesus’ teachings on “false prophets being like wolves in sheep’s clothing” and the “wheat and tares” growing together in the Christendom. We must always be on our guard.

[DarthVader]

I fully agree with you and this goes to prove Jesus’ teachings on “false prophets being like wolves in sheep’s clothing” and the “wheat and tares” growing together in the Christendom. We must always be on our guard.

[OriginalChristian]

Technically, those holding the pro-abort position, are already in grave sin and have lost the state of grace. They have ex-communicated themselves. Receiving the Blessed Sacrament in this state, is considered a sacrilege and only piles on the mortal sin with every reception. Sacramental reconciliation is the only recognized sourse of action to regain the state of grace. Appealing to God alone is not sufficient in the eyes of the Church.

[RnMomof7]

Can you think of a better reason? If these people were really Catholics they would not vote for abortion funding..

[Arthur McGowan]

Denial of Communion is NOT a “sanction” or a “penalty.”

Archbishop Dolan is either a liar or is too ignorant of Canon Law to be allowed to remain as an archbishop.

I am not kidding.

Canon 915 is NOT a “penal canon.” I.e., the denial of Communion is required by divine law. It is an obligation. It is not something that a bishop is FREE to do or not do. If he does deny Communion, he is NOT “imposing a sanction.” He is simply obeying the direct command contained in Canon 915. It is NOT OPTIONAL. It is NOT a matter of the bishop’s discretion or judgment. It is a strict obligation.

In other words, Archbishop Dolan is saying: In my diocese, Canon Law and the moral law are optional; they are up to me to write and rewrite as I please.

http://tinyurl.com/canon915
http://tinyurl.com/peters915
http://tinyurl.com/pont915

[Campion]

The church has a right to lift the excommunication ..because it is an ecclesiastical rule, not a biblical one.

The church lifts an excommunication because it's a penalty intended to bring the sinner to repentance and conversion.

Someone who repents of an abortion and confesses it to a priest who has the faculty to absolve it (most or all do) is forgiven. Someone who does not repent and confess is not.

Those politicians have blood all over their hands.. but the church looks the other way and does not excommunicate them ....and their reason is they have control over purse strings

That's pure supposition on your part. I have a much simpler and more straightforward explanation.

Cowardice.

[Campion]

This policy has caused havoc in the Church and has left the various wolves in place to harm the Church from within. This is in my view a serious failure in charity towards these recalcitrant Catholics, the faithful, and failing in the munus of governing the Church. Hence more of the same. The whole point of penalties is that they are medicinal: to confront the recalcitrant with the consequences of their behavior and protect the faithful. Is the Pope really on board with this? Don’t think so.

Excellent: needs repeating.

[ArrogantBustard]

Politicians are motivated by power.

The supposedly Baptist Bill Clinton toted his Bible and made a great show of going to church ... it appeared to me to be a cynical attempt to get votes

"Afrcan-American" democRat politicians generally make a great show of appearing in various urban churches in what appears to me to be a cynical attempt to garner votes.

[A.A. Cunningham]

http://www.jamesrobison.net/

[DarthVader]

Thanks for posting!

[RnMomof7]

I do not disagree ..,but one thing they have power over is money for Catholic social programs..

[RnMomof7]

The church lifts an excommunication because it's a penalty intended to bring the sinner to repentance and conversion.

Or it drives them into another denomination ..:)

If the purpose is the spiritual good of the individual then certainly all those catholic politicians with blood on their hands should be excommunicated

[ArrogantBustard]

The recent case of Washington DC and Certificated Buggery is instructive.

[bronx2]

Before you attribute Dolans failure to cowardice , ask yourself why didn't you answer a call to the priesthood or support one so engaged. The Church plays with the 2nd team, scrubs and walk-ons instead of the ones who were called but refused to answer the call. Dolan is probably of very average intelligence and the ones who were “The Chosen” are in the business world making seven figures. The Kingdom of God is not of this world.

Pelosi, Kennedy and their ilk should have been excommunicated but it will not happen in our time. The best we can hope for is to have our Catholic educational systems label and characterize them as Apostates. If we publicize their apostasy throughout our church systems, and pubically object to their eventually being rendered a Christian burial, then maybe a few of them , albeit not many, will have reservations regarding their conduct.Imagine the furor if thousands would prrotest against providing Roger Mahoney with a christian burial .It would be noticed in the secular world.

[little jeremiah]

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Bad news. Without courage, all other virtues are useless. This man is useless.

[Campion]

Dolan is probably of very average intelligence and the ones who were “The Chosen” are in the business world making seven figures.

I'm a computer geek trying to face unemployment with grace, so I'm obviously not among "the chosen".

NB I'm not singling out Abp Dolan. This is a generic problem throughout the episcopate.

ask yourself why didn't you answer a call to the priesthood

God had his chances with me. I tend to think that priesthood wasn't what he had in mind for me, perhaps confirmed by my praying ardently for a wife at the age of 22, followed by meeting her a mere six weeks later.

[redgolum]

Politically, he is in a very hard place. The establishment would make his life, and that of the rest of the Catholic’s there, very uncomfortable.

But in the end, a stand will have to be made or the American Catholic church will fade into the shadows. It may cause a split, but you have to stand for something.

[Arthur McGowan]

Consequentialist calculations have no place in this discussion. Canon 915 is not a penal canon, and denial of Communion is NOT a penalty or a “sanction.” Dolan is wrong to call it a “sanction.”

Telling a person that he is not allowed to commit adultery or murder is not imposing a “sanction” on him. In precisely the same way, telling a notorious sinner that he may not receive Communion is not a “sanction.” It is merely informing him that reception of Communion is, for him, a grave sin.

[Houghton M.]

And you are replying to a six-month-old posting now
for
exactly
what
reason?

[Shethink13]

I would guess because he was just elected President of the USCCB.