I am not totally plussed with the "we will handle this in our own way according to the magisterium" response we have been hearing on other issues. I wish we could expect to see some public EXCOMMUNICATION of laity, and DEFROCKING (as we protestants call it in some circles) of KILLER PRIESTS posing as Catholics...
Of course, I am not holding my breath, but maybe, JUST maybe... the Vatican is REALLY growing some teeth over the moral issues of it's flock... particularly the wolves, who are merely POSING as Christians/Catholics...
It will be interesting to see the "fallout" from this announcement amongst what you call your "apostate" crowd...
I am thankful that John Paul saw fit to put this out for ALL of us to consider... Fact is, Jesus may not be pleased with folks who claim to love him, while killing innocents, for political gain... and moral indecency...
Good stuff... hope it impacts, FAST and HARD...
We at the Catholic Family Association of America are working on getting a private audience with the Pope to present
1)the excommunication petition, to Excommunicate Culture of Death "Catholics" and
If you have not yet signed the excommunication petition, its not too late!
And please keep our efforts in your prayers, especially that our private audience with the Pope is secured and schedulued soon, to coincide with these Vatican directives.
--Dr. Brian Kopp (Polycarp),
Vice President,
Catholic Family Association of America
Here is our request:
WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs request the following relief:
A. That Pope John Paul II, Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church take jurisdiction of this petition.
B. That Canon 1398 be changed to read: "A person who deliberately enables an abortion or euthanization incurs a latae sententiae excommunication. An elected or appointed official who votes for legislation enabling abortion or euthanasia or who publicly propagandizes for or promotes abortion or euthanasia incurs a latae sententiae excommunication."
C. That he issue to the bishops specific directives concerning the implementation and enforcement of interdiction and excommunication for public promoters of abortion, euthanasia and other forms of direct attack upon life.
D. That he publicly order Defendants to:
1. Refrain from any act or statement which enables, supports or condones abortion, euthanasia and other
forms of direct attack upon life.
2. Publicly repent and retract their errors and promise no further acts and/or statements
which enable, support or condone abortion, euthanasia and other forms of direct attack upon life.
3. Refrain from reception of the sacrament of Eucharist until the above orders have been followed.
E. That he publicly declare that Defendants' acts and/or statements as alleged are:
1. Contrary to and inimical to the faith of the Catholic Church ;
2. A scandal to the Mystical Body of Christ, the faithful of the Catholic Church ; and
3. A sacrilege to the Real Body and Blood of Jesus Christ when Defendants receive
the sacrament of the Eucharist.
F. In the event that any Defendant fails to follow any of the above orders to publicly
excommunicate him or her from the Catholic Church .
Dated at (to be implemented upon closing of the signatory phase)
<<
From your lips (fingertips) to God's ears, I too pray.
In the midst of the homosexual Church scandals media hype last year many public figures emerged as "Catholics but..." opposed to some or all of the moral teachings of the Church. In addition to it Bp. Wilton Gregory appointed Oklahoma's Gov. Frank Keating and some Catholics plus some morally shadowy "Catholic" figures to the National Review Board.
(It's a shame Bp. Gregory couldn't think of anyone else who could advise the USCCB if raping teenage boys is a good thing or not.)
It became clear that there are many political and massmedia figures, and a bunch of organizations (like VOTF) and publications (like the NCR) posing as "Catholic" but siding with the devil towards the destruction of Christian moral values and destruction of the Church.
In this situation the Church needed to remind her members the very basics of Christian morality -- unconditional sanctity of human life and the sanctity and dignity of marriage. These are the two very keystones of a morally healthy society.
Are there any kind of teeth in this?
Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about excommunication:
CCC 1463. Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication, the most severe ecclesiastical penalty, which impedes the reception of the sacraments and the exercise of certain ecclesiastical acts, and for which absolution consequently cannot be granted, according to canon law, except by the Pope, the bishop of the place or priests authorized by them.Lawmakers who legalize abortion are indeed in a formal cooperation in it, not in a specific single act, but in a gruesome, silent, anonymous multitude of "legal" massacres.
CCC 2272. Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life.
Surely, the Church's voice can be ignored by the "Catholic" politicians, but at least they would have to stop posing as Catholic. If one would use the "Catholic" label for himself in the election process it will be clear what values he stands for.