PRIEST'S WORDS SPARK WALKOUT IN CHURCH

Troy Record ^ | March 25, 2003 | Jeff Buell and Kate Perry

[NYer]

TROY - A priest took preaching too far for some parishioners at Sacred Heart Church over the weekend when he used his homily to voice displeasure over the war in Iraq.

Rev. Gary Mercure told the congregation at four Masses Saturday and Sunday that the war in Iraq was evil, immoral and contradictory to Christian doctrine.

According to those who attended any of the services, Mercure called for parishioners to not support President Bush, and said the U.S. should work closer with the rest of the world.

As many as 60 congregants responded by leaving the church at one of the masses, several yelling comments in the priest's direction and heckling him on the way out.

Clem LaPietra, a Troy resident attending a mass for his father, was stunned when Mercure began the homily.

"Father Gary, I think he went a little bit over the edge," LaPietra said. "He said how morally wrong the U.S. was. He told us to remember the Germans, and the English, and the Roman Empire. A lot of the older gentlemen got up and left. Someone stood up and told him he was out of line. There was some heckling."

Rose Romano, a Wynantskill resident, attended the 8 a.m. mass on Sunday, the third time the homily was given. She claimed that Mercure called Americans bullies, and said the people shouldn't support the president.
Romano said the comments were so shocking she had to catch her breath. Three people directly in front of her left the mass immediately.

"I was stunned. After a few minutes I was numb," she said. "I'm going to church for my own welfare and a place to pray. That's no place for a political platform."

Mercure said about three people walked out of that service, and said between 50 and 60 walked out of the following mass at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Mercure said he was talking about the Ten Commandments, particularly, "Thou shalt not kill," and knew that some of his parishioners might not be of the same opinion. At that point, Mercure said, he offered everyone a chance to leave.

He said he also prefaced the homily by saying that, "we love those serving and want them out of harm's way."

While the war is a political matter, Mercure said it is a moral issue as well. He insists he was not using the pulpit as a platform for his own views, but as a servant of God.
"They don't have to think the way I think," he said. "But as a preacher of God, it is my role to enhance life, to bring more life, and God's life, to people."
He also dismissed the idea that he preached anti-American sentiments or judged the morality of the president. He said he used the phrase "our government" several times, but stopped short of making moral judgments on anyone.

He said it was also his privilege as a patriot to speak out against the war, and his duty as a priest to do so. Mercure said he received many calls Monday, most of them positive, thanking him for the sermon.

Troy resident John Browne was one of those who thanked him.

"I'm a veteran of the Philippines and was a prisoner of war for three-and-a-half years in Japan," Browne said. "The reason we fought over there is so people could do what they did in church yesterday.
"I went up to him afterward and said, 'I'm proud of you father.'"
News of the homily traveled fast, as calls were made to The Record Monday saying kids were being taken out of the Sacred Heart School by angry parents. Mercure said he was unaware of any children leaving the school.
The school principal sent a letter home to parents Monday explaining the issue to parents. While the letter was vague, it did say that all the school teaches is for the children to pray for peace.

Albany Roman Catholic Diocese spokesman Rev. Kenneth Doyle said he had heard of Mercure's homily, but did not want to address it specifically. He did repeat the church's stance on the war.
"I don't know exactly what Father Gary said," Doyle responded when asked for comment. "The position of the Vatican and American Bishops has been very clear against the war. In the church's mind there has not been the sort of imminent threat that would justify a preemptive and unilateral strike.

"Now that the war has begun," Doyle added, "I believe the important thing is to pray that it ends quickly, and with as few causalities as possible and that innocent lives be spared."

[livius]

They pick this war because they are trying to get on the "good side" of the (at least) American people.

They pick this war because they're trying to get on the good side of the press, and because about 99.5% of them are raving liberals who have been corrupted by 40 years of content-free post VatII religion. Things like abortion, divorce, homosexuality, etc. are of absolutely no interest to much of the clergy, especially if they suspect that traditional Catholic doctrine (horrors!) would conflict with their trendy liberal doctrine.

[browardchad]

our preacher has been really harping on the need to pray for Sadam and Osama lately

The priest in our church tried that shortly after 9/11. An audible rumble went through the congregation and he stopped short, mumbled something, and quit the pulpit.

Last week, a visiting missionary asked parishioners to fill out a form for his order's magazine and put them in the collection basket. He then made some veiled criticism of the war, at which point all the people sitting around us put the forms quietly into the missile rack -- didn't see one in the collection basket.

God works in mysterious ways, and I can't help thinking that the church's handling of the pederasty scandal has steeled the hearts -- and spines -- of at least some Catholics to the next attack on decency, i.e. the anti-war, peace-at-any-price crusaders among the hierarchy.

[Chi-townChief]

I FOUND IT:

"I do not envy President Bush's dilemma. He faces what some might say is a bit of a Hobson's choice: act agressively now and perhaps spawn future Osama bin Ladens, or act with restraint and be subjected to possible future attacks originating out of Iraq. We do have a right to self-defense, but since September 11th it is much harder to establish clear perimeters of protection. We must proceed with care. We must be vigilant. But we must acknowledge that people definitely would die if we go in to Iraq."

[ThomasMore]

Apparently Fr. Gary never read much of St. Augustine's work

Or St. Thomas Aquinas.

But then again...many seminaries dropped Aquinas back in the fifties. These liberal priests and bishops embrace a "moral theology" known today as proportionalism. (no such thing as "Intrinsic" evil)

We have a long and difficult fight ahead to regain lost ground.

[OLD REGGIE]

Well, its funny, Pius XII is villified by Catholic haters for NOT inserting himsef in global affairs during WWII, and now these same Catholic haters think the pope should mind his own business.

Good point except you overuse the word "Catholic haters".

[vrwc1]

If your church stuck to the bible it would not be sticking to the bible.
(Nowhere does the bible say "stick to the bible")

II Timothy 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Revelation 22:18-19
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.

Looks pretty clear to me that we are to "stick to the Bible", in the words of the Bible itself.

[stands2reason]

From Eddie Izzard's--"Dressed to Kill":

Nowadays, Church of England is much more, “Hello, how are you.” Much more a hobby-type… ”Hello.” A lot of people in Church of England have no muscles in their arms. “Hello, yes… Ha ha ha, yes, that’s what I thought. Ha ha. Do – do come in, you’re the only one today. Now the sermon today is taken from a magazine I found – that I found in a hedge. Now, uh, lipstick colors this, uh, season are in the, uh, frosted pink area and, uh, nail colors to match. And, uh, this reminds me rather of our Lord Jesus! Because surely, when Jesus went into Nazareth on a donkey, he must have got tarted up a bit. We will now sing four – hymn 405, “Oh God, What on Earth is, uh, is My Hairdo All About?” “Oh God, what on earth is my hai-airdo…”

[EODGUY]

My only request would be that this man of God travel to Iraq and observe how Saddam is treating God's creatures in that country.

Perhaps when he is arrested and tortured for trying to practice his religion in Iraq his opinion of the justification of this war may change.

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

Last week, a visiting missionary asked parishioners to fill out a form for his order's magazine and put them in the collection basket. He then made some veiled criticism of the war, at which point all the people sitting around us put the forms quietly into the missile rack -- didn't see one in the collection basket.

Good to know. Our own church leadership leans left (multi-culti, feminized) more than I'd like, and it's gotten more obnoxious over the past year. I've intentionally stopped tithing to the church. Only exception I make is if the church is acting as a clearinghouse for money to go to another member in need. We've had at least one heated discussion erupt in a service when the preacher started browbeating people for not praying for their enemies. Very interesting to see how people define their allegiances (nationalistic, religious, whatever) when the heat is turned up.

[RobbyS]

I am sure that the pope knows Catholic doctrine well enough to know that it says that his political judgments carry no more weight than Mr. Bush's or Mr. Blair's.

[vrwc1]

I thought the Pope was supposed to be "infallible". If that's the case, can't he claim that his political judgements carry more weight than President Bush's or Prime Minister Blair's?

[Notwithstanding]

"ALL scripture is given by God, and is profitable for doctrine..."

* * * DOES NOT EQUAL * * *

"ONLY scripture is given by God, and is profitable for doctrine..."

This Timothy passage indicates that scripture is certainly one thing "given by God" that is "profitable for doctrine.." and does NOT exclude the notion that there are other things that are "given by God" that are "profitable for doctrine..."

---

The Bible denies that it is sufficient as the complete rule of faith. Paul says that much Christian teaching is to be found in the tradition which is handed down by word of mouth (2 Tim. 2:2). He instructs us to "stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thess. 2:15).

This oral teaching was accepted by Christians, just as they accepted the written teaching that came to them later. Jesus told his disciples: "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me" (Luke 10:16). The Church, in the persons of the apostles, was given the authority to teach by Christ; the Church would be his representative. He commissioned them, saying, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19).

And how was this to be done? By preaching, by oral instruction: "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ" (Rom. 10:17). The Church would always be the living teacher. It is a mistake to limit "Christ’s word" to the written word only or to suggest that all his teachings were reduced to writing. The Bible nowhere supports either notion.

Further, it is clear that the oral teaching of Christ would last until the end of time. "’But the word of the Lord abides for ever.’ That word is the good news which was preached to you" (1 Pet. 1:25). Note that the word has been "preached"—that is, communicated orally. This would endure. It would not be
supplanted by a written record like the Bible (supplemented, yes, but not supplanted), and would continue to have its own authority.

This is made clear when the apostle Paul tells Timothy: "[W]hat you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). Here we see the first few links in the chain of apostolic tradition that has been passed down intact from the apostles to our own day. Paul instructed Timothy to pass on the oral teachings (traditions) that he had received from the apostle. He was to give these to men who would be able to teach others, thus perpetuating the chain. Paul gave this instruction not long before his death (2 Tim. 4:6–8), as a reminder to Timothy of how he should conduct his ministry.

[fly_so_free]

"pray that it ends quickly, with as few casualities as possible, and that innocent lives be spared"

This is what I pray for every night. I too have had the unpleasent experience of walking out of mass because a liberal priest went on a rampage. It worked out OK though. I walked out in the middle of the homily, got in the car, and drove to the next closest church in my area. That church was doing the annual fund raiser and having the people fill out envelopes, so when I got there, I picked up right where I had left off in the previous mass. I didn't miss a thing(lol).

On the subject of "putting the flag before Jesus". I think there are alot of Catholics (including our Archbishop here in LA Ca ) who put their socialist dreams before Jesus,( even to the point of supporting pro abortion people) and try to pass off socialism as the will of the Almighty Father, but, I know this isn't answering the question of the flag before Jesus..

I have struggled with this. I think there is a reason why the stories of scandals broke BEFORE the War. The sex scandals revealed a moral paralysis in the Church. They couldn't handle evil when confronted with it. As with the sex scandals, after 9/11, they sputtered and were indecisive about what to do.

The conclusion I have reached is that we are trying to confront evil and free the Iraqi people, not to mention protect ourselves, and the world, from bio, chemical, and nuclear weapons. Our soldiers have been brutalized and killed in the attempt. You only have to watch a few minutes of the nightly news coverage to see that Saddam is evil. He keeps committing more and more atrocities against, not just our people, but his own people. Not to mention all the atrocities he and his regime committed before the war started, like torturing and murdering children while their parents are forced to watch, dropping people in acid, or, putting them feet first into a plastic shredder, numerous rapes exc.. This is pure, black-hearted EVIL. I do not beleive that Jesus wants people to "turn the other cheek" in this case. I ask WWJD in the good samaritan parable if HE came upon the man being beaten by thugs, who the Samaritan man helped. If HE(Jesus) witnessed the man being beaten would HE stand there and do nothing? Would HE wait until they were finished beating up the man and then merely bind up his wounds? We are not being lukewarm in our response to Saddam. We are not in Iraq because of our flag. We are trying to free the Iraqi people from Husseins brutality. May God help us achieve our goal.

As a final concern, I have considered leaving the Church. I have a HARD time getting to mass ( that's partly because I work on both Saturday and Sunday). I expect to be upset on Sundays now. But, I go because that is what God asks us to do, regardless of weather the priest is annoying. I have alot to be thankful for in my life . I want to give thanks and continue to pray for our troops, nation, and President Bush. I continue to pray for guidance for all of us. We need God now more than ever before. And, I have my back up plan of driving to the other Church if if gets too bad. I'm not saying we shouldn't confront out of control liberal priests (I think they do a terrible mis-deed to our military and their families when they go off like this) but don't leave the whole Church over it

[Right_Wing_Mole_In_Seattle]

II Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

"ALL scripture is given by God, and is profitable for doctrine..."

* * * DOES NOT EQUAL * * *

"ONLY scripture is given by God, and is profitable for doctrine..."

This Timothy passage indicates that scripture is certainly one thing "given by God" that is "profitable for doctrine.." and does NOT exclude the notion that there are other things that are "given by God" that are "profitable for doctrine..."

You completely ignored the words "throughly furnished." If, by scripture, the man of God is throughly furnished why is there a need for anything else?

He instructs us to "stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thess. 2:15).

We still have the letters, but does anybody now what Paul said. Could you let me in on the secret?

[Notwithstanding]

You are adding to God's word.

Scripture IS given by God so man can be "throughly furnished" (unto "good works", no less - now there's a Catholic idea for ya'!)

Without scripture we could not be throughly furnished. But that does not mean that we need nothing else to be "throughly furnished".

In fact, Paul scriptural words indicate that his oral teachings were in fact necessary for the Christians he was writing to.

Scripture alone was insufficient for Paul's audience.

[Right_Wing_Mole_In_Seattle]

In fact, Paul scriptural words indicate that his oral teachings were in fact necessary for the Christians he was writing to.

But where do I find Paul's oral teachings?

[NYer]

We do have a right to self-defense, but since September 11th it is much harder to establish clear perimeters of protection.

Your pastor has it right. I don't know much about the Chicago Diocese but here in Albany, the parishioners have survived under the 25 year reign of one of the most liberal bishops in the US.

The pastor at Sacred Heart in Troy delivered an insidious message. It goes well beyond distasteful.

Thank you for posting. Let me know if you want to be on a catholic ping list.

[Notwithstanding]

Ahhhhhh - you are asking the right question.

They have been passed on through the centuries, and are known as "Tradition".

Jesus Christ founded a living Church - not a bible.
The concept of a New Testament was an afterthought (a divinely inspired one) of the early Christians and cannot be shown scripturally to be the only font of Truth.

In fact, "the pillar and foundation of truth" is the Church(1 Tim. 3:15) - not Scripture (unless you reduce the Church to Scripture).

[Right_Wing_Mole_In_Seattle]

In fact, "the pillar and foundation of truth" is the Church(1 Tim. 3:15) - not Scripture (unless you reduce the Church to Scripture).

Yeah, but different churchs tell me different things. Who's right?

[Chi-townChief]

Our archbishop Cardinal Francis George started out as anti-war but recently has moved in our direction, saying, to the effect, that removing a brutal dictator is a just cause for war and (here he equivicated a bit) that we could not find a diplomatic solution is now a moot point. I guess being a bishop he can't really come out and say, "Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out!"

And please add me to your catholic ping list.

Thanks.