I have had several people bring to my attention the story behind Fr. Jay Scott Newman at St. Mary's in Greenville, SC. To wit:
A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."
The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.
"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.
Well, trust the media to get a little sensational. I read the actual church bulletin and it says:
And yet, the Diocese of Charleston takes offense:We the People have spoken, and the 44th President of the United States will be Barack Hussein Obama. This election ends a political process that started two years ago and which has revealed deep and bitter divisions within the United States and also within the Catholic Church in the United States.
In response to this, I am obliged by my duty as your shepherd to make two observations:
1. Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exists constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ’s Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation.
2. Barack Obama, although we must always and everywhere disagree with him over abortion, has been duly elected the next President of the United States, and after he takes the Oath of Office next January 20th, he will hold legitimate authority in this nation. For this reason, we are obliged by Scriptural precept to pray for him and to cooperate with him whenever conscience does not bind us otherwise. Let us hope and pray that the responsibilities of the presidency and the grace of God will awaken in the conscience of this extraordinarily gifted man an awareness that the unholy slaughter of children in this nation is the greatest threat to the peace and security of the United States and constitutes a clear and present danger to the common good. In the time of President Obama’s service to our country, let us pray for him in the words of a prayer found in the Roman Missal:
God our Father, all earthly powers must serve you. Help our President-elect, Barack Obama, to fulfill his responsibilities worthily and well. By honoring and striving to please you at all times, may he secure peace and freedom for the people entrusted to him. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.
"Father Newman's statements do not adequately reflect the Catholic Church's teachings. Any comments or statements to the contrary are repudiated," said Msgr. Martin Laughlin, administrator of the Charleston Diocese, which is currently without a bishop.
I think what repudiates Fr. Newman is not clearing it with the Diocese aforehand, but his statements in the bulletin I can see no wrong. Your thoughts?
12 comments:
I think the road to perdition is paved with the skulls of bishops, that's what I think.
Our pastor wrote basically the same thing (but the Canadian version) in our bulletin when we had our election in October. I was happy to see it addressed.
There is an ongoing discussion of this over at American Papist (blogger Thomas Peters). It is a pretty interesting read. He also has a poll. 69% of his readers think this priest did the right thing.
http://www.americanpapist.com/2008/11/update-sc-priest-repudiated-for-his.html
To be honest, the Bishop is a moral coward who will do anything to keep the "peace" and the collections comming in.
Father Newman was correct, and should appeal this to the CDF.
So what is the difference if
Barrack Hussein Obama goes to the church of the Rev. Wright (Wrong) and listens to his damned diatribes?
Fr. Jay Scott Newman is a true Catholic patriot and that Bishop is categorically incorrect on a number of fronts.
The fact that 54% of "Catholics" voted for Mr. Infanticide and Uncle Joe "John XXIII" Biden is an abomination...
ditto, to what Carlos said!
One point against Fr. Newman, however much I am sympathetic to him and what he wrote:
I showed the letter to a canon lawyer friend (who is also sympathetic), and his response was that he would take issue with Fr. Newman's characterization of Obama voters as having placed themselves out of full communion. He said that really refers to excommunication, and that based on canon law it's hard to say that they've done that. Rather, they may have placed themselves in a state of serious sin (he didn't get into the details, but I would assume the "may" hinges on whether they knew it was sinful), but that it's simply not borne out by canon law that they have excommunicated themselves.
It does not change the underlying point of Fr. Newman's, that they probably ought to get to Confession before receiving the Eucharist. But as a lawyer, I figured you would appreciate the distinction. :-p
I don't know whether voting for Obama is formal cooperation in abortion and thus punishable by excom or not. It's certainly formal cooperation in stupidity, but...
If that's the case, then surely paying taxes which you KNOW will be used to fund PP and abortion is also "formal cooperation."
In fact, I'd say the latter is more cooperation than the former.
And ten different canon lawyers will say ten different things. I hope the Pope speaks on this soon.
IIRC, the Church's teaching is a tiny bit more complex.
Voting for a pro-abort FOR THE PURPOSE OF FURTHERING ABORTION is material cooperation, a serious sin, (etc.)
It is not so clearly "sinful" IF the party voting for the abortion-promoter votes for him/her for OTHER reasons.
However, the prioritization of the "life" issue (and a few others), correctly understood, would tell the prudent Catholic that if the other candidate does not endorse some other "priority" evil (e.g., euthanasia), then the other candidate should get the nod.
In the case at hand, McCain supported ESCR (but had not prioritized that in his campaign) and supported the war in Iraq, as well as some other 'conservative' economic items.
None of them rise to the level of the "A" question.
Thus, a Catholic is prudent to vote for McCain, and prudence in voting is required of Catholics.
Given that....
Fr. N's letter asking that Obama-voters get to Confession does NOT mean that they have gravely sinned; however, those who voted for O to further the abortion agenda have, definitely, done so.
Correction to the above:
While the ESCR question DOES share 'prioritization' with the abortion question, McCain's retreat on the issue (and the Party's platform) would seem to indicate that he would not "push" the issue.
In contrast, Obama has promised to sign FOCA.
Thus, it would seem that the ESCR issue is 'off the table' in considering the candidates' positions on "priority" matters.
I think if more did what Fr. Newman did the church wouldn't be in such a sorry***ed state!
The sooner they clear the bishop (and minions) outside of that diocese the better. These bishops are a CANCER on the catholic church for not calling a spade a spade.
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