HOLY WAR IN WASHINGTON, DC, WATCH CARDINAL WUREL AND NEIL CAVUTO
4 comments:
Joseph Johnson
said...
The Cardinal is very eloquent and did a very good job in explaining the issue.
Nonetheless, and with all due respect to his Eminence, I hope that he now sees that Nancy Pelosi has met all the conditions for him to withhold Holy Communion from her should she be arrogant as to present herself for Communion at a Church in his Diocese.
In earlier headlines on your blog Father, you said something to the effect that some bishops share the blame for our loss of Catholic identity. Not that I don't respect Cardinal Weurl, but he has to recognize that at least, to some degree, he shares some responsibility for this crisis.
In 2007, Allyson Smith, a reporter for California Catholic Daily cornered then-Archbishop Weurl and asked him whether he would be willing to deny Holy Communion to pro-abort politicians like Nancy Pelosi who persist in their obstinate stance against the Catholic Church's teaching. He indignantly stated that he was completely against that kind of discipline (you can read about it by clicking here).
The bishops have canon law to discipline renegade Catholics who harm the Church. The Holy Father himself has opined that bishops have a responsibility to deny Holy Communion to obstinate politicians who will not submit to their own professed Church. Until they exercise this power (and responsibility) the credibility of the Catholic Church will remain in question. We need our shepherds to act. If not now, WHEN?
I did a typo on my last comment: I meant to say "should she be so arrogant at to present herself for Communion . ."(I left out the "so").
Anyway, as your recent post about Nancy Pelosi and her "fellow catholics" statement shows, the woman has obstinately, arrogantly and boldly refused to uphold and support Church teaching on life issues. What does she (and other so-called "pro-choice catholic" politicians) have to do to actually get denied Communion-- murder a baby with a hatchet in front of God and Country on the Capitol steps?!
Talk about an opportunity for a "teaching moment!" Archbishop Lefebvre and the four Society of St. Pius X bishops he ordained against the will of Pope John Paul II were all formally excommunicated by the Church for their disobedience and violation of Canon law. What goes for one "wing" (the right) should also apply equally to the other (the left). Pelosi has met all the conditions under Canon law to be denied Communion. If you don't believe my opinion (as I'm not a canonist) see Fr. Zuhlsdorf's recent post which features the opinion of a prominent canonist on this very subject.
Taking no action at all creates the false impression among ill-informed Catholics that it's OK to be Catholic and publicly hold pro-abort positions like Pelosi, Biden, Sen. Leahy, the late Sen. Kennedy, etc. If this isn't creating scandal then I don't know what is!
I would go one step further and have all of these polititions publicly excommunicated. That way they can no longer claim to be speaking for the Catholic laity.
4 comments:
The Cardinal is very eloquent and did a very good job in explaining the issue.
Nonetheless, and with all due respect to his Eminence, I hope that he now sees that Nancy Pelosi has met all the conditions for him to withhold Holy Communion from her should she be arrogant as to present herself for Communion at a Church in his Diocese.
In earlier headlines on your blog Father, you said something to the effect that some bishops share the blame for our loss of Catholic identity. Not that I don't respect Cardinal Weurl, but he has to recognize that at least, to some degree, he shares some responsibility for this crisis.
In 2007, Allyson Smith, a reporter for California Catholic Daily cornered then-Archbishop Weurl and asked him whether he would be willing to deny Holy Communion to pro-abort politicians like Nancy Pelosi who persist in their obstinate stance against the Catholic Church's teaching. He indignantly stated that he was completely against that kind of discipline (you can read about it by clicking here).
The bishops have canon law to discipline renegade Catholics who harm the Church. The Holy
Father himself has opined that bishops have a responsibility to deny Holy Communion to obstinate politicians who will not submit to their own professed Church. Until they exercise this power (and responsibility) the credibility of the Catholic Church will remain in question. We need our shepherds to act. If not now, WHEN?
I did a typo on my last comment: I meant to say "should she be so arrogant at to present herself for Communion . ."(I left out the "so").
Anyway, as your recent post about Nancy Pelosi and her "fellow catholics" statement shows, the woman has obstinately, arrogantly and boldly refused to uphold and support Church teaching on life issues. What does she (and other so-called "pro-choice catholic" politicians) have to do to actually get denied Communion-- murder a baby with a hatchet in front of God and Country on the Capitol steps?!
Talk about an opportunity for a "teaching moment!" Archbishop Lefebvre and the four Society of St. Pius X bishops he ordained against the will of Pope John Paul II were all formally excommunicated by the Church for their disobedience and violation of Canon law. What goes for one "wing" (the right) should also apply equally to the other (the left). Pelosi has met all the conditions under Canon law to be denied Communion. If you don't believe my opinion (as I'm not a canonist) see Fr. Zuhlsdorf's recent post which features the opinion of a prominent canonist on this very subject.
Taking no action at all creates the false impression among ill-informed Catholics that it's OK to be Catholic and publicly hold pro-abort positions like Pelosi, Biden, Sen. Leahy, the late Sen. Kennedy, etc. If this isn't creating scandal then I don't know what is!
JJ,
I would go one step further and have all of these polititions publicly excommunicated. That way they can no longer claim to be speaking for the Catholic laity.
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