Priests Should Refuse Communion to Kerry, Leading Catholic Says

NewsMax.com | 3/31/04 | Phil Brennan

[Arrowhead1952]

I'm a Missouri Synod Lutheran member, and I can't understand how the Catholic Church can support any of Kerry's views. This is good news, as he is in favor of abortion on demand.

[Melpomene]

They're American Eskimos. They get to be about 20 pounds. Sweet dogs, but man-oh-man, they bark.

[ThomasMore]

Deal Hudson is not the only one calling for the excommunication of Kerry.

There are a number of clergy...including myself...who believe it is a paramount action to overcome the scandal he causes by calling himself Catholic or Christian.

Deacon Francis...AKA ThomasMore

[Preachin']

There'll be a great backlash against Kerry by the New Emgland Catholics come election day. /sarcasm

[ThomasMore]

The Catholic Church doesn't support his views.

Unfortunately, certain members of the Catholic Church do!

Too many homosexuals in our clerical ranks. (one is too many)

Deacon Francis

[ThomasMore]

One could only wish....

But the truth of the matter is 50% of Catholics vote party rather than faith.

I blame our clergy.

Deacon Francis

[Preachin']

But the truth of the matter is 50% of Catholics vote party rather than faith.

Actually, I believe that their loyalty to their unions outweighs any loyalty to Christian principles. That's just a few we can name. Specter also comes to mind.

Kerry, Kennedy, Clinton and Schumer are individuals who should NEVER be elected by true believers in Jesus.

[Jim Noble]

One should not receive communion if in a state of mortal sin (missing mass being one example). I don't believe someone who misses mass, though, and thus shouldn't receive communion, has been excommunicated! I dislike the confusion implied in these comments. Lots of people can be in a state where they should not receive communion, but are not subject to excommunication. I firmly believe John Kerry should be excommunicated, also obviously that he should not receive communion. They aren't the same thing, however.

My grandfather was raised by an impoverished single mother after the untimely death of his father. The one thing his mother had in life was the Church.

When my grandfather married my grandmother (a Lutheran) without a dispensation, his name was read out from the altar of St. Rose's Church as he was declared publically to be excommunicated, and he was asked to leave the building in front of his mother.

This made quite an impression on him.

THAT'S excommunication-no such thing in those days as "person X has really excommunicated themselves, and should be a good boy and not receive the sacraments".

By the way (interesting followup)-my grandfather attended the UCC for his entire life after marriage, every Sunday. Never said a word, never murmured a complaint.

The day he died, he called for a priest, made a confession, and received the sacraments-and died.

THAT'S a Church that leaves an impression.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

What's ironic is that this is NOT a "separation of Church and State" issue. The issue is not whether abortion laws be changed for other non-Catholic Americans to be subject to Catholic doctrine. The issue is whether JOHN KERRY IS A CATHOLIC IN GOOD STANDING or not. He's not.

The Church has the right to define who is or who is not a member of the Catholic Church. If John Kerry wants to be a Catholic, he cannot promote abortion and the culture of death as part of his career. The Church teaches that certain moral issues, such as those of the right to life, are so important and so clearly involve grave matter regarding souls that Catholics have a moral duty and civic responsibility to support the morally sound position and to reject immoral positions. Catholics have a moral responsibility as Catholics to oppose the erosion of the right to life by such things as abortion, euthanasia, fetal tissue harvesting, the use of stem cells from abortions, and the destruction of human embryonic cells in questionable reproductive research or in cloning experiments. This is the clearly stated teaching of the Catholic Church. If John Kerry does not agree with this teaching, he is no longer a Catholic in good standing and may not present himself for Communion.

If he does not understand this, he's a moron. Another casualty of a liberal secular humanist "Ivy League" education. His secret society memberships also raise serious questions of a Catholic moral order.

Someone in high authority in the church needs to point this out to him in very clear terms. Preferably...in public with some admonishing gravity.

[RobbyS]

Pretty!

[RobbyS]

The problem is that Kerry has been told the opposite by many of the Catholics he knows, including many priests. Cuomo is probably smart enough to know that Kerry has stepped over the line that Cuomo laid down in his Notre Dame speech, but being jesuitical he knows that it is best that Kerry not think otherwise, so that he can act innocent. Kerry is not reallly a smart guy, and his theological thinking does not go beyond the usual "spirit of V2" pap.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Kerry is a VERY odd person and the circumstances surrounding his ALLEGED Catholicism are rather peculiar as well. First of all..."Kerry" is not his real name. He has in fact taken some liberties with the truth regarding his background. He is also a member of some rather strange secret societies which would seem at variance with Catholic orthodoxy, to say the least.

In a certain sense, it would be more interesting for some of the bishops to question him about his "culture of death" ideology with reference to his secret society memberships. If Kerry is bound by some strange oath of a secret society to support a weird non-Christian and anti-Catholic ideology, he is no longer any kind of Catholic.

If Skull & Bones is rigging national elections which propel pro-abortion kooks like Kerry into national office, THAT should be of real concern to the bishops of this country. They do NOT honor Christ or His Church if they fail to defend innocent life on this matter.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I thought I heard that the Bishop of St. Louis said las t week that he would refuse Kerry? Did I dream that?

Kerry was in St. Louis to give a speech, but he didn't attend church. The St. Louis Bishop is the one that just transfered there from Wisconsin and caused a little dust up when he made a similar announcement in Wisconsin just before his transfer.

I support the Bishop's stand, BTW.

[GraceCoolidge]

Yes, I read the same information in articles posted here. I believe the bishop's name is Raymond Burke. Apparently Kerry avoided the issue by going to a Baptist church instead.... I was very pleased to read of the bishop's stand on the matter. I wish we had more Church leaders like him.

[cynicom]

Kerrys Rabbi is not gonna like this.

[ElkGroveDan]

We had a Catholic man run for state rep endorsement at our R caucus earlier this month. Someone asked him if he was pro-life. His answer: "Of course I'm pro-life. I'm Catholic." The response: "So is Ted Kennedy. So is John Kerry."

That is THEIR fault not your candidate's. I would say it the exact same way, and often do.

If I was asked if I supported freedom and liberty I would also say "Of course, I do. I am an American". That some people mis-characterize THEMSELVES doesn't change me, my faith or my allegiances.

[Dataman]

That is THEIR fault not your candidate's.

Of course. Kennedy and Kerry give Catholics a bad name like Swaggert and Tammy Faye.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Yes, Burke is the name. The name had escaped me momentarilty when I wrote earlier.

[RonDog]

Indexing related threads - for future reference:

Diocese gives nod for Kerry to receive Eucharist
			Posted by delacoert On News/Activism 04/10/2004 10:40:32 AM PDT with 14 comments The Boston Herald ^ | April 10, 2004 | Eric Convey
Chicago cardinal [George] would not withhold Eucharist [Kerry]
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Diocese gives nod for Kerry to receive Eucharist
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Chicago Cardinal would not withhold Eucharist
			Posted by Canticle_of_Deborah On Religion 04/09/2004 4:15:11 PM PDT with 16 comments CWNews ^ | April 9, 2003
Bishop Bruskewitz will deny Kerry the Eucharist
			Posted by johnb2004 On Religion 04/07/2004 10:39:21 AM PDT with 33 comments www.renewamerica.us ^ | April 6, 2004 | Barbara Kralis

[RonDog]

Indexing related threads - for future reference:

Analysts: Religious Faith Less of a Factor for Kerry (Kerry to Receive Communion)
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Priests Should Refuse Communion to Kerry, Leading Catholic Says
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