Posted on 02/16/2005 5:40:24 PM PST by Coleus
Vatican Cardinal Ends Debate: No Communion for Pro-Abortion Politicians or Rainbow Sashers
Says "Are we going to change Divine Law, how God made us?"
VATICAN CITY, February 16, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze, the top Vatican Cardinal in charge of the sacraments of the Catholic Church has made it plain in an on-camera interview with EWTN that pro-abortion politicians may not be admitted to Holy Communion.
A February 11 EWTN broadcast of the news program, World Over Live, with host Raymond Arroyo, featured an interview with Arinze, the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The interview covered a wide range of topics, including female altar servers, Latin in the Mass, abortion and the rainbow sash movement.
Arroyo questioned the Vatican Cardinal saying: “Last year, you were asked at a press conference whether a politician, a Catholic politician who supports abortion publicly should be permitted to the Communion rail, should be permitted to receive Communion publicly. What is your response to that?”
Cardinal Arinze responded, “The answer is clear. If a person says I am in favour of killing unborn babies whether they be four thousand or five thousand, I have been in favour of killing them. I will be in favour of killing them tomorrow and next week and next year. So, unborn babies, too bad for you. I am in favour that you should be killed, then the person turn around and say I want to receive Holy Communion. Do you need any Cardinal from the Vatican to answer that?
Laughing, Arroyo responded, “It should be pretty transparent.” To which the Cardinal concluded, “Simple, ask the children for First Communion, they'll give you the answer.”
Similarly, Cardinal Arinze ruled out Communion for homosexual activists.
Arroyo noted that while some US bishops have refused Communion to Rainbow Sash activists, others such as Archbishop Harry Flynn of Minneapolis - St. Paul have not. Flynn, after meeting with Cardinal Arinze in Rome recently, suggested that the Cardinal was open to allowing communion for Rainbow Sash activists.
Arroyo first confirmed the meeting with Archbishop Flynn took place. “Did such a conversation take place between you and this archbishop?,” asked Arroyo, to which Cardinal Arinze responded, “Yes.”
Arroyo followed with “And were you open to allowing this group to receive Communion as he inferred in some of the newspapers.”
The Vatican Cardinal responded, “No, no. You see, let's get it clear. These rainbow sash people, are they really saying we are homosexuals, we intend to remain so and we want to receive Holy Communion. The question arises; take the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It says it is not condemning a person for having homosexual tendency. We don't condemn anybody for that. But a person stands condemned for acting on it.”
On homosexuality the Cardinal was clear. “The Catholic Church has never accepted homosexuality as normal. You read the scripture. It's very clear. What exactly are we examining? Are we going to change Divine Law, how God made us?”
He made a distinction between active homosexuals and those with homosexual tendencies. “Quite another matter if a person had just the tendencies and is making (an) effort to live the Divine Law, then that's fine. So, we respect persons but be clear on the truth,” he said.
It is the "Go and sin no more" part that the Liberals always leave out.
I like this cardinal.
Is Cardinal Arinze on the short list of candidates to succeed John Paul II?
This is excellent.
Bump for Cardinal Arinze, bless his heart!
The bishops do not accept the authority of Rome over things below the navel, and Rome is unwilling to declare them in schism.
About time we heard some straight talk from the Vatican.
I'm impressed.
Even though I'm a non-Catholic I stand in solidarity with true Catholics all around the world.
Makes me glad to have been born and raised a Catholic. Glad to see a leader with some 'nads for a change!
Me too. About time the church stood up for something. This fellow would make a good pope.
Just about the time you feel like you're being left to twist in the wind...an angel shows up.
>> Do you need any Cardinal from the Vatican to answer that
I don't trust him. I came across him at a Catholic conference in Philly about 10 years ago and asked him about pro-abortion politicians.
He hemmed and hawed and basically gave a flimsy answer.
Has he changed his mind? I hope so, but he isn't the great disciplinarian everybody is looking for.
Hey Cardinal, what about Bishop Pilla? He has the Rainbow Gay Pride Sash flying on his website!!!
http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/images/rnbwtile.gif
http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/images/tooosgif.gif
He's Pope matierial
10 years ago...you don't belive people gain experience and come to a fuller understanding of what is acceptable to God.
Since the Vatican has said this, one question. If a known pro abortion politician or openly gay member comes to receive communion can the priest refuse them and tell them to go back to their pew? I am afraid that is going to be necessary many times before it sinks in that the Church is serious about the rules.
"Bout time they upheld the "Holy" laws! Why not answer when the question was fresh eh? Like during the ELECTION hmmn????? At least it is done!
He was a cardinal 10 years ago.. how much close is he gonna get?????
I think a good priest would just put his hand over the ciborium, signifying that it is not "open" to this individual. Then, the priest might even bless the person, and pray for his soul. This is just my take, I don't know for sure what the exact rubrics are.
I hope so. His simple and straightforward approach is much appreciated.
So glad they rushed this out in time for it to be decisive in the 2004 presidential campaign.
This is so refreshing! But it's not going to win over the American bishops, who would need a formal order written in Latin, and even then, they would search for loopholes.
ping
Thanks, I knew that there had to be another way. I wondered how it would be handled. Although I would not put it past some of them to stand there until they forced the priest to tell they weren't able to receive it.
I recently had the opportunity to spend time with another African born priest, Rev. John Nwagbaraocha, who is chaplain at the hospital where my wife is staying. He is a true pillar of faith and a has been great source of strength for us in a trying time.
If he and Cardinal Arinze are examples of the priests that will be leaders of the Church in years to come then we are indeed in good hands.
This interview was Cardinal Arinze at his best! Great program and happy to see portions of the transcript reproduced in this thread.
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This is OT but is in response to your comment.
"Go and sin no more." Christ to the Samaritan woman.
Has it ever occured to you that this is impossible?
"Our righteousness is as filthy rags." Another quote refering to menstrual (the height of uncleaness) pads.
Our Lord had not yet been crucified when He spoke the words (The Word) you quote.
Does this mean anything to you?
The Church must stand firm on both issues. Let those who disagree form their own church. Q: What do you call a Catholic who disagrees with the teachings of the Catholic Church? A: a Protestant.
Actually, he is amongst the forerunners. Unfortunately, he rarely grants interviews anymore because the topic usually turns toward his 'papabile' status. He is sick and tired of that. He supports the pope and continues to serve his church as a faithful servant of God.
The beauty of Cardinal Arinze is in his ability to clearly enunciate church teachings in English, which is not his native tongue. He is much loved by many catholics around the world.
"Cardinal McCarrick, John Kerry, call your offices..."
You will find the same straightforward and deep faith amongst the Eastern Catholic Rite priests. The young pastor at my Maronite Catholic Church delivers homilies the likes of which I have not heard in 40+ years. May God continue to bless these devoted servants and raise them up in service to us, as true leaders of the Catholic Church.
This portion of the interview gave great insight into the concept of why the parish priest should retain boys to serve at the altar. He spoke of his own upbringing when he served as an altar boy. The priest who called him to service was instrumental in his decision to pursue the priesthood. That priest was responsible for many young men and women discerning a call to serve our Lord through religious life, and he is now a candidate for sainthood.
Will we get a Cardinal McCarrick "clarification" on this?
1stFreedom,Bump.
Freepers may remember that Cardinal Arinze is the guy who scandalized the liberals at Georgetown University a year or two ago by speaking out with equal plainness.
Everyone knows perfectly well what the Church teaches on this matter. But the dissidents will continue to ignore it, aided and abetted by weak or dissident bishops.
And yes, Cardinal Arinze has been spoken of as a possible candidate for Pope. The liberals and dissidents will block it if they possibly can. Making him pope would be like making one of those loyal African Anglican bishops Archbishop of Westminster.
It would be a wonderful thing for the Church, but it's not clear whether it will happen.
I like his sense of humor.
"Do you need any Cardinal from the Vatican to answer that?"-- are answers in the form of a question. This is a technique that avoids being quoted and perpetuates the ambiguity."ask the children for First Communion, they'll give you the answer.”
"These rainbow sash people, are they really saying we are homosexuals, we intend to remain so and we want to receive Holy Communion"
As I said, when I asked the Cardinal some challenging questions a decade ago, he was very evasive. It seems that he has simply refined his evasion techniques.
I hope he is not the next Pope.
Even in this interview he said communion should be denied to politicians who express support for abortion, but he said it in such a way that leaves a huge loophole. Read his statement carefully and you will realize that no Catholic liberal politician would necessarily fall under his prohibition, for no Catholic liberal politician will admit or is ever likely to admit that he favors the death of the innocent inborn. Catholic liberal politicians invariably claim to personally disapprove of abortion, but lament that they cannot make that decision for others.
It sounds hypocritical, but that's exactly the position they take.
The Catholic Church does not take its cues based on the American political calender.
The Cardinal is evasive. He will not address the discipline problem the Church has had under JPII.
(I love JPII, but the next pope needs to focus on cleaning house.)
Evasion is not a straighforward approach. It's a diplomatic approach. This isn't the UN, it's the deposit of faith. Make him the Vatican representative to the UN, but not the Pope.
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Nor can it be just a misplaced jocular tone. On other questions he had very clear answers. For example, in the same interview he gave a very detailed answer on the use of Latin in mass; it was very clear that he was making sure he was not misinterpreted and he spoke in declarative sentences.
I wonder if it is NOW clear with Archbishop Flynn.
Sorry- after the scandals that have occured in the Catholic church in recent years, I can no longer see them as pillars of virtue. Lost a ton of respect for them that can not be brought back.
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