Priests threatened with arrest if they minister to military during shutdown

The Daily Caller ^ | 10/04/13 | Alex Pappas

[mware]

In a stunning development, some military priests are facing arrest if they celebrate mass or practice their faith on military bases during the federal government shutdown.

“With the government shutdown, many [government service] and contract priests who minister to Catholics on military bases worldwide are not permitted to work – not even to volunteer,” wrote John Schlageter, the general counsel for the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, in an op-ed this week. “During the shutdown, it is illegal for them to minister on base and they risk being arrested if they attempt to do so.”

According to its website, the Archdiocese for the Military Services “provides the Catholic Church’s full range of pastoral ministries and spiritual services to those in the United States Armed Forces.”

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/04/priests-threatened-with-arrest-if-they-minister-to-military-during-shutdown/#ixzz2gqlEaUts

[mware]

Speechless

[mware]

Eric Cantor ✔ @GOPLeader The House will vote tomorrow morning to affirm the right of all military chaplains to conduct services during the shutdown. 9:18 PM - 4 Oct 2013

[SumProVita]

This information needs to be shared with Rush...etc...

ASAP!

[Mercat]

We all need to start praying. Where’s Emil Kapaun when we need him? He managed to keep the faith alive in a North Korean prison camp. I’m hoping that the priests involved defy this horrible order and start getting arrested.

[HiTech RedNeck]

How about let’s get speech again... towards God.

This can’t be just about Roman Catholic chaplains and “Mass” celebrations. It also would logically apply to evangelical ministers and the kinds of worship services they conduct.

[mware]

Fox News is all over it, but I have not seen anything anywhere else.

I did email a copy of the article to my parish priest. I think he will be all over this today during Mass.

[Beagle8U]

More satire?

[ClearCase_guy]

I can't believe I'm taking the other side here, but part of the point is that people (priests or whatnot) are not being paid and you do not want a situation where a worker says, "My boss told me I wasn't being paid, but I still had to come to work -- to work for free -- or else he'd fire me." That becomes a legal nightmare, whether the claim is true or not.

I think priests are very unlikely to behave badly, but I think the government has a policy and is applying that policy to 100% of the furloughed workers, with no special exemptions or waivers for anyone in a "special" category (so, you see, it's not like Obamacare).

I'm not thrilled by it, but I think I understand why they are doing this.

[mware]

Hi, I was thinking the same thing. This article came out of the archdiocese. I will wager the same is happening to other religious groups too.

This can not stand.

[Tupelo]

Well Hey, Is it not what is expected from this administration?
It will be interesting to follow this story, if for no other reason than to see if these Priests really do have the courage of their convictions. Or are they like the GOPe, all talk and no cattle.

[ConservativeInPA]

Democrats are always going after clingers and ignoring the constitution and our God giving freedoms. Tyranny I say, Tyranny. It is time to revolt.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The organizational tie helps Catholics get the news out. I’d think the SBC would serve a similar communication role among Southern Baptist chaplains... if so there will soon be a furor in the Bible Belt about this. Not as if they loved Obama in the first place.

[muir_redwoods]

What a great photo op that would make, government thugs dragging priest away with communion hosts being defiled. This government is cruising for a fall.

[Texas Fossil]

Nope, not on the Daily Caller.

I think it is a legit complaint about the evil thin skinned mulatto.

[mware]

The priests have been told they can not even volunteer their services of giving the sacraments. (without pay).Priests have died for less. Of course that usually happens in a totalitarian country, not the United States of America.

[SumProVita]

Thanks.

I’ll share it with my parish priest this morning...am headed to Mass in about 20 minutes.

[mware]

Get it done HiTech. We unite and they will back down.

[Mouton]

Time for a crusade, this time, into DC.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

This must stop.

[Ann Archy]

No, Sadly this is NOT SATIRE!!