American Bishop Bars Faithful from War Effort

Catholic World News ^ | March 18, 2003 | staff

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

CANTON, Mar 18, 03 (CWNews.com) -- An American Catholic bishop has forbidden his flock from participating or cooperating in military action against Iraq, under pain of mortal sin. Bishop John Michael Botean, the head of the Romanian Catholic eparchy (diocese) of St. George in Canton, Ohio-- which has jurisdiction over all Byzantine-rite Romanian Catholics living in the US-- invoked the full measure of his authority in a Lenten Letter to his people. The bishop declared with "moral certainty" that the proposed attack on Iraq "does not meet even the minimal standards of the Catholic just-war theory."

The bishop announced that he "must declare to you, my people, for the sake of your salvation as well as my own, that any direct participation and support of this war against the people of Iraq is objectively grave evil, a matter of mortal sin."

Bishop Botean acknowledged that the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2309) identifies public authorities as the final judges of whether military action is justified. But he argued that "the nation-state is never the final arbiter or authority for the Catholic of what is moral." An unjust law or order should not be obeyed, he observed.

Writing with obvious emotion, the Romanian Catholic prelate admitted that "I would much prefer to keep silent." And he pointed out to his people: "Never before have I spoken to you in this manner, explicitly exercising the fullness of authority Jesus Christ has given his apostles." However, he said, he felt a moral burden to guide his people.

Arguing that a military assault on Iraq does not fit the criteria of the just-war tradition, Bishop Botean concluded in stark terms: "Thus, any killing associated with it is unjustified and, in consequence, unequivocally murder."

[vishnu2]

Hear, hear!

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

I think someone decided this would be the official stance. Byzantines offer a different liturgy but fall under the umbrella of Rome.

[river rat]

Between the Queers, Pedophiles, Appeasers, Cowards and Traitors ....... can the Catholic church survive?

Semper Fi

[tracer]

This "bishop" could give religious hijacking lessons to bin Laden. He needs to be gone..........

[VMI70]

I starting doing that with the episcopal church years ago, when they turned sharply left. It has become a fever swamp of liberalism. It is heartening to see the number of episcopalians declining. When the hierarchy finally comes to realize and correct the error of their ways, the parishoners will flock back.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I would write them back a very tongue in cheek, cynical and liberal-sounding letter.

I would POUR it on with all the liberal imagery and symbols.

I would talk of 'oppression'.

I would talk about 'hunger'.

I would talk about 'justice'.

I would talk about 'peace.'

I would relate all of these things toward the Iraqi people, under a dictatorship, within the context of classic modern Catholic 'liberation theology.'

.

These clerics are not taking a Church position. They are taking a political position.

You can throw it right back in their face, and insist the Iraqi people deserve 'justice' and 'redemption' and 'liberation'.

And they, the Iraqis, will get that very shortly.

[Carolinamom]

I once had a class with a college professor, who was also a Presbyterian minister. He had told the class that he had been the youngest bomber pilot in WWII.

At a coffee break, I asked him how he reconciled his religious calling with killing during the war. He paused, chuckled, then replied that he had used Martin Luther's words, "I sin bravely."

[aculeus]

All this and Oprah too.

Who cares? We have Susan Sarandon's mother!

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I'm damned if I can figure out why the hierarchy feels obligated to sound foolish on Iraq. It is as if everyone from JPII on down are intent on making pronouncements designed to infuriate the American laity, and to ensure that it will get further away from following stated Vatican policy on pretty well everything.

[wimpycat]

"Whoever decides that all peaceful means that international law has put at our disposition have been exhausted assumes a serious responsibility before God, his conscience and history."

That is, of course, true of any President.

[Conservababe]

I left the Church in the early sixties, as soon as I left home.

But, you know, they will never let you leave the Church, referring to call us 'fallen away Catholics'.

My Church left me when my mother had to obtain permission from the Bishop to have a medically needed hysterectomy.

My mother had finally left my alcoholic, physically abusive and cheating father and divorced him. She was a devout Catholic and lived her life as if still married as the Church required. She never even looked at another man and devoted her life to her four children.

Imagine my horror, at fifteen years of age, to find that my parish Priest informed my mother that she had to go to the Bishop for permission for the surgery because "your husband might want more children".

I left and never looked back.

[the_doc]

bump

[Arthur McGowan]

That's like saying to a preacher who says "I preach the Gospel," "What about Jesus?" My point being: Catholic moral theology is all about Jesus.

[Antoninus]

I have nothing to say to or about this bishop except I wonder if he was this strong on the abortion advocates in his diocese? I can understand the Pope calling for peace, but for this bishop to say that anyone fighting in this war is committing a mortal sin is over the top. I wouldn't mind seeing a little more on his background. I'll bet he's got commie connections somewhere.

Until my own bishop comes out and says something, I'm holding my position. If he does, I may reconsider...but I doubt I'll change my mind unless he offers really compelling reasons I haven't thought of.

[nickcarraway]

Maybe you should learn something about them before commenting: many byzantine Catholics are hostile to the Roman Catholic Church. This one probably is.

[Arthur McGowan]

Before you allowed this one priest to drive you out of the Church, did you ever take the time to find out if what he told your mother was actually TRUE?

There are millions of people who have given up limbs, eyes, ears, and their lives, rather than give up the Catholic Faith and the Eucharist. You allowed one stupid remark by one stupid priest to do what torture and death has failed to do to millions of people.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Hate to tell you this - but he is yours to deal with, and he is in communion with you, like it or not. I can't speak to whether he is fond of Rome or not - but the things he says are consistent with the more extreme stuff that has been emanating from the Vatican lately.

I can only make my conclusions from there.

[EverOnward]

I got up, walked out, and have never gone back.

I'm married to a catholic that will defend that church to the end, yet in every respect is quite conservative and pro-Bush. It didn't bother me until the last few years and now I truly don't understand that kind of blind faith. I used to respect that church, but now...

[jdogbearhunter]

no, but they are NOT getting my money either...

=^)

[Dog Gone]

Wow, the Catholic leadership is becoming just like the French, except they are waving threats of eternal hell. This is really becoming quite bizarre.