Catholic leaders accused of failing to enforce church law

OneNewsNow ^ | 8/31/08 | Rusty Pugh

[wagglebee]

The leader of the American Life League says Catholic bishops in America missed a golden opportunity to enforce the law of the Catholic Church when it comes to abortion.

 

Cardinals and bishops continue to rebuke House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for attempting a theological defense of her support for abortion. Pelosi, a Catholic school graduate who has expressed pride in her religious heritage, said last Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press that "doctors of the church" have not been able to define when life begins.
 
Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik says Pelosi "completely misrepresented the teaching of the Catholic Church in regard to abortion." But American Life League (ALL) president Judie Brown says Catholic bishops dropped the ball.
 
"Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives for the United States of America, gave the Catholic bishops of America a golden opportunity to be forthright and to say that they would enforce Canon Law 915 and deny Holy Communion to pro-abortion Catholics like Pelosi," Brown explains. "The bishops failed, once again, to use this opportunity to teach the truth about what the [Catholic] Church teaches. I find this appalling."
 
From its earliest days, Christianity has considered abortion evil. The catechism of the Catholic Church declares, "This teaching has remained unchanged and remains unchangeable."
 
New York Cardinal Edward Egan says Pelosi and others who defend abortion "should not be providing leadership in a civilized democracy."

[wagglebee]

"Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives for the United States of America, gave the Catholic bishops of America a golden opportunity to be forthright and to say that they would enforce Canon Law 915 and deny Holy Communion to pro-abortion Catholics like Pelosi," Brown explains. "The bishops failed, once again, to use this opportunity to teach the truth about what the [Catholic] Church teaches. I find this appalling."

She is 100% correct.

[wagglebee]

Pro-Life/Catholic Ping

[realdifferent1]

Unfortunate, isn’t it?

[John123]

Pelosi, a Catholic school graduate who has expressed pride in her religious heritage, said last Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press that "doctors of the church" have not been able to define when life begins

I'm not Catholic and even I know the Church believes life starts at conception... so not only you are in charge of the most unpopular congress ever... you cannot even define your chosen religion!

So what good are you Nancy?

[Alex Murphy]

"Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives for the United States of America, gave the Catholic bishops of America a golden opportunity to be forthright and to say that they would enforce Canon Law 915 and deny Holy Communion to pro-abortion Catholics like Pelosi," Brown explains. "The bishops failed, once again, to use this opportunity to teach the truth about what the [Catholic] Church teaches. I find this appalling."

Hacksaw, you were questioning my criticism of the bishops earlier...

[wagglebee]

I am pleased that the bishops have finally started speaking up in the past few weeks; however, I also agree with Judie Brown that it’s necessary to go further. Catholics MUST be held accountable to Canon Law regarding mortal sin and the ONLY way to accomplish that is to start with the most visible offenders and those are the politicians.

[narses]

[narses]

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[Alex Murphy]

I am pleased that the bishops have finally started speaking up in the past few weeks; however, I also agree with Judie Brown that it’s necessary to go further. Catholics MUST be held accountable to Canon Law regarding mortal sin and the ONLY way to accomplish that is to start with the most visible offenders and those are the politicians.

wagglebee, I'm in complete agreement with you on this.

I was actually shocked that so many bishops and archbishops publicly challenged and corrected Pelosi - I find that aspect encouraging (and yes, I'm eating a side dish of crow as we speak). But a failure to follow through, should Pelosi present herself to receive the Eucharist after being corrected (i.e. applying Canon Law 915) will only embolden her, and encourage other pro-abort politicians, other CINOs, and the (silent) liberal priests and bishops who want to re-open the Catholic cafeteria. IMO those bishops who spoke up must follow through on their words, or they will make matters worse. And if they don't, their failure will mean that Archbishop Burke will have to act against them, or else bring scandal to all.

[wagglebee]

I was actually shocked that so many bishops and archbishops publicly challenged and corrected Pelosi - I find that aspect encouraging (and yes, I'm eating a side dish of crow as we speak). But a failure to follow through, should Pelosi present herself to receive the Eucharist after being corrected (i.e. applying Canon Law 915) will only embolden her, and encourage other pro-abort politicians, other CINOs, and the (silent) liberal priests and bishops who want to re-open the Catholic cafeteria.

I agree.

It's like when you were in grade school and the teacher said, "If everyone doestn't stop fighting at recess, there won't be anymore recess." Then there's a fight the next day and nothing happens, then the next, etc. And everyone still gets to go to recess everyday. After a few weeks, nobody really cares what the teacher says, because they realize that RULES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATING THEM DON'T MEAN ANYTHING.

[narses]

RULES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATING THEM DON'T MEAN ANYTHING.

Charity. There are real consequences. Natural ones (real babies keep getting scraped from their deluded mothers' wombs). Supernatural ones (real souls get damned forever).

[wagglebee]

Good point.

[wintertime]

It's like when you were in grade school and the teacher said, “If everyone doestn’t stop fighting at recess, there won't be anymore recess.” Then there's a fight the next day and nothing happens, then the next, etc. And everyone still gets to go to recess everyday.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

They are breaking one of the Ten Commandment, the Commandment not to bear false witness!

915 says one thing and the bishops and priests do another. Isn't that bearing false witness?

Surely a church with bishops and priest who do that can not be a true church. And...There is no mechanism for the laity to apply correction and change the direction of their church.

[livius]

But a failure to follow through, should Pelosi present herself to receive the Eucharist after being corrected (i.e. applying Canon Law 915) will only embolden her, and encourage other pro-abort politicians, other CINOs, and the (silent) liberal priests and bishops who want to re-open the Catholic cafeteria.

Well put. This is absolutely the truth. Of course, we're still waiting for a statement from Pelosi's own bishop. Tick...tick...tick...

[Jeff Chandler]

Yep. Talk is cheap.

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Palin has run a state, a town and a commercial fishing operation. Obama ain't run nothin' but his mouth. - Mark Steyn

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[Salvation]

My priest said eight bishops and two Cardinals has censured Pelosi.

Who am I forgetting?

Cardial Rigali
Cardinal Egan
Archbishop Wuerl
Archbishop Burke
Archbishop Chaput
Bishop Lori
Bishop Sheridan
Bishop Zubik
Bishop Saltarelli

USCCB

[NYer]

ping

[AnAmericanMother]

Did Niederauer ever turn up with the letter he was supposed to publish Friday?

Talk about missing in action . . . . he's her bishop!

[fatima]

Well this ruling came down from Rome a few years ago.It is up to the individual Bishop to determine whether to deny Communion.So it is up to Rome not the Bishop's to say an automatic no.

[Salvation]

I think he is supposed to come out with something in the SF archdiocoesan paper on September 5th. But I could be mistaken. It was a link on one of these threads.

So, I guess we will wait and see. (And listen or read) LOL!