Posted on 10/15/2010 12:14:51 PM PDT by GonzoII
Friday October 15, 2010Vatican Archbishop Burke: Public Repentance is Required for Pro-Abort Politicians
By John-Henry Westen ROME, October 12, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) Speaking at the Human Life International World Prayer Congress Saturday, Archbishop Raymond Burke received sustained applause when he noted that Catholic politicians who support abortion are required to repent publicly. Speaking to pro-life leaders from 45 nations, the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura (the highest Vatican court) also noted that those who recognize the scandal caused by such public, dissident Catholics assist the Church in repairing a serious breach, but are nevertheless often ridiculed for it. (Read the complete talk - in PDF format - here) Achibishop Burke stressed that both bishops and the faithful must be obedient to the Magisterium which he described as the teaching of Christ as handed down through the successor of Peter and the bishops in union with him. When the shepherds of the flock are obedient to the Magisterium, entrusted to their exercise, then surely the members of the flock grow in obedience and proceed with Christ along the way of salvation, he said. If the shepherd is not obedient the flock easily gives way to confusion and error. Burke, who is also a member of the Congregation for Bishops added: A most tragic example of the lack of obedience of faith, also on the part of certain Bishops, was the response of many to the Encyclical Letter Humanae vitae of Pope Paul VI, published on July 25, 1968. The confusion which resulted has led many Catholics into habits of sin in what pertains to the procreation and education of human life. Humanae Vitae reiterated age-old Christian teaching on the immorality of the use of artificial contraception. However, after its publication the encyclical was repudiated by many within the Catholic Church, including priests and bishops, who had believed that the Church would changes its views on contraception. Turning to the issue of scandal within the Church, the archbishop said, We find self-professed Catholics, for example, who sustain and support the right of a woman to procure the death of the infant in her womb, or the right of two persons of the same sex to the recognition which the State gives to a man and a woman who have entered into marriage. It is not possible to be a practicing Catholic and to conduct oneself publicly in this manner. To resounding applause Burke said, When a person has publicly espoused and cooperated in gravely sinful acts, leading many into confusion and error about fundamental questions of respect for human life and the integrity of marriage and the family, his repentance of such actions must also be public. The Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura then voiced a concern that struck a deep chord with many of the Catholic pro-life activists present at the conference. One of the ironies of the present situation is that the person who experiences scandal at the gravely sinful public actions of a fellow Catholic is accused of a lack of charity and of causing division within the unity of the Church, he said. One sees the hand of the Father of Lies at work in the disregard for the situation of scandal or in the ridicule and even censure of those who experience scandal. The Vatican prelate concluded the point stating:
Read the complete text of the archbishops talk here. See the video of the archbishops full talk online here. |
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Ping.
Somebody should ask this Archbishop to explain the Roman Catholic funeral that Ted Kennedy recieved. There were numerous RC priests and bishops there acclaiming that dirt bag for a job well done.
When Pelosi gets on her knees it’s not redemption she’s after.
The lack of discipline from bishops for public Catholics who support and further baby butchery is the biggest scandal going. When bishops don’t treat abortion like what they say it is as regards Catholic pols it gives the impression that it’s not really that big a deal when you get right down to it.
I think bishop Burke is great.
FReegards
Related threads:
[Archbishop] Wuerl: Why I Won't Deny Pelosi Communion
Will Denver Catholic Archbishop finally enforce Canon 915?
And this isn't the first time Abp Burke has said that priests and bishops MUST refuse to distribute Communion to public scandalous offenders (e.g. abortion ccomplices), and the abortion accomplices MUST publicly repent. But it seems to make little difference. Even though Burke is the head of the Apostolic Signatura (equiv. to Supreme Court), the others ignore him.
That's what blows my mind: the un-trumpeted, but massive and effective, defection of the higher clergy from Catholic Truth, and their treason against Catholic authority.
They are as much in mutiny as Cranmer or any other cultural chameleon/turncoat of the Reformation, except that they utterly lack the courage.
"...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.Related threads:
-- Alex Murphy, August 31, 2008
Quite right, Alex. If there are no consequences for these bishops, the whole of moral law is exposed to contempt.
But what sort of consequences are actually available for Burke to impose? If the Catholic Church can't oust a bishop for harboring & enabling sex offenders within his archdiocese, and the Pope/Vatican/Mother Church can't be held liable for a bishop's actions, what options are still open?
"What the hell are we supposed to use, man? Harsh language?"
Though it is for pro-abortion politicians, what of priests/bishops that cause scandal (and division) because of their support of pro-abortion politicians...
I suspect the most effective thing lay people could do would be to expose their acts and use the power of the press to denounce them. They might be shamed into resigning.
Have you forgotten who you're talking to? Said lay people would be mercilessly hounded and branded as "virulent anti-Catholic bigots".
More later.
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