I am still wondering from what High School and Theological Seminary did fat Al Sharpton Graduate? And why do they call him Reverend?
Posted on 04/04/2003 2:59:23 PM PST by madprof98
The Roman Catholic Church is upset with some of its own at least some in the Catholic Church are upset.
The Reverend Al Sharpton, a pro-abortion non-Catholic minister and a candidate for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, delivered the Sunday sermon Feb. 9 at St. Sabrina Catholic Church in Chicago. The American Life League (ALL), a Roman Catholic pro-life organization, expressed its outrage stating, "Canon law states that only a bishop, priest, or deacon may serve as homilist." The issue was not Sharpton per se but Sharpton's non-Catholicism and his pro-abortion views. The archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George, admitted that an error was made but said, "Making a case of this invitation at this time would be a futile gesture and a waste of effort."
ALL's Judie Brown said, "We want to make sure this situation is not repeated." ALL ran a full-page ad in the Washington Times that read, in part, "Special Alert to Cardinals, Bishops, and all Roman Catholic Clergy!! Al Sharpton is NOT a Catholic Priest!!" Copies of the ad were sent to every bishop in the U.S. with a letter asking them to "keep an eye on their parishes in case another pro-abortion politician is offered the pulpit."
It wasn't the first time that ALL has published ads that are "in your face" and controversial. Earlier, ALL identified twelve pro-abortion United States Catholic Senators and, in an ad campaign, labeled them the "The Dirty Dozen." The ad read "Wanted for Fraudulently Claiming Catholic Faith - The Dirty Dozen." The ad ran photographs of Senators Ted Kennedy (MA), Tom Harkin (IA), John Kerry (MA), Tom Daschle (SD), Christopher Todd (CT), Jack Reed (RI), Patty Murray (WA), Mary Landrieu (LA), Patrick Leahy (VT), Barbara Mikulski (MD), Joseph Biden (DE), and Susan Collins (ME), With the exception of Collins, a Republican, all the rest are Democrats.
The ALL ad stated, "You can't be both Catholic and pro-abortion," and charged the twelve with possessing heretical beliefs that "makes them unworthy to receive Holy Communion." Quoting Canon Law 915, the ALL ad said, "Those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Communion." ALL called upon "all bishops and priests to respectfully refuse Holy Communion to these and all public figures whose unrepentant support for the killing of babies in the womb defiles the Mass and the Body of Christ."
Well, hooray for the American Life League. It is a fact that the most pro-life denomination in the Christian faith is the Roman Catholic Church. The pope has made it abundantly clear that the upholding of the sanctity of life is the position of the Catholic Church and, thereby, the position of all Catholics. Unlike some other denominations, Catholics are expected to support the official position of the Church, especially in important and significant matters. To do otherwise is to act like--well, act like Protestants. In other words, to be a "good Catholic" is to live and act in accordance with the official proclamations of the Church. As ALL points out in its ad, such a deviation makes one a "heretic." Even Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, in an October 2002 speech to the Rotary Club in Denver, lamented, "John F. Kennedy promised he'd keep his Catholic faith out of his public service. I think all Americans - not just Catholics - have been paying for that mistake for 40 years."
So, will the bishops and priests of the Catholic Church hold the senators to the same standard as they would hold non-office holding Catholics? That remains to be seen but, if the American Life League has its way, the Senators who claim to be Catholic will either conform to the teachings of their Church or face the discipline of the Church. ALL labels the Senators who claim to be one thing and then act in a manner inconsistent with that claim as "heretics." If they were Protestants, the good senators would just be called "hypocrites."
[David Epps is rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church on Ga. Highway 34 between Peachtree City and Newnan. He may be contacted at FatherDavidEpps@aol.com or at www.CTKCEC.org.]
I am still wondering from what High School and Theological Seminary did fat Al Sharpton Graduate? And why do they call him Reverend?
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
| 2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:
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| 2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae," "by the very commission of the offense," and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society. |
| 2322 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 § 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life. |
| 2274 Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.
Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, "if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual. . . . It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence." |
POLITICAL: Candidate for State Senate, 1978; Candidate for US Senate, 1992 & 1994; Candidate for New York City Mayor, 1997.
PROFESSIONAL: Licensed and ordained a Minister at age 10 by Bishop F.D. Washington in 1964; appointed Junior Pastor of the Washington Temple congregation. Founder & President, National Action Network, 1991-present. Founder, National Youth Movement, 1971. Road Manager for singer James Brown, 1973-80.
EDUCATION: Attended Brooklyn College, 1973-75.
PERSONAL: Born October 3, 1954 in Brooklyn, New York. Married to singer Kathy Jordan. Two children. Pentecostal.
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