Posted on 07/29/2003 11:27:12 AM PDT by Clive
They've seriously damaged their own moral authority by their omerta apporach to the paedophile scandals.
Actually, I'm happy to see the Pontiff taking a strong stance on this, particularly since the average Euro/American Cardinal is wishywashy at best, an enabler at worst, of the Gaystapo agenda. Only the Africans and Asians seem to take a strong stand on this issue.
Yeah, because the Pope has never said anything about abortion (PUH-LEASE!), and has tons of diocese worldwide with no pedophile problem and a bunch of American bishops with a fidelity problem. It amazes me how people expect the Bishop of Rome to do all the other bishops' jobs in addition to the stellar performance he is doing as Christ's Vicar on earth.
Condeming abortion in general without any further action toward those supporting it is exactly the sort of lazy moral leadership that lead to the current problem. Support of abortion to the extent you assist other in obtaining them (pretty much all politicians fall in this category) carries an automatic excommunication. Where is this sort of pronouncement?
Then they are excommunicated. It doesn't need to be officially declared by the Church, and doing so is and I think (?) has always been quite rare.
BINGO!
It has been rare. But it does have a proper time and place. Proper use of public declarations of excommunication is to send clear messages to the faithful - including to the excommunicated themselves.
For example say there was a prominent and influential Catholic, say a United States Senator, who publically and repeatedly violated Church teaching on abortion. Say this Senator also publically traded on his membership in the Catholic Church. Say he was widely observed by fellow Catholics to be allowed to participate in the sacraments, and regularly meet on friendly terms with priests and bishops. The scandal this would cause is that the Church officials in question would be seen as accepting, or even condoning behavior that clearly violated Church teaching - whether they intended such a message or not. It would cause many of the faithful to believe that such behavior did not violate Church teaching after all.
This is exactly what has happened, and continues to happen today. On abortion, and a whole host of issues, one can observe prominent and influential Catholics defying Church teaching without consequence. That sends a powerful message that depersonalized statements, however orthodox, cannot entirely dispell.
The overall effect has been to dilute the moral authority of the Church. Catholics now openly defy the Church without feeling the least bit uncomfortable, nor the least bit less Catholic. There are plenty of examples of prominent Catholics defying he Church in exactly the same way while yucking it up with the bishops. Why should an average person who's bishop scarcely notices him be concerned?
Are you one of those bigoted ignorami who believes that the pope and Catholics are not Christians?
Oh, I don't want to be arguing against it, per se. In my earliest post on this thread I was calling for excommunications, and I'd like to see a couple. But I would hesitate before saying the failure to pronounce excommunication was . . . a failure.
Canadian Prime Minister Taunts Church: "I Am A Catholic And For Abortion"
Catholic Church asks Tom Daschle to stop calling himself a Catholic
On Catholic Politicians and Faith
Vatican Urges Catholic Politicians to Vote Along Church Lines
Senator Santorum on Being Catholic and a Politician
William E. Simon, Sr. and Jr. Devout Catholics, Philanthropists and Politicians
Deadly Dozen senator taken to task over claims of Catholicism
THE BISHOP AND THE SENATOR [author links to FR thread regarding Daschle in her online column]
Blood On Their Hands: Exposing Pro-abortion Catholic Politicians
MI Gov Granholm Proclaims June "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month"
Colorado Governor To Media:'WE LOVE OUR CHURCH' [Gov. Bill Owens
U.S. Senator Brownback and Commentator Dick Morris Join Catholic Church
PRIEST REFUSES COMMUNION TO KNEELING PRO-LIFE POLITICIAN [Richard Black, Virginia]
Kerry [Catholic} says he'll filibuster Supreme Court nominees who do not support abortion rights
Where's Michael Hypocrite Moron to DEMAND they do what the Pope says? The blowhard egomanic was on TV a few monthes ago proclaiming how important it is to follow the wishes of the Pope when JPII says something it's a "sin".
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