Scranton bishop threatens to deny sacrament to Casey

Republican Herald ^ | April 30, 2009 | BORYS KRAWCZENIUK

[NYer]

For the first time publicly, Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph F. Martino made it clear Wednesday that he might eventually bar U.S. Sen. Bob Casey from receiving communion if the senator doesn’t follow his advice on opposing abortion.

The bishop also said the senator should now think twice about receiving communion after voting Tuesday to confirm an abortion rights supporter, former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, as Health and Human Services secretary.

“If necessary, future determinations will be made regarding whether Sen. Casey is worthy to receive Holy Communion,” a Diocese of Scranton statement on Casey’s vote said. “However, at this point Bishop Martino believes it is incumbent upon Sen. Casey to reflect on his actions and ask himself if he should receive the sacrament.”

The bishop said he plans to continue to monitor Casey’s positions and votes on “life issues.” He also believes he has “a pastoral responsibility to instruct the senator about these serious moral issues” because Casey is a member of the diocese.

In letters last month and earlier this week, the bishop warned Casey against voting for Sebelius.

As he has for months, Bishop Martino declined to make himself available to answer questions about his position.

“The bishop isn’t available for an interview,” diocesan spokesman Dan Gallagher said in an e-mail.

In a telephone interview, Casey, who opposes abortion, declined to comment directly on the bishop’s new warning, but defended his support of Sebelius.

“Although I disagree with her on some issues, including a number of the decisions she has made on abortion, I believe my vote in favor of her confirmation was correct,” he said in a statement.

Casey also said:

· Leaving the position vacant as the country faces a possible flu pandemic “would be highly irresponsible.”

· The country cannot afford a further delay in appointing the official who will lead the fight to make sure more than 40 million uninsured Americans have health insurance and to reform the nation’s health care system.

· Sebelius has executive experience both as a governor and Kansas insurance commissioner that will help her carry out her duties.

“While the Secretary of HHS will have a limited role in defining abortion policy, I look forward to working with the president to reduce the number of abortions through measures like my Pregnant Women’s Support Act legislation,” Casey said in the statement.

The diocesan statement questions whether Casey is as opposed to abortion as he says he is and accuses him of having an “inconsistent” voting record.

It praises Casey’s support for legislation to aid pregnant women and families, but says he voted:

· Against restricting the payment of American tax dollars to foreign family planning groups that refuse to renounce abortion. Casey says such groups are already forbidden from using American tax dollars for abortions and the new restriction is unnecessary.

· To confirm Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan as solicitor general, despite her support of partial-birth abortion and her opposition to withdrawing federal money from taxpayer-funded abortion clinics and funding for teen-pregnancy counseling by religious institutions.

· To confirm Sebelius, who vetoed laws to restrict late-term abortions, including one that would have allowed lawsuits against doctors who perform abortions illegally and required late-term abortion providers to give “a fuller account” of each abortion. Sebelius also took hundreds of thousands in contributions from “one of our nation’s most notorious abortionists.”

That’s “ample evidence for the anti-life evidence she will make in this key position,” the diocesan statement said.

[topher]

You wrote:

Bishop Martino is something of a joke when it comes to theology and a loose canon to boot but he certainly has the authority to say this to Casey and to bar him from the sacraments if he decides that’s necessary.

I think the incredibly dumb, schimatic Greek Orthodox Church is even worse... And especially who believe in such non-sense...

[topher]

Because of FOCA, the USCCB really needs to take action now to basically say that anyone who votes for FOCA will automatically be ex-communicated.

Especially, it should be conveyed that if politician votes for FOCA, they may not receive a Catholic funeral Mass or other sacraments -- without a public recantation...

[Campion]

I’d NEVER vote for any pol who qualifies as or hopes to qualify as a good Latin Rite Catholic.

You'd rather vote for someone who defends and abets the murder of innocent infants?

[ArrogantBustard]

I cannot go along with calling the Greek Orthodox Church “incredibly dumb”. Schismatic, yes. But not dumb.

[trisham]

I cannot go along with calling the Greek Orthodox Church “incredibly dumb”. Schismatic, yes. But not dumb.

*********************

I have to agree.

[annalex]

who quakes at the thought that he/she will be denied communion

Of course politicians should quake at that thought. They only have power because God gave them power. A politician who defies the Prince of the Church is an usurper of power, who should be driven out of office tarred and feathered.

[JosephW]

The Orthodox Church is very pro-life. I could easily see my Priest refuse Communion to a politician that in any way supported abortion.

In fact the Catholic and Orthodox view is nearly identical. We should stand with our Catholic brethren when they are right. The fighting between our Churches has gone on too long and even the Patriarchs (Pope) seems to have buried the hatchet, the laity should do the same.

If a person claims to hold a particular faith, I expect them to act in accordance with it. It they are Catholic or Orthodox they should be following the teaching of their Church, otherwise it is a significant character flaw.

It it truly hypocritical for us Orthodox to criticise a Catholic for following the teachings of his Church/Bishop as we should do the same. Please note I typed teachings and not opinions.

I’m proud of the Catholic Bishop that has finally stood up and done the right thing. More of our Bishops should do the same. It is not a flaw with the Churches that keep the Bishops (of both faiths) from speaking the truth, but rather a flaw with those Bishops individually.

The Orthodox and Catholic faiths are so close that politically there should be no difference. Please don’t create a rift between us that should not be there.

[JosephW]

As to schizmatic the mutual excommunications were lifted so neither is schimatic in the eyes of their Church. Catholics that call Orthodox (or the other way around) schizmatic are being the hypocrits that I mentioned in the previous posting.

I’m assuming that those comments here are just in fun, or out of ignorance and will be corrected. Besides when you start with One Church comprised of seven Patriarchates and only one is separated from the other six, it is ususally the one that is called schizmatic, not the other way around (got to have some fun with you Cat Lickers)

[trisham]

In fact the Catholic and Orthodox view is nearly identical. We should stand with our Catholic brethren when they are right. The fighting between our Churches has gone on too long and even the Patriarchs (Pope) seems to have buried the hatchet, the laity should do the same...

The Orthodox and Catholic faiths are so close that politically there should be no difference. Please don’t create a rift between us that should not be there.

*******************

Amen. Absolutely right, and well said.

[netmilsmom]

>>The gum flapping of an ignorant schismatic is irrelevant.<<

I don’t know that I would call that very Christian.

[trisham]

got to have some fun with you Cat Lickers

****************

Have at it. :)

[netmilsmom]

>>I think the incredibly dumb, schimatic Greek Orthodox Church is even worse<<

Oooo, that wasn’t very well worded.

[ArrogantBustard]

[trisham]

LOL!

[JosephW]

I’m more than willing to have a true theological discussion with nearly anyone, but I’m also willing to throw a few [obviously] friendly jabs.

The differences between our Churches has shrunk considerably in the last decade or so. Clarifications from the West of the actual theology of their Church has moved us closer.

The stipulation that the filioque is entirely optional and doesn’t mean exactly what it sounds like brings us back to pre-schism days (well they might not have been the best of days, but it is an improvement).

Pope Benedict seems pretty good so far. If he can just get you guys a little more traditional and straighten out the wack-job liberals infesting your church (of which we need to do the same) we’ll be even closer.

The previous Pope allowed Orthodox to receive in Catholic Churches (some restrictions apply) due to how close we are. And I believe both our Churches will allow Copts to receive (again some restrictions).

We of the more traditional lines are getting closer together (along with the more traditional CofE that have grown tired with all the nuttiness). Where the more liberal churches are becoming more secular. We just have to watch out that our liberals don’t pull us away from the true Word.

[JosephW]

Thanks :)

Just curious. How do you manage proper cat licking? Felines have a tongue that is similar to sandpaper which they use to clean themselves. What is your secret?

[ArrogantBustard]

You’ll note that I’m a Bustard. Consequently, I preen my feathers with my beak, and scratch behind my head with my right claw. Always the right, never the left. Not sure why.

[JosephW]

OK, that explains a lot

[annalex]

Thank you for your both posts.

Subtle differences between Eastern and Western Churches exist. There are differences in how episcopacy is understood; it is not just about the understanding of the Petrine Office. Kolokotronis tells me that it is unthinkable for an Orthodox patriarch to be vocal about matters of discipline in another patriarchy — something that is now happening in the wake of the Notre Dame scandal.

Other differences are in the historical experience, which gets translated into the mindset of the believer. The Catholic Church for the past couple of centuries lived in mostly secular or semisecular world, characterized by religious tolerance where open opposition to the Church was rare. The Orthodox had either social structures in complete harmony with the Church, like Imperial Russia, or in radical opposition to it, like Islam and Communism. Instances when the Church was on one hand capable of influencing the secular world, on the other hand, in disharmony with it, were not typical in the East. Yet this is the situation the Catholic Church finds herself in America today: the Catholic Church has a vast para-Catholic system of schools and hospitals, and a large carde of Catholic politicians and commentators at various degrees of obedience to the Magisterium. Yet the hostility to the Church is growing. This falls nearly completely outside of the Orthodox historical experience (maybe at a much smaller scale, a similar stage of development is seen in post-junta Greece).

[trisham]

Pope Benedict seems pretty good so far. If he can just get you guys a little more traditional and straighten out the wack-job liberals infesting your church (of which we need to do the same) we’ll be even closer.

*****************

Agreed. Pope Benedict has been a Godsend, and there are hopeful signs in the Church's leadership here in this country. Although we've had some very tough times in the recent past, things seem to be looking up at last.

A closer relationship between our Churches appears to be on Pope Benedict's agenda, of which I and I'm sure many others approve.