Catholic Bishop penalizes abortion supporters

Badger Herald ^ | January 19, 2004 | Abby Peterson

[NYer]

Catholic Church officials and pro-life activists are defending La Crosse Bishop Raymond Burke's order to withhold the sacraments from Catholic lawmakers who support abortion or euthanasia, claiming it is a necessary motion for upholding Catholic law.

In a pastoral letter made public Jan. 8, Burke ordered priests in the 19-county La Crosse diocese to bar any politicians who advocate pro-life policies from receiving Holy Communion. He also condemned contraceptive use, claiming it works as "the port of entry for the culture of death."

"So often Catholics fail to act against abortion and euthanasia with the appropriate energy because they have compromised the church's teaching on the procreative end of marriage by accepting artificial birth control," Burke said.

Prior to publishing his decree, the bishop sent State Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, and U.S. Rep. David Obey, D-Wausau, private letters warning them that their political views pose a serious threat to the safety of their souls. According to Burke, church doctrine clearly mandates that Catholics support pro-life policies.

Some church leaders in the La Crosse diocese claim that Burke is acting as a spiritual leader to those members of his "flock" who are violating church doctrine by supporting pro-choice politics.

"He has a responsibility to the spiritual life of these legislators," Dr. Arthur Hippler, director of the Office of Justice and Peace for the La Crosse Diocese, said. "Their souls are at stake. It is done out of love."

Burke's letters have provoked an uproar across the state, causing several Democratic legislators to condemn the bishop's actions as violating the separation of church and state.

"Dictating public policy for people of all faiths by holding sacraments hostage from those who believe does not sound right," Senate Minority Leader Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said.

But defenders of Burke say the church must come to the rescue of innocent life by condemning those who act inconsistently with social-justice standards and Catholic teachings. Many claim Burke acted out of a "basic civic responsibility" to unite morality with public life, equating Burke's denouncement of pro-choice politicians to the church's past condemnation of politicians who supported racial segregation.

"The difficulty at present is many Catholics are confused about the separation of church and state," Hippler said. "That cannot mean the separation of faith from life."

Peggy Hamill, director of Pro-Life Wisconsin, said Bishop Burke did not violate the separation of church and state. Rather, he took the necessary steps needed to protect the Catholic Church from being "scandalized" by Catholic lawmakers acting contradictory to the tenants of their faith, she said.

"Bishop Burke is simply exercising his right to freedom of religion in a responsible way," Hamill said.

Father Randy Timmerman, pastor of St. Paul's Catholic Center on State Street, also agrees that Burke's actions do not cross the divide between church and state and are well within his authority as bishop. Nevertheless, Timmerman said the La Crosse bishop's behavior was not the kind of pastoral stance he would take.

Burke is scheduled to assume the position of the archbishop of St. Louis Jan. 26.

[NYer]

"The difficulty at present is many Catholics are confused about the separation of church and state," Hippler said. "That cannot mean the separation of faith from life."

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[madprof98]

I think there are about 200 dioceses in the United States. One down, 199 to go.

[Desdemona]

Catholic Church officials and pro-life activists are defending La Crosse Bishop Raymond Burke's order to withhold the sacraments from Catholic lawmakers who support abortion or euthanasia, claiming it is a necessary motion for upholding Catholic law.

The lede isn't correct. The sacrament of Penance is always available to everyone. Burke said so himself.

[mvpel]

Father Randy Timmerman, pastor of St. Paul's Catholic Center on State Street, also agrees that Burke's actions do not cross the divide between church and state and are well within his authority as bishop. Nevertheless, Timmerman said the La Crosse bishop's behavior was not the kind of pastoral stance he would take.

So Father Timmerman administers Communion to unrepentant sinners? How interesting.

[ImpBill]

"Dictating public policy for people of all faiths by holding sacraments hostage from those who believe does not sound right," Senate Minority Leader Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said.

It doesn't sound right to you Jon because deep in your heart you know the Bishop is right. I am not a Catholic and not much of a "church person" in any religion. One of the reasons is that so many seem to profess one thing and selective choose which cannons they will follow and which not. Seems a bit hypocritical to me. But it is their choice.

Living by cannons of ethics and spiritual beliefs is a bit tougher than just going to church each and every week to be absolved from the same transgressions one knowingly makes, "each and every week."

[OpusatFR]

""Dictating public policy for people of all faiths by holding sacraments hostage from those who believe does not sound right," Senate Minority Leader Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said."

Believe what? The Church's teachings? The sanctity of life? Sin?

This is a huge whine from those who proclaim catholicity in politics, but deny Catholicity in their faith. If you refuse the teachings of the Church, and are actively advocating and abetting sin in others you cannot recieve the Eucharist. Voting for abortion, euthanasia, cloning, any human experimentation, in-vitro, etcetera is advocating sin.

[sr4402]

I am very glad to see the Bishop taking this action. Good church discipline is a sign of a living church. A church that does not deal with those who cause the flock to err would be a dying church.

This should be a sign to the democratic party. Do you think they will notice?

[Aquinasfan]

"He has a responsibility to the spiritual life of these legislators," Dr. Arthur Hippler, director of the Office of Justice and Peace for the La Crosse Diocese, said. "Their souls are at stake. It is done out of love."

So true. Which means that other bishops are abnegating their responsibilities.

[Cicero]

Father Randy Timmerman had better watch his big mouth.

[mvpel]

One of the reasons is that so many seem to profess one thing and selective choose which cannons they will follow and which not. Seems a bit hypocritical to me. But it is their choice.

That's the difference between Catholicism and other forms of Christianity - the Catholic Church is not a smorgasbord, but rather a prix fixé set forth in the Catechism.

They can pick and choose, but they shouldn't go arrogantly forth to receive Communion, or characterize themselves as "good Catholics," if they do.

[Straight Vermonter]

Why was this thread moved to religion while threads that tear into the Church for one reason or another are left in the busier forums?

[.45MAN]

Hmmmm.. Being a real Roman Catholic is not easy is it..Following Christ cannot be done just on Sunday Morning..

[kitkat]

***...is a bit tougher than just going to church each and every week to be absolved from the same transgressions one knowingly makes, "each and every week."***

I hope you won't mind if I take advantage of your statement to make a point. Going to church does not absolve anyone from sin. Only Confession, correctly made, will do that. And a correct Confession requires that the penitent MUST have sorrow for the sin committed and MUST make a firm resolution not to commit it again. So even Confession does not absolve sin if those conditions are not met.

Otherwise, I totally agree with what you said.

[AAABEST]

One of the reasons is that so many seem to profess one thing and selective choose which cannons they will follow and which not. Seems a bit hypocritical to me. But it is their choice.

I went this morning for the first time to a traditional Catholic Church (the type Mel Gibson attends) and was blown away.

I was half the age of anyone there. Broken people, broken tiny church, crummy decor, very tacky. It smelled of mildew and the entire mass was in Latin. I spent nearly the entire mass uncomfortably on my knees.

Pure adoration, prayer and worship. It was beautiful and I loved it and will be going back for certain, even though nobdoy there indicated they wanted me back.

I've finally found a church where I have not been offended in the least during any part of the service.

I highly recommend it, even though most people would probably hate it. If that makes any sense.

[bobjam]

"Dictating public policy for people of all faiths by holding sacraments hostage from those who believe does not sound right," Senate Minority Leader Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said.

This mindless dribble is just a red herring. If Mr. Erpenbach supports abortion, then why would he even want to be associated with the Catholic Church? This is simple hypocrosy.

[johnb2004]

"Nevertheless, Timmerman said the La Crosse bishop's behavior was not the kind of pastoral stance he would take."

Pastoral has been bastardized by the lefties. It is usually a code word for allowing dissent until the next pope allows contraception, divorce, gay sex and apostasy. Which, of course, is impossible.

[JohnnyZ]

I highly recommend it, even though most people would probably hate it. If that makes any sense.

You highly recommend schismatic churches?

[ultima ratio]

It makes perfect sense.

[RobbyS]

Let's turn this around and say that the politicians are violating the separation of Church and state by proposing their views as valid representations of Catholic doctrine. But
nobody elected Mario Cuomo pope! The bishops have been remiss in allowing his Notre Dame speech to go unchanged. Noting the Kennedy precedent, Kennedy never went to far as to claim the right to contradict any specific Catholic doctrine. Any Catholic politician who does has too clear choices: (1) resign or (2) leave the Church.