[Vision2020] 05-14-04 NY Times: Bishop Would Deny Rite for Defiant Catholic Voters
Pat Kraut
pkraut@moscow.com
Fri, 14 May 2004 16:04:29 -0700
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Wow, I am impressed. The catholics have always had a reputation of going =
to confession on Sunday and doing anything they want on Monday. It is =
interesting that soneone is finally going to hold them to their faiths =
actual teachings.=20
Also, I bet we start hearing reports from many soldiers that thought =
many things were wrong in the prisons...but did nothing about it.=20
I'd also like to ask where is the outrage about Berg?? Are you all so =
bound up with Wilson, water and Bush that you cannot share your outrage?
As Always
PK
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Art Deco aka W. Fox=20
To: Vision 2020=20
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 7:31 AM
Subject: [Vision2020] 05-14-04 NY Times: Bishop Would Deny Rite for =
Defiant Catholic Voters
=20
------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 14, 2004
Bishop Would Deny Rite for Defiant Catholic Voters
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
=20
he Roman Catholic bishop of Colorado Springs has issued a =
pastoral letter saying that American Catholics should not receive =
communion if they vote for politicians who defy church teaching by =
supporting abortion rights, same-sex marriage, euthanasia or stem-cell =
research.
Several bishops in the United States have warned that they will =
deny communion to Catholic politicians who fail to stand with the =
church, but Bishop Michael J. Sheridan of Colorado Springs is believed =
to be the first to say he will extend the ban to Catholic voters.
"Anyone who professes the Catholic faith with his lips while at =
the same time publicly supporting legislation or candidates that defy =
God's law makes a mockery of that faith and belies his identity as a =
Catholic," Bishop Sheridan wrote.
In a telephone interview, the bishop said: "I'm not making a =
political statement. I'm making a statement about church teaching."
Since voting is a private act, there would be no way for the =
bishop or a priest to know whether to give communion. Catholics believe =
that those who know they are in the church's good graces may present =
themselves for communion.
Bishop Sheridan's order, published in his diocesan newspaper on =
May 5 and applying only to Catholics in his diocese, comes at a time =
when bishops across the country have issued a spate of conflicting =
directives on whether to discipline errant Catholic politicians. The =
dispute has intensified as the bishops debate whether to make an example =
of Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the probable Democratic =
candidate for president and a Catholic who has consistently favored =
abortion rights.
Several cardinals and bishops have said they would rather try to =
persuade disobedient politicians in private talks than to threaten them =
with public sanctions.=20
Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington, who is heading a =
committee studying how bishops should relate to Catholic politicians, =
said Thursday in his archdiocesan newspaper that he did not favor using =
the eucharist as a "sanction."
Cardinal McCarrick wrote, "I do not favor a confrontation at the =
altar rail with the sacred body of the Lord Jesus in my hand."
Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles told the National =
Catholic Reporter in Rome on Thursday that Mr. Kerry would be welcome to =
receive communion in the Los Angeles archdiocese. Cardinal Mahony had a =
private meeting with Mr. Kerry on May 5.
The committee of bishops headed by Cardinal McCarrick is not =
expected to issue recommendations until after the presidential election. =
In the absence of a unified national position, individual =
bishops are producing widely diverging directives, causing widespread =
confusion, said Russell Shaw, Washington correspondent for the Catholic =
publication Our Sunday Visitor and a former spokesman for the bishops.
"There's probably a rather small number of bishops who are =
strongly in favor of denying communion," Mr. Shaw said. "Probably a =
somewhat larger but not overwhelming number rather strongly oppose doing =
that. And the third and far away largest group are those who just wish =
the whole issue would go away."=20
The letter from Bishop Sheridan will undoubtedly intensify the =
debate, partly because it sounds in places like a political endorsement, =
Catholic observers said.=20
Bishop Sheridan wrote that the November elections were =
"critical" because for the first time since the Roe v. Wade decision by =
the Supreme Court legalizing abortion in 1973, the number of abortions =
was declining.=20
"We cannot allow the progress that has been made to be reversed =
by a pro-abortion president, Senate or House of Representatives," the =
bishop wrote.
Opposition to abortion "trumps all other issues," he wrote, and =
gay marriage is "deviancy."=20
Bishop Sheridan was appointed last year to lead the small =
diocese with 120,000 members in Colorado Springs, a conservative city =
where dozens of evangelical Christian ministries are based.
In the interview, the bishop said that his aim was to clarify =
the standards for Catholic voters and that he hoped they applied them in =
their choice of candidates. He said that on the "basic moral teachings =
of the church,'' there is no "wiggle room."=20
He also said he hoped to reform the "cafeteria Catholics" who =
believed it was acceptable to pick and choose the doctrines they agreed =
with.
"I pray for them, but it could very well mean they're going to =
go their own way,'' he said. "You never like to see it, but it happens." =
The bishop wrote that Catholics who vote contrary to church =
teaching "jeopardize their salvation."=20
He said they would be denied communion "until they have recanted =
their positions and been reconciled with God and the church in the =
sacrament of penance."=20
Chester Gillis, a professor of theology at Georgetown, predicted =
that some Catholics would recoil at the notion that their votes would =
"threaten the perdition of their eternal soul."
Dr. Gillis said of Bishop Sheridan's order, "It might backfire =
because Catholics may resent what some may consider the intrusion of the =
church into politics."
He added that many Catholics still associated the current set of =
bishops with the clergy sexual abuse scandal. "This may strike many =
Catholics as an odd time for bishops to be asserting their moral =
authority," he said.=20
Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company | Home | Privacy =
Policy | Search | Corrections | Help | Back to Top =20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Wow, I am impressed. The catholics have =
always had=20
a reputation of going to confession on Sunday and doing anything they =
want on=20
Monday. It is interesting that soneone is finally going to hold them to =
their=20
faiths actual teachings. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Also, I bet we start hearing reports =
from many=20
soldiers that thought many things were wrong in the prisons...but did =
nothing=20
about it. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I'd also like to ask where is the =
outrage about=20
Berg?? Are you all so bound up with Wilson, water and Bush that you =
cannot share=20
your outrage?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As Always</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>PK</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Ddeco@moscow.com href=3D"mailto:deco@moscow.com">Art Deco =
aka W. Fox</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dvision2020@moscow.com=20
href=3D"mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">Vision 2020</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, May 14, 2004 7:31 =
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] 05-14-04 =
NY Times:=20
Bishop Would Deny Rite for Defiant Catholic Voters</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>
<TABLE cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D0 width=3D"100%" border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=3Dtop align=3Dleft><IMG alt=3D"The New York Times" =
hspace=3D0=20
src=3D"http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/misc/logoprinter.gif" =
align=3Dleft border=3D0><!-- ADXINFO =
classification=3D"logo_strips" campaign=3D"foxsearch50a-nyt5"--><FONT=20
color=3D#000066> </FONT><BR clear=3Dall><FONT =
color=3D#000066>
<HR align=3Dleft SIZE=3D1>
</FONT>
<H5>May 14, 2004</H5><NYT_HEADLINE type=3D" " version=3D"1.0">
<H2>Bishop Would Deny Rite for Defiant Catholic=20
Voters</H2></NYT_HEADLINE><NYT_BYLINE type=3D" " =
version=3D"1.0"><FONT=20
size=3D-1><STRONG>By LAURIE =
GOODSTEIN</STRONG></FONT><BR></NYT_BYLINE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D0 align=3Dright border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><NYT_TEXT>
<P><IMG height=3D33 alt=3DT=20
src=3D"http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/dropcap/t.gif" =
width=3D29=20
align=3Dleft border=3D0>he Roman Catholic bishop of Colorado =
Springs has=20
issued a pastoral letter saying that American Catholics should =
not=20
receive communion if they vote for politicians who defy church =
teaching=20
by supporting abortion rights, same-sex marriage, euthanasia or=20
stem-cell research.</P>
<P>Several bishops in the United States have warned that they =
will deny=20
communion to Catholic politicians who fail to stand with the =
church, but=20
Bishop Michael J. Sheridan of Colorado Springs is believed to be =
the=20
first to say he will extend the ban to Catholic voters.</P>
<P>"Anyone who professes the Catholic faith with his lips while =
at the=20
same time publicly supporting legislation or candidates that =
defy God's=20
law makes a mockery of that faith and belies his identity as a=20
Catholic," Bishop Sheridan wrote.</P>
<P>In a telephone interview, the bishop said: "I'm not making a=20
political statement. I'm making a statement about church =
teaching."</P>
<P>Since voting is a private act, there would be no way for the =
bishop=20
or a priest to know whether to give communion. Catholics believe =
that=20
those who know they are in the church's good graces may present=20
themselves for communion.</P>
<P>Bishop Sheridan's order, published in his diocesan newspaper =
on May 5=20
and applying only to Catholics in his diocese, comes at a time =
when=20
bishops across the country have issued a spate of conflicting =
directives=20
on whether to discipline errant Catholic politicians. The =
dispute has=20
intensified as the bishops debate whether to make an example of=20
<ALT-CODE value=3D"Kerry, John F" idsrc=3D"nyt-per-pol" =
/>Senator John Kerry=20
of Massachusetts, the probable Democratic candidate for =
president and a=20
Catholic who has consistently favored abortion rights.</P>
<P>Several cardinals and bishops have said they would rather try =
to=20
persuade disobedient politicians in private talks than to =
threaten them=20
with public sanctions. </P>
<P>Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington, who is heading =
a=20
committee studying how bishops should relate to Catholic =
politicians,=20
said Thursday in his archdiocesan newspaper that he did not =
favor using=20
the eucharist as a "sanction."</P>
<P>Cardinal McCarrick wrote, "I do not favor a confrontation at =
the=20
altar rail with the sacred body of the Lord Jesus in my =
hand."</P>
<P>Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles told the National =
Catholic=20
Reporter in Rome on Thursday that Mr. Kerry would be welcome to =
receive=20
communion in the Los Angeles archdiocese. Cardinal Mahony had a =
private=20
meeting with Mr. Kerry on May 5.</P>
<P>The committee of bishops headed by Cardinal McCarrick is not =
expected=20
to issue recommendations until after the presidential election. =
</P>
<P>In the absence of a unified national position, individual =
bishops are=20
producing widely diverging directives, causing widespread =
confusion,=20
said Russell Shaw, Washington correspondent for the Catholic =
publication=20
Our Sunday Visitor and a former spokesman for the bishops.</P>
<P>"There's probably a rather small number of bishops who are =
strongly=20
in favor of denying communion," Mr. Shaw said. "Probably a =
somewhat=20
larger but not overwhelming number rather strongly oppose doing =
that.=20
And the third and far away largest group are those who just wish =
the=20
whole issue would go away." </P>
<P>The letter from Bishop Sheridan will undoubtedly intensify =
the=20
debate, partly because it sounds in places like a political =
endorsement,=20
Catholic observers said. </P>
<P>Bishop Sheridan wrote that the November elections were =
"critical"=20
because for the first time since the Roe v. Wade decision by the =
Supreme=20
Court legalizing abortion in 1973, the number of abortions was=20
declining. </P>
<P>"We cannot allow the progress that has been made to be =
reversed by a=20
pro-abortion president, Senate or House of Representatives," the =
bishop=20
wrote.</P>
<P>Opposition to abortion "trumps all other issues," he wrote, =
and gay=20
marriage is "deviancy." </P>
<P>Bishop Sheridan was appointed last year to lead the small =
diocese=20
with 120,000 members in Colorado Springs, a conservative city =
where=20
dozens of evangelical Christian ministries are based.</P>
<P>In the interview, the bishop said that his aim was to clarify =
the=20
standards for Catholic voters and that he hoped they applied =
them in=20
their choice of candidates. He said that on the "basic moral =
teachings=20
of the church,'' there is no "wiggle room." </P>
<P>He also said he hoped to reform the "cafeteria Catholics" who =
believed it was acceptable to pick and choose the doctrines they =
agreed=20
with.</P>
<P>"I pray for them, but it could very well mean they're going =
to go=20
their own way,'' he said. "You never like to see it, but it =
happens."=20
</P>
<P>The bishop wrote that Catholics who vote contrary to church =
teaching=20
"jeopardize their salvation." </P>
<P>He said they would be denied communion "until they have =
recanted=20
their positions and been reconciled with God and the church in =
the=20
sacrament of penance." </P>
<P>Chester Gillis, a professor of theology at Georgetown, =
predicted that=20
some Catholics would recoil at the notion that their votes would =
"threaten the perdition of their eternal soul."</P>
<P>Dr. Gillis said of Bishop Sheridan's order, "It might =
backfire=20
because Catholics may resent what some may consider the =
intrusion of the=20
church into politics."</P>
<P>He added that many Catholics still associated the current set =
of=20
bishops with the clergy sexual abuse scandal. "This may strike =
many=20
Catholics as an odd time for bishops to be asserting their moral =
authority," he said. </P></NYT_TEXT><BR>
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