The following comes from a May 5 story on LifeSiteNews.com.
At the first annual Rome Life Forum in Vatican City today, fifty-two pro-life leaders from sixteen nations called on the bishops of the Catholic Church to deny Holy Communion to pro-abortion politicians in a spirit of love and mercy.
The leaders signed a declaration noting that it is out of concern, and indeed love, for those same politicians that the pro-life leaders ask for this wake-up call to invite pro-abortion politicians back to authentic faith.
For the full list of signatories, click here.
Led by the organizers and sponsors of the 1st Rome Life Forum – LifeSiteNews, Human Life International, Family Life International New Zealand and the organizers of the Rome March for Life – the leaders of 36 pro-life groups from all over the world called on the world’s bishops to honour Canon 915 of the Church’s Code of Canon Law. The canon states that those who are “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”
The declaration also recalls the words of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in his intervention with the bishops of the United States, called “Worthiness to receive Holy Communion.” Cardinal Ratzinger wrote that a Catholic politician who votes for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws “must” be denied Communion after being duly instructed and warned.
Leaders signing the declaration came from the USA, Spain, Italy, Canada, Romania, Croatia, St. Lucia, New Zealand, France, the UK, Poland, Belgium, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Malta, and Estonia.
Speaking at the public portion of the Rome Life Forum, Cardinal Raymond Burke, prefect of the Vatican’s Apostolic Signatura, reflected on “the grave scandal caused by legislators, judges, and political leaders who profess to be Catholic and who present themselves to receive Holy Communion, while, at the same time, they uphold and even promote laws which violate the moral law in its most fundamental tenets.” Cardinal Burke recalled, “The Church’s discipline, from the time of Saint Paul, has admonished those who obstinately persevere in manifest grave sin not to present themselves for Holy Communion…”
To read the original posting, click here.
It is about time! However, I fear that the bishops, most of whom are spineless wonders (unless they are dealing with the Tridentine Mass and traditionalists) will do nothing. How sad and how tragic that human life is treated so by the hierarchy!
Tell the Pope that the entire Church must be required to follow the Code of Canon Law on this! They totally ignore their own Code of Canon Law, constantly, since Vatican II!! Why in the world did St. John Paul II revise the Code, in the 1980s? He never intended to use it at all! No one cares about the vast destruction of human life, by abortion, in the Church! Church leaders do not do anything at all– and worse, they are expected by modern-day Catholics to be “kind and loving” to evil baby killers!! Does that make any sense?? Why not PUNISH the baby killers, and try to get them to all repent?? Doesn’t the post-Vatican II Church know, that Evil still exists in the world– and terrible SIN?? I think the correct term, “sin,” is “not politically correct,” with post-Vatican II Popes!
Linda Maria, I wonder how much the media has to play in all of this. One big change that we’ve not discussed about the huge changes in the 6o’s was the profound effect of television…all of a sudden what people said started being replayed and talked about with such an immediacy that one couldn’t pick up all the feathers that were let out of the pillow, so to speak. Because of the fear of being disliked or unpopular, I wonder how much public policy in gov’t , the Church, entertainment, et al, have become utterly superficial and slavishly servile to public opinion. TV, the wholesome, welcome guest of the fifties became the heartless inquisitor by the sixties and the dominant master by the seventies. Ubiquitous television, that George Orwell foresaw in its infancy, has become satan’s most useful tool in inculcating amorality, division and distrust. I don’t watch it…we use our tv for watching netflix and programs we can watch with discernment. No child under six should be allowed to watch it, ever. Studies have proven that it can drastically reduce intelligence and imagination.
PS…I know this is a tired subject, and Marshall McCluen covered it beautifully in the sixties. But what I’m getting at is how it has directly affected the Church and her shepherds. We’re always wringing our hands here at just what went wrong at Vatican II, but it does seem like the media has had a truly profound consequence on faith…how people see themselves and their world. Mother Angelica was truly inspired by God and we should be praying for it to remain true to her vision. I’m probably not making sense as it is such a huge subject, but mostly what I’m seeing is Catholics are losing their identity and perhaps the bishops started losing their authority not by their inaction so much as by the fact they might want to avoid and actual showdown and no one follows their lead, like Lord Uxbridge at the Battle of Waterloo when some very recalcitrant Cumberland Hussars(Belgians) determined not to take part in the fighting, turned tail and disobeyed his orders. So many now do not realize what is at stake in this real battle, do they?
Dana,
My late very good friend and Spiritual Father, Bishop Austin Vaughan once told the American Bishops that Bishops who go to Hell don’t go there so much for sins of commission as for sins of ommission!
I reminded him of that just before he passed on to his Eternal Reward.
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc
Dana: The ‘media’ has played a huge roll in this nightmare of pandering, and SSADly we Catholics have let them – in large part by not stepping up with ‘entertainment’ that includes good behaviors as integral to good people…
Meaning ‘entertainment’ per se, without it being one constant preachy sermon, as far too much of Pro-Catholic / Christian programming often is.
Face it – People can only take so much sermonizing before they will change the channel, and the Left has managed quite well in integrating their Anti-Catholic Misandry (Hatred of Men & Boys, Masculinity & Normal Heterosexuality) inside a web of at least marginally entertaining programs – even if they have to resort to ‘laugh tracks’ to get the point across.
2012 Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum recognized the need for such Faith Inclusive (as opposed to Based) entertainment. Instead of providing a sermon ostensibly cloaked as something else – Santorum and others have seen that we need to provide the something else (comedy, drama, history…) in a manner that allows for Normal Catholic / Christian faith – not as the Center Point but as one aspect of the Whole person and Whole story.
Very true, Michael McDermott. Catholic culture needs to be renewed in a that which is recognizable as Catholic, not the rollover and play dead wimp type model that just grins and play nice with evil. (Que laugh track)
But give it another decade or so and virile Catholicism will be looked at as so retro it’s cool and/or rebellious as to be enticing. It’s just going to be a long nauseating wait.
Michael,
Laugh tracks should have been outlawed as part of the Communist effort to use “Pavlovian principles” in their efforts to subvert our country. I had a friend who had spent 10 years with his good wife as undercover agents in the Communist Party, and they both told me how they, the Communist, had been successful in incorporating it into our media.
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Is there a petition the rest of us can sign ?
It is too bad that Catholics must petition Church leaders to uphold the Faith, but we will do what we must do.
Hate to be cynical but your time may be better spent buying a lottery ticket than trying to convince the US Bishops, or the Vatican to do anything Catholic…but who am I to judge? When you have a “ain’t no Catholic God” Pope canonizing one that allows a pagan god on a Catholic alter to be venerated I believe our only hope is a chastisement.
Ron, you are advocating violation of Church law.
What you trying to prove ? That you don’t read?
Code of Cann Law: under “OBLIGATIONS and RIGHTS of ALL the CHRISTIAN FAITHFUL”
” Can 212 §3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church
and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful,
without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons. “
Linda, Ron isn’t advocating violating Church law. He’s just exhausted like many others.
I would venture that the qualifiers, “…according to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess,” of the Code you cited would absolve an average Ron, in this instance, from culpability in not pursuing that which is already well known. In this case, the decades long unchecked scandal of giving the Blessed Sacrament to those in the state of public, manifest unrepentant grave sin.
Linda,
Many of our greatest Saints, including Popes, have written that when the Church leaders turn away from the fullness of truth, they surrender any right to obedience they may have had. If you want to obey in what you really know is wrong, good luck with that!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Galatians 1:8
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.
https://www.eyeofthetiber.com/2014/05/09/screw-it-just-canonize-them-all-the-vatican-says/
To our clergy…..stand up for life–say out loud “Stop the Killing of the Preborn!” Say it, out loud.
You are totally correct, Linda. Unfortunately, the majority does not accept our judgement, even though it IS the truth! God bless you.
The Pope said to get away from all those rules.
The Pope has the authority to change any Church Law as he sees fit, and he knows this.
Pope Francis has not changed one Church Law since he was made Pope a year and a half ago – except those relating to the Vatican bank.
When the Pope makes an OFFICIAL change, he will let us know. Until then, everything stands as is.
Try checking out the Vatican web site every once in a while.
“….. let us ask ourselves if we have actually taken a few steps to get to know Christ and the truths of faith more, by reading and meditating on the Scriptures, studying the Catechism, steadily approaching the Sacraments.” Pope Francis, May 15, 2013.
LINDA,
Where did you learn that the Pope has the authority to change any Church Law as he sees fit. It is that kind of thinking that has gotten us into this terrible situation. Have you read St. Thomas Aquinas or St. Augustin on that?
Elizabeth, without rules you have chaos!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc
This decision Belongs to the BISHOPS, not to a political pressure group!!
And the Bishops refuse to do their job TEM….
Then I would imagine, TEM, that you feel the same way about those within the Church pushing the hierarchy to accept the sodomite agenda. That agenda is political. Refusing Holy Communion to those in unrepentant, public manifest grave sin is a wholly Catholic act of mercy – for the politicians and for a scandalized faithful.
Perhaps organized protests like Occupy Wall St. could be set up in front of every Bishop’s residence. Would love to get some press on grass-roots action like that!
TEM, you are right “this DOES belong to Bishops”! Which is why the Pro-life leaders went to THEM with their request!
This will not happen. Bishops in the Church are moral cowards and not really Catholic in their professed beliefs, anyway (with a few exceptions). Prayers are needed for the Holy Father, who seems willfully ignorant to the ongoing and growing scandals among his clergy and Church leadership, who tolerate and thereby enable, the continued transmission of the sacraments to political leaders that pass legislation that permit the taking of innocent life. This country should rise up against the Democratic Party, as well, for its violent heritage to women. But, will this happen? Not at all likely. In fact, the upcoming October Synod on the Family is sure to roam far and wide, under the apostate influence of men like Cardinal Kasper, to permit an entirely new cluster of heretical acts, in the name of “mercy.”
Any Bishop who purposely does not enforce Canon 915, aids and abets in the MORTAL SINS of SACRILEGE against the Body and Blood of our Lord, and SCANDAL.
If they do not correct known sinners within their own Diocese, they aid and abet in those sins as well.
“Can. 915 Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion. ”
CCC: 1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
– by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
– by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
– by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
– by protecting evil-doers. ”
________
It is similar to those Cardinals/Bishops who aided and abetted child abuse by others and let it continue.
_______
No one said all Popes, all Bishops, or all Priests will get to Heaven. No such promise was ever made by Christ.
Let us not forget one of the chosen 12 – Judas Iscariot.
LINDA,
You are all over the place, which is it, blind obedience even in what know to be wrong, or what you wrote at 1:25 PM?
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
God bless them for trying.
Unfortunately, most Catholic Bishops remain silent or have trampled on the Faith. But to those who remain faithful, will be given a crown of everlasting life.
It breaks my heart, that the devout Catholic Faithful must stand all alone, for the Church, and seek to be good practicing Catholics– while their own Church leaders have to be begged, lobbied, and prayed for, in the post-Vatican II world, to be true practicing Catholics, faithful to Christ!! And unborn human babies cannot wait for Church leaders to decide to have the courage to firmly stand up for them, worldwide! They have so little hope, in a terribly sick and selfish modern world, where evil, misguided “feminist” mothers daily turn against their own little ones, gifts of God, in the womb, deciding to kill them for their own selfish pleasure with their irresponsible, immoral boyfriends or husbands. The post-Vatican II Church fails to teach her faithful even the basics of leading a life close to Christ, of a good, practicing Catholic! Morality, sin, and virtue, and the development of a good, solid moral conscience is seldom heard of, in today’s Church, and in the writings of recent Popes. And Pope Francis seems to perilously run around calling up individuals who have gotten themselves into scandalous situations, giving them strange and individualized moral teaching and guidance, apart from the Truth that Christ preached! It takes a great deal of strength and courage, to daily follow Christ, and not give up on Him, and take a lesser path, the path of infidels and cowards! In the world of long ago, people knew life was hard, and on top of that– the teachings of Christ are really hard!
Linda,
I wholeheartedly concur with your feelings of a broken heart; however, never give up on Our Lord, His and our Mother, and Their Church! Now when it comes to the present Hierarchy, don’t give up on them either, pray for them no matter how hard it may be to do so!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Linda Maria, you are not correct.
Apparently you have not read the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” which was promulgated as part of the Apostolic Constitution well after Vatican II. (1997)
“What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”
https://whatcatholicsreallybelieve.com/
Just a few of the teachings that the CCC contains are:
just war, death penalty, abortion, contraception, euthanasia, palliative care, organ donation, the requirements of immigrants to obey the law in a host country, the right to self defense, adultery including divorce and civil re-marriage, responsibility to vote, commutative justice (paying debts), the requirements of all people to be chaste according to their state in life (single or married), only men being Priests, and so much more.
There are 21 separate paragraphs on Mortal Sin and 23 on Grave Sin (mortal sin); and 16 paragraphs on Hell.
The Ten commandments, and 7 Sacraments are all covered thoroughly.
It is unfortunate that many Diocese Bishops and their Priests do not actively promote the reading of the CCC at home by the Laity.
The CCC is the best defense we have against confusion, heresy and schism, perpetrated accidentally or purposefully by ANYONE including Clergy.
Do not believe what you read or hear about Church teaching without checking it out in the CCC.
What in the world are you trying to say? Church teaching has never changed, on abortion–and yes, I am correct! Abortion is always a Mortal Sin! Sadly, Church leaders since Vatican II often ignore both the Catechism and Code of Canon Law! Personally, I think it ought to be called a Mortal Sin, also– for Church leaders to not abide by the Catechism and Code of Canon Law! And yes– it is hard for lay Catholics who are very devout, to follow Catholic teachings faithfully, all alone, when Church leaders refuse to take the lead, especially in terrible situations such as abortion– baby killings– where they most definitely ought to take a firm and stern stand, to the world, for PRO-LIFE, PERIOD!! Several times, over the years, I myself have been rebuked, for example, by my local Church leaders, for attending pro-life events, bringing back materials for my parish church, and being told, we cannot even have a simple prayer service, or put a pro-life prayer in the Prayer of the Faithful at Mass on “Pro-Life Sunday” in January– for example, for the helpless unborn and aborted babies, “because abortion is too controversial,” and “we must love all people of all points of view, and not offend anyone.” Horrible, cowardly excuse! That kind of bad leadership, I think, ought to be called a “Mortal Sin!”
Linda Maria, thank you for speaking out about your struggle.
Bad leadership could very well be mortal sin. The matter is grave, the person involved has a primary duty to speak the Truth and guide the flock, and it would appear that the omission of doing as much is done willfully. While we cannot judge the soul, we can surely judge the fruits of such non-action (countless lost souls). Thank the Lord you have a proper formation that can withstand such anemic catechesis.
The “church leaders” you describe remind me of those overly indulgent parents that will let junior do or say anything and never ever correct him so that he’ll just stay home. Doesn’t matter if he corrupts the other children. Or even if the house burns down. There’s insurance for that.
But, honestly, what’s up with today’s children (flock). Even the Prodigal Son had the decency not to try to subject his father and brother to a slew of loose women, drunken parties, and goodness knows what. He left to sew his wild oats. That makes me think that the leadership doesn’t exactly put forth the example that such sinfulness would be offensive, not only to God, but to them as well. The ‘don’t judge’ adage has been misapplied to welcoming in all manner of golden calves so that everyone can stay in the tent.
God have mercy indeed!
Over a thousand years ago, the Arian heresy was plaguing the Catholic Church. Only one bishop, resisted this error which denied the divinity of Christ. The bishop was Saint Athanasius. He was imprisoned, excommunicated, and exiled because he would not go along with the evil majority. History repeats itself. The Church is going through a similar crisis, but instead of Arianism, the heresy is modernism. Our Lord will not abandon His Church, but He is allowing her to be punished for her past sins by being infected with liberalism, which is rapidly doing great damage to her. Pope Leo XIII had a dream where the devil asked to have control for one hundred years; Satan made great progress in the last century, and it can be clearly stated; the Catholic Church is self-destructing according to Pope Paul VI. All the indicators prove this, as well as the statistics.