The following comes from a Dec. 1 posting on the Spero Forum by Father Thomas Collins, a Catholic priest in Virginia.
In the ongoing debate as to whether Catholics, who publicly persist in their support of abortion, should be subject to Canon 915 and its prohibition from receiving Holy Communion, another important issue is often overlooked.
As we examine their “pro-choice” premise that no pre-born child should have the right to live, we see some interesting corollaries of this premise. Of its very nature, it must lead one to question the validity of two major doctrines of the Church – the Immaculate Conception of Mary and the Incarnation of God the Son.
With regard to the Immaculate Conception, they assert that Mary was never conceived in the womb of her mother. They hold that merely a blob of impersonal protoplasm was conceived by her parents. In the course of nine months, this blob developed into an impersonal fetus, which was eventually expelled from her mother’s womb.
According to their agenda, only after this fetus was expelled from the womb did the person of Mary enter into it, thereby enabling the “it” to become a “she”. Thus it is that they vehemently deny that Mary was ever conceived – and thus could not have been conceived without Original Sin.
Similarly, their agenda holds that God the Son did not become flesh in the womb of Mary. They may contend that, by some miraculous form of parthenogenesis, one of Mary’s ova started to develop into an impersonal fetus. And they may believe that she did expel this impersonal fetus from her womb nine months later. But they do not believe that, at the moment of birth, God the Son was born. Instead, they contend that only after the birth process was completed did God the Son enter that fetal body and receive the name, Jesus.
This being so, they hold that the Church is in error for referring to Mary as the Mother of God. She was, after all, merely the mother of the fetal body, in which God the Son happened to eventually take up residence. Thus their “pro-choice” agenda prevents them from believing that the Word became flesh (Jn 1:14). Instead, they hold that, in anything, He merely entered into the flesh of a fetus that was expelled from the womb of Mary….
To read entire posting, click here.
This is what happens when Diocese Bishops and Priests do not actively and publically promote the reading/home study of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” – which contains the “entire content of the Church’s Faith”.
Too many Diocese Bishops and their Priests are too busy with political aspects of social justice – rather than Saving Souls and teaching the Faith accurately which are their primary responsibilities.
They completely ignore the requests of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict, and Pope Francis. https://whatcatholicsreallybelieve.com/
They ignore the Code of Canon Law. https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_INDEX.HTM
If they were in the private sector, they would be fired from their jobs due to lack of performance of duties.
Scandal, Heresy, Schism and Relativism abound within the Church because of those Cardinals, Bishops and Priests who do not do their jobs.
Canon 915 is very clear – ” 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.”
Those who receive Holy Communion while in the state of MORTAL Sin commit the additional mortal sin of Sacrilege. What are these US Cardinals and US Bishops doing?
“Forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Or do they?
Too many of our Church “Leaders” lust after the Govt. money. They are corrupted by it $$$$$.
These “Leaders” need to return to the, Catholic Church originated, Principle of SUBSIDIARITY, and reject the Govt. money. By using the Govt. to care for the poor, they rob the people of their opportunity to provide Charity at the local level according to the Principle of Subsidiarity. This is a crime.
On another level, imagine the Principle of Subsidiarity applied to all levels of Govt. This could result in bringing the power back to the people, to once again take ownership of the Govt., and subject the politicians to once again become the servants instead of being the rulers(tyrants). No doubt, another benefit would be a far more efficient, effective, and less costly Govt. Allowing for at least a 50% reduction in taxes. This would also then allow the people to apply these tax savings to directly caring for the poor in a much more honest charity.
If the priests, in their homilies, advise men not to procreate if they do not plan to take care of their children, then, maybe , they, the men would not abort their unborn children.
This article should contain only one sentence.
“Pro-choice Catholic is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms.”
For those who persist in believing otherwise, there should only be excommunication, without further discussion and/or time wasted on them.
Supporters of abortion and sodomy are minions of Satan, and as such are not interested in reason. They seek only death; death to all, to fill the coffers of hell.
The good Fr. Collins simply states what we all know to be true but falls short of admonishing th American bishops for their role in promoting the pro-abort “Catholics.”
The grand master of this “hear no evil, see no evil” strategy is Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles. For years he installed do-nothing libs into diocesan right to life positions—who told peOple to simply pray in the pews and do nothing political.
At the same time, Mahony poured his heart and his wallet into leftist political causes—-unionism, feminism, Marxist parades, pederasty protection and Democrat Party politics—always rewarding the hardcore pro-abort DEMs.
What the Catholic bishops and cardinals fail to comprehend because of their blinding egotism is that that they are being used—-and very soon will be dumped as Catholic influence dwindles politically.
Thank you, Fr. Collins. This is an astonishing truth: Mary’s own Immaculate Conception, and the very shadowing of Mary by the Holy Ghost are denied by Pro-Choice Catholics. Wow, wow, wow. Where is the USCCB on this issue? Where are the trumpets of the Catholic Church? Where is Pope Francis and his Gang of Eight? A Catholic in good standing cannot deny dogma(s) of his Faith. Of course, we have the absolutely crazy statements made by a very poor example of a Cardinal, when Cardinal Dolan said that he did he did not mean to suggest that Governor Cuomo was not a Catholic in good standing with the Church. What a laugher! Father’s article provides meat to the use of Canon 215. It is no longer an argument about who controls a woman’s body, or is it viable, or how can I impose my belief on someone else, or what about poor people — all of that. Now, a politician must publicly deny the validity of several tenants of the Catholic Faith by saying that it killing the pre-born is OK, or a matter of personal choice. Go ahead VP Biden, deny our Blessed Mother, or her Immaculate Conception, or the Incarnation — God’s very plan for Mankind itself. Thank you, again, Fr. Collins.
This is the most blatant example of a straw man argument I’ve seen. “They” (all) have an “Agenda” that is some objectionable philosophy rooted in some bizarre and arcane philosophical rationale that I’ve frankly never heard anyone express, yet the author attributes it to all of “them”.
There are lots of reasons Catholics (and Catholic politicians) are “Pro-Choice”. The most common ones: 1. The inevitability that abortion will exist regardless of its legal status, and forcing it underground makes it worse in a number of ways. 2. a belief in individual liberty, even if the consequences are negative… which does not condone or endorse abortion, but ameliorate in means other than criminalization. and 3 (in terms of politicians): Frankly, it’s become a partisan platform, and a matter of electability. Being pro-choice is pretty much a given politically for Democrats now, and honestly, if Republicans find they can’t be elected by being pro-life, don’t expect them to hold on to it… Politicians are politicians. They live in a murky world of cynicism, duplicity, compromise and personal ambition above all.
“I don’t like abortion. I believe life does begin at conception. But I can’t take my Catholic belief, my article of faith, and legislate it on a Protestant or a Jew or an atheist…who doesn’t share it. We have separation of church and state in the United States of America.” — John Kerry
Whether or not you agree with his reasoning, there is nothing in there that suggests he holds to an absolute belief that life begins at birth, as is ascribed to him (with his photo) in the source article.
And you might want to admit the possibility that as a politician, he’s apt to change what he says to suit his audience. Hypocrites abound in the political arena, what makes you think John Kerry is any different ?
By the way, wanna buy a slightly used car ?
I’m not a huge fan of John Kerry. When he was running for president, he took all kinds of calculated positions that were pure expedience. And as Secretary of State, his major endeavor thus far has been a push for war in Syria that would have been a disaster.
Point being, though: The entire premise of this article is ascribing a motivation to him rooted in the belief that life begins at birth. The only evidence on the matter is contrary. The premise is flawed.
Siollan you are part of the problem, the mainstream thinker of this world, the fruit in thinking of the secular. You are like many others and that is why we are in this big mess.
There is no excuse for wrong, there should be no empathy for powerful politicians to impose immorality! Especially Catholics.
I’m with the believe that if you can’t make a difference in this life, which is temporary, especially since one of these are in powerful positions, then don’t go and promote evil either!
I see more of a problem in being a single issue voter, particularly when it makes you a reliable base for a party whose platform is otherwise beneficial to maybe 10% of the population, and needs to do nothing other than appease the single issue to know there’s no greater scrutiny necessary to secure your vote. It offers no incentive for either party to do anything more than pre-calculate you in a margin, and fails to consider countless other moral gray areas, or the fact that neither major party has a clear net moral advantage.
Also, the entire issue of abortion has, since the days of Margaret Sanger, been handled as one of paternalistic condescension (Pro-Choice) or paternalistic authoritarianism (Pro-Life), and generally fails to take into consideration IS a matter of individual free will/choice, regardless of its legal status, and if you want to mitigate its damage, framing it in divisive Culture War terms is alienating and counterproductive.
If you’re waiting for Roe v Wade to be overturned in your lifetime, good luck. If the only other recourse is feeling superior and drawing simplistic partisan lines of good/evil, that accomplishes nothing. If you are really interested in changing the behavior of people having abortions, you need to influence their decision making process, probably revisit your rigid ideas about contraception and celibacy and prioritize, rather than adopting a distanced air of superiority and waiting for a party that’s primarily concerned with protecting an endemic class structure to save you.
I would imagine, John Kerry, would have advocated for the rule of law in Nazi Germany as well. Walking past his abused brothers because it was not his affair or his ‘right’ to interfere. The subjugation of the Jews, the handicapped, and other state-deemed undesirables (Homosexuals included) was perfectly legal after all.
As to:
“…the inevitability that abortion will exist regardless of its legal status, and forcing it underground makes it worse in a number of ways.”
This rollover mentality on the part of Catholics who seem to make ‘Separation of Church and State’ the first commandment, is also what has made the killing of children commonplace. As in hugely increasing the numbers of those sacrificed on the altar of ‘it’ll happen anyway.’ Not just the rare exceptions of those poor victims of rape/incest – a favored argument to gain support for the procedure before it was legalized in this country.
So which is worse? The demonization of that which is diabolical (killing one’s own children) or the wholesale endorsement of said diabolical influence that leads society as a whole to pay for and support a sterile and clean environment for Satan to do what he does best? Kill the soul.
If our bishops continue to do nothing about what are self-evident untruths and Pope Francis remains more interested in bashing capitalism, you can consider the Roman Catholic Church dead. Put a fork in it. It’s done. Satan has won.
What’s the problem? Haven’t the polls shown that many Catholic priest do not believe in Hell anymore? If there is not a Hell then what would the point be for denying anyone communion?
I encourage everyone to return to the daily recitation of the Angelus. We should encourage others to do so as well.
By accepting, supporting, or participating in abortions against the will of Our Lord, they commit sin, even in voting for pro-abortion politicians. Although what they believe in is contrary to Roman Catholic Church teaching, i.e., God’s Will, and that fact may be considered heretical, the end result leading to mortal sin or automatic by defacto excommunication is the same i.e., eternal damnation without a sinner having a contrite heart, confession, penance, amendment in lifestyle, and eventual atonement in Purgatory. Pray the rosary for the end of abortion. May our nation follow North Dakota’s lead outlawing abortions.
Sounds like a job for a mental health professional!
Or an exorcist!
We have suffered from 50 plus years of weak leadership that has become secularized and liberally politicized to the point of being Religiously Correct, the censorship of what may be offensive, which virtually disarms Christianity of its power and truth. The most damaging effect is not the sexual scandal, it’s the abortion scandal which has cost 56 million lives since the 1973 Roe v. Wade & Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions. Preborn babies have been slaughtered while most of our Church leaders and highly placed laypersons have become virtually frozen to a status quo that has become weaker with time. The so-called new evangelization needs to be directed at ourselves, to the American Church and to those Catholics who voted for pro-choice politicians. As for Cardinal Mahony, the sex scandal was not the major scandal; it was the virtual embrace of the pro-choice mindset that was broadcast throughout Southern California via the diocesan newspaper, The TIDINGS, and by his association with high-profile pro-choice politicians. In the case Archbishop Gomez, he reveals a good intent in his book, “Immigration and the Next America: Renewing the Soul of Our Nation.” Unfortunately, his book was aimed at the wrong audience. On page 90 he refers to the obligation of the immigrants; that should have been a whole chapter because that’s the real problem. Many Americans resist any form of amnesty because they see “change” where they should see “assimilation.” If Archbishop Gomez had written to the immigrants to define their obligation more broadly and more thoroughly, he could have taken a major step toward softening resistance to citizenship.