The following comes from a Jan. 25 story by Catholic News Agency.
Santa Fe, N.M.— Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying that signatories to a letter in support of abortion “are not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church in New Mexico.”
On Jan. 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the New Mexico Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice published a full-page ad in the Albuquerque Journal featuring a letter signed by members of the clergy from various religions and denominations throughout New Mexico.
Two of the signatories were James Lehman from “Holy Family American National Catholic Church” in Las Cruces, and Francis Quintana from the “Blessed Oscar Romero Catholic Community in Albuquerque,” both of whom presented themselves as priests of the Catholic Church.
Despite the use of “Catholic” in both churches names, they are not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, Wester explained in his statement.
The American National Catholic Church and the Ecumenical Catholic Community, to which the Blessed Oscar Romero Catholic Community belongs, are not part of the Roman Catholic Church.
“New Mexico’s three dioceses: the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, the Diocese of Gallup and the Diocese of Las Cruces adamantly uphold the Church’s historical belief in the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death,” Wester’s statement added.
The letter, and the archbishop’s response, came as New Mexico considers legislation that would repeal the state’s laws criminalizing abortion, which date to the 1960s but have not been enforced since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade.
Abp. Wester has sadly NOT been a strong supporter for the lives of unborn children. He has publicly criticized outspoken, genuinely pro-life priests! He sounds like a “politically correct” liberal, most of the time!
Not being an attorney, I ask does’t ROE ‘trump’ pre-existing state laws? But those laws would be in full effect if ROE were to be totally overturned?
I spent three weeks in NM last year and, sadly, I visited a number of “Catholic” parishes who’s liturgy I could hardly recognize. One was basically a mega-church, complete with jumbo-trons, full 8 piece rock bands, hands waving, etc. The Archdiocese has embraced every excess of “The Spirit of Vatican 2.” No wonder there is confusion as to who is a Catholic priest and who isn’t… I had trouble distinguishing myself.
Men who rape altar boys are allowed to publicly present themselves as priests. That should not be allowed to happen.
I went online, to find information about this New Mexico. group of pro-abortion religious leaders. I was so amazed and saddened!! Every Protestsnt denomination you could ever think of, seemed to be represented! With lots of lady ministers, too! Protestsnt America has truly fallen! How can these denominations call themselves “Christian?”. And some lady ministers, sadly– have had out-of wedlock pregnancies — and abortions!!