My letter to Philly Archbishop Justin Rigali

[mrgorth]

Dear Archbishop Rigali,

I have recently read, with great anger, statements by various Church officials claiming that they will deny Roman Catholic politicians Communion if they are pro-choice. The most stunning and obnoxious proclimation coming from Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs who threatened to deny Communion to anyone who votes for a pro-choice politician. Making this proclamation more absurd is that when asked if such penalties would come to those who supported the death penalty or the Iraq war he declared that these issues were not as important. This political posturing comes during an election year when a pro-choice, Roman Catholic democrat will be running against a US President who is the first President in the history of the United States to initiate a war, a war that, for all intents and purposes appears to have been based on some kind of quasi-imperialist idealogy and nothing more. This is a war whose negative effects are yet to be calculated and whose reach both, chronologically and geographically, may never be understood. Eight hundred americans are dead, thousands injured not to mention the exponentially greater totals of both on the Iraqi side. Recently, we have learned that, as part of this President's crusade, prison guards have been torturing prisoners who may have been guilty of nothing more than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Additionally, this President has engaged in a socioeconomic battle that, via corporate welfare, tax breaks for the rich, and the aforementioned war amounts to social darwinism. By contrast, a politician's stand on abortion does not force anyone to get an abortion, ever. The same can be said of gay marriage or civil unions. When a bomb is dropped on your house, you do not have any choice in the matter.

Archbishop, abortion is horrible. I hope no one ever gets one again. I hope other methods of birth control can prevent unwanted pregnancies and adoption is the answer when it does happen. I imagine John Kerry feels similarly. I've heard his wife Teresa make comments in that direction. That said, a President has to lead everyone whether they are Catholic, Buddhist or atheist. More importantly, making abortion illegal is sure to only make poor women search for them in the streets. Perhaps the best way, in my opinion, to reduce the number of abortions in the world is to give the hope of a better life and education to women who would otherwise be having risky sexual relationships. I would hope that I don't have to tell you that President Bush and the right wing of the republican party he represents are not interested in raising up the poor. Thus, I ask, is not possible to be pro-life without outlawing abortion?

I am 35 years old and went to parochial school through High School. I have 2 young boys who are baptized catholics. And while I have been very upset to learn about all the sexual abuses that have been in the news, most recently one at a school for the deaf, I am comforted that in my 9 years as an altar boy I was never touched or made to feel uncomfortable in any way. That said, if the Catholic Church decides to interfere in this election on the side of a messianic demagogue I may have to leave the Church along with my boys. For, I feel, such interference, to me, would be tantamount to endorsing mass murder and theft.

As I'm sure you know, when John F. Kennedy was running for President he had to travel the country and assure people that he would not take orders from Rome. What happened to that? It is doubly curious that the Church appears to be coming down on the side of people who have rather anti-Catholic histories, including involvement with Bob Jones University. It makes one wonder who has been making donations.

Thank you,

[Ilsa]

1. Excellent letter.

I hope you won't be excommunicated, but at least they know why you've left the church, and perhaps they'll see the illegitimacy of their position.

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. excommunication?

do they really do that in this day & age? i ask, because i'm not catholic. this whole thing just flies in the face of separation of church & state. i would hope that the church would try to remain above the fray.

[Ilsa]

3. I'm not either, but here is some info:

http://www.fact-index.com/e/ex/excommunication.html

(Notice that abortion is listed, but not rape or murder!)


Roman Catholicism
Excommunication is considered automatic for some sins within the Roman Catholic but can also be a formal affair, generally reserved for renegade clerygymen and such.

The word literally means "out of communion"; the outward sign of this loss of community involves barring the person from participating in Communion, i.e., receiving the Eucharist, and as a consequence losing their status as members of the church. Certain other rights and privileges normally resulting from membership of the church are revoked. Excommunication is often intended to be only temporary, a "medicinal" procedure intended to provoke repentance. In the Roman Catholic church excommunication is usually terminated by repentance and absolution. For minor excommunications the absolution may be pronounced by a confessor (a Priest). More serious offences must be absolved by a more senior official.

Automatic excommunication
There are seven sins for which Roman Catholics are automatically excommunicated:

Apostasy, Heresy, or Schism
Desecration of the Eucharist
Physical force against the Pontiff
One who actually procures an abortion and all accomplices
Priest who absolves a partner in adultery
Priest who directly violates the sacramental seal of confession
Both parties to the consecration of a bishop without a pontifical mandate
SNIP

[IronLionZion]

4. Good letter

I agree with you on abortion.

I wish the church would either buzz off completely on politics or at least denounce the death penalty, wars, social program budget cuts, lack of health care, etc. that Republicans militantly support.

It's not fair to attack Kerry for supporting choice without attacking Bush for the hell that his policies have wrought.