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Local priests support S.C. pastor in trouble over misreported communion ban
 Fr. Jay Scott Newman
Related articles:
.- Fr. Jay Scott Newman, a South Carolina priest whose parish bulletin letter gained national attention due to an inaccurate Associated Press headline “S.C. Priest: No communion for Obama supporters,” is receiving support from priests in his diocese. The show of priestly support comes after Fr. Newman was criticized by the diocesan administrator for pulling the Church’s teaching into the “partisan political arena.” In the weekly parish bulletin, Fr. Newman emphasized the need for people to examine their consciences before receiving Communion and noted that self-described Catholics had played a role in electing Barack Obama as president. “Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exists constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ’s Church and under the judgment of divine law,” Fr. Newman wrote. He further added such persons should not receive Holy Communion until they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance. The pastor of Saint Mary’s Church in Greenville, South Carolina also told his parishioners that they must pray for the president-elect and cooperate with him “wherever conscience permits.” Fr. Newman’s letter originally prompted a largely favorable reaction, with parishioners saying by a 9 to 1 margin that they appreciated his column on the election. In fact, sources close to the matter told CNA that after Fr. Newman published his original column for the parish bulletin and provided responses to The Greenville News for an article on the column, he received a supportive email from the Diocese of Charleston Administrator Monsignor Martin Laughlin. In the email Msgr. Laughlin thanked Fr. Newman for his statement and said, “I wish the bishops would have been as forthright. Why did they not speak before the election?” However, when the Associated Press picked up the story from The Greenville News, it twisted the facts in its headline, which reads, “S.C. Priest: No Communion for Obama supporters.” The original article in The Greenville News correctly noted that Fr. Newman said that “church teaching doesn't allow him to refuse Holy Communion to anyone based on political choices, but that he'll continue to deliver the church's strong teaching on the ‘intrinsic and grave evil of abortion’ as a hidden form of murder.” According to a letter from Fr. Newman to his parishioners, the AP reporter who wrote the misleading article received the same responses from Fr. Newman that he provided to The Greenville News. Following the publication of the AP article this past Friday, Monsignor Laughlin did an about-face and issued a public repudiation of Fr. Newman’s statements based off of the inaccurate headline that accompanied the AP story. In his statement, Msgr. Laughlin wrote that the Catholic Church’s “clear, moral teaching on the evil of abortion” was “pulled into the partisan political arena” by the priest’s letter and that Fr. Newman’s actions have “diverted the focus” from Catholic teaching on abortion and “do not adequately reflect the Catholic Church’s teachings. Any comments or statements to the contrary are repudiated.” Fr. Newman responded to fracas surrounding his original column in this yesterday’s bulletin from St. Mary’s, saying that he never imagined that his bulletin would be read outside of the parish and that his comments must be read in light of “the teaching of the American bishops on ‘Faithful Citizenship’ which was distributed in the bulletin the week before the election and explained from the pulpit.” Furthermore, the South Carolina pastor stated that, “From that document and the teaching of the Church's Magisterium, no one could conclude that a vote for Senator Obama is in itself or by itself a mortal sin. But from that same teaching, though, we must conclude that a vote for a pro-abortion candidate can be a mortal sin if the intent is to support abortion, that abortion is not merely one issue among other important issues, and that no Catholic should endorse a pro-abortion politician if a plausible pro-life alternative is available.” He also pointed out that he purposely did not endorse a candidate, “make myself or any human authority the judge of an individual's conscience” or “presume to know or determine for others what constitutes being a "plausible pro-life alternative" to a pro-abortion politician; I asserted only that there can be such.” Since the Diocese of Charleston does not have a bishop, Archbishop Gregory has the final say on diocesan personnel decisions and was likely consulted on the statement repudiating Fr. Newman’s remarks. In the wake of the statement from the Diocese of Charleston, a group of local priests is organizing a public statement of support for Fr. Newman. The priests’ statement will also criticize the way his words were distorted by the media, CNA has learned.Subscriber comments:
Published by: Catholic
C 11/24/2008 12:49 PM EST
Indeed, it is true that there are times when it is impossible to know whether someone committed mortal sin.
But it is false that it is always impossible to know whether someone committed mortal sin. Otherwise legal procedures or fraternal corrections would have been impossible. Catholic priests, bishops etc. are in the most dangerous position since they receive the greatest graces from God and should have the best knowledge of Catholic faith and morals. Consequently, they have the least excuses for weakness or ignorance and due to that their grave offenses against God most often end up as being mortal sins. The Mother of The Lord (Luke 1:43) always obtains mercy from The Lord for those who are daily devoted to Her.
Published by: Catholic
C 11/24/2008 08:02 AM EST
Again I apologize to all readers and correct my error: people who voted for Obama not knowing about his support for abortions in most cases committed one mortal and one venial sin: mortal sin if they were able to inform themselves about him and omitted to do that since it was their obligation (mortal sin of grave omission) and venial sin because their misdeed was committed in ignorance.
Therefore, in many cases ignorance itself is culpable and condemns and not an evil deed committed in ignorance.
Published by: AndrewO
Ottawa (Canada) 11/21/2008 06:28 PM EST
(…continued)
That should be distinguished from the actions of Catholic politicians who actually vote for pro-abortion legislation. This is where the line should be drawn in the sand. A private letter to Catholic members of Congress (Biden, Kerry, Kennedy, Pelosi... for example) from their Bishop when abortion legislation is pending (especially with the Freedom of Choice Act) informing them that a pro-abortion vote would be received as a public break of communion with the Catholic Church and its teaching, and the bishop would have no choice but to formalize that very public choice with a letter of excommunication. Catholic politicians worldwide should know that regarding pro-abortion legislation, it is only acceptable to voice against or at least abstain. In other words, while there may be circumstances where a Catholic may be permitted to elect a pro-abortion candidate (as distasteful as that may be to most PRACTICING Catholics), there should be no circumstances which would justify a Catholic legislator voting for pro-abortion legislation. That clarity is what's missing and what makes politics in North America particularly confusing for Catholics.
Published by: Andrew O
Ottawa (Canada) 11/21/2008 06:28 PM EST
The confusing message regarding pro-abortion candidates comes from the Vatican, not so much in what it teaches, but in its lack of acting on its teachings.
The "loophole" is the last paragraph... which essentially allows a Catholic to vote for a pro-abortion candidate, as long as abortion is not the primary reason for the vote. So obviously 54% of US Catholics voted for pro-abortion Obama, because other issues were considered more important for them (like the economy, health care, punishing Bush and the Republicans for the war…) As misguided as their vote may seem to me, it does become an issue of conscience and prioritizing one’s values. (continued…)
Published by: Catholic
C 11/21/2008 06:03 PM EST
“For know you this and understand: that NO fornicator or unclean or covetous person (which is a serving of idols) has inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words.”-Ephesians 5:5-6.
Unclean has also been people from whom semen issued outside of the marriage act: “The man that has an issue of seed, shall be unclean.”-Leviticus 15:2. Therefore, every masturbation is uncleanness and due to that mortal sin, no masturbator can be saved without repentance (which includes stopping masturbation) and what “no name” wrote about masturbation was gravely untrue. “And if the blind lead the blind, both fall into the pit.”-Matthew 15:14.
Published by: Nancy M.
Valley Stream, New York USA 11/19/2008 08:05 PM EST
"Pro Life - Obama is more so than McCain. Obama wants to bring our troops home - McCain wants to prolong and deversify our military potential abroad" This is a common miscconception in my opinion. Obama and McCain BOTH want to bring troops out of Iraw when "conditions on the ground are right" . Also ,Obama has repeatedly spoken of intensifying the war in Afghanistan. Only very early in the nominatiaon, Obama said he would withdraw the troops almost immediately. Meanwhile, abortion is not political talk, it's an ongoing fact
Published by: Catholic
C 11/19/2008 03:44 PM EST
No one is allowed to be obedient to superior if superior orders sin.
Because it is written “Him (note: The Lord) only shall you serve.”-Matthew 4:10 (God orders no sin through any superior). And because St. Paul withstood St. Peter, his superior, to the face when St. Peter, the first pope, walked not according to the truth of The Gospel-Galatians 2:11-14. Therefore, such obedience unfortunately doesn't save but condemns Fr. Scott Newman.
Published by: Jeff Wynne
Quakertown, PA 11/19/2008 06:04 AM EST
As a person who watched the last 34 years go by with the scandal of almost complete negligence on the abortion issue at Sunday Mass in terms of prayer petitions and homilies, I began to question seriously the Real Presence of the Holy Eucharist. In this last year, I see a real turnaround by clergy that is long overdue. Please pray for people like me who could so easily lose their faith in the Holy Eucharist due to NOT hearing from the pulpit about the gravity of the sin, which implies a de-facto belief that complicity in intrinsic evil on such a scale is NOT grave.
Published by: no name
dixon/ca/95620 11/19/2008 05:25 AM EST
good grief people! Stop trying to figure out who has committed mortal sin and who hasn't! You're obsessed! The Scriptures tell us that only God looks on the heart, man can only see the outside. There is no way any human can look at another human's soul and determine if they are in sanctifying grace or not!! As you should all know, mortal sin is a combination of at least three elements, and culpability is often reduced or mitigated due to complicating factors. For instance: masturbation is technically a grave sin, but due to the factor of addiction the culpability is often mitigated because the will was not entirely free. That is just an example!!! Take the speck out of your own eye... look to yourself, and stop trying to figure out if politicians, your fellow parishioners and neighbors, let alone priests like Fr. Newman, have committed mortal sin. Good grief!! please... dare I say, get a life?
Published by: stanley
Philadelphia, PA, US 11/19/2008 12:39 AM EST
It is becoming a bit troubling that so much is being made about Obama's support of abortion. Bill Clinton, John Kerry, all supported abortion. Joe Biden supports abortion. Is there something else going on here? Is there something we are not being told? Is Obama's race a factor in the vengeance with which this issue is being pursued? Those Catholics who voted for him did so for reasons other than supporting abortion. May be they did so in good conscience not out of malice. I don't support abortion. I did not vote and I am not sure that I would have voted for Obama, but I am beginning to get a bit worried that more than doctrine may be at stake in the way some clerics are going about this Obama thing. In fact looking at this priest's defense, one can easily see that it is suspect. Knowingly or not, he supports Obama's opponent as the as the plausible anti-abortion candidate, judges the conscience of those who voted for Obama, as to whether they voted for him in support of his abortion agenda. He actually told people to cooperate with the president "where conscience permits." That's amazing! We don't have a dictatorship where the president dictates to people what to do or not to do. Let us resist the evil of abortion, but let us pray for and respect the office of the president.
Published by: leigh
rock hill,sc 11/18/2008 08:39 PM EST
I've known father newman for years. He is a brilliant,genial, holy priest. He was an atheist who converted to Christ through the witness to the Gospel of JPII. I'm sure he prepared his parishioners well for his letter. Also,he himself said that his intended audience was HIS congregation and that as is common, he didn't spend an inordinate amount of time on the letter due to deadlines. He preaches the gospel in season and out of season. He was thrown under the bus and silenced. I'm sure his 2nd statement reflects obedience to superiors. Obedience in all things.
Published by: Mark
Cincinnati, OH 11/18/2008 05:35 PM EST
It is sad to see another church leader, Monsignor Laughlin running from the truth. My question is when they come for his church/parishioners what will he do. Run like a scared rabbit. Every loyal Catholic should support Fr. Newman. We must stand up and defend the truth and our leaders such as Father Newman who have the guts to proclaim the truth. I will pray for Fr. Newman to continue his proclamation of the truth and for Monsignor Laughlin I will pray for his retirement.
Published by: Catholic
C 11/18/2008 05:27 PM EST
Sadly, Fr. Jay Scott Newman succumbed to the pressure and is like those who after threats to their lives offered sacrifices to heathen "gods" and betrayed the one and only God: The Holy Trinity.
Because while his initial letter was true his defense in the newspapers was gravely untrue: because everyone must be denied Holy Communion because of politics or anything else if by his politics or anything else he ANYHOW supports abortion or there is another grave violation of Catholic faith or morals done by his politics or anything else. According to the facts presented by media Fr. Scott Newman committed mortal sin by his gravely untrue defense. “For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it. ”-Matthew 16:25. All who voted for Obama while not knowing for whom they vote supported abortions by supporting a man who supports abortions and omitted to inform themselves while they were able and obliged to do that. Therefore, they committed two mortal sins, the second one of a grave omission (“To him therefore who knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin.”- James 4:17). “And if the blind lead the blind, both fall into the pit.”-Matthew 15:14. Hope that these people will see the truth and repent.
Published by: seeker
wilmington, de 11/18/2008 05:10 PM EST
Our vice-president elect should therefore by excommunicated but has not been refused communion by neither the previous nor current bishop. Joe Biden regularly attends mass and receives
communion. Where is the moral and religious clarity that Catholics seek from our leaders? "Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication. Heretic: A baptized and professed person who denies or doubts a truth revealed by God or proposed for belief by the Catholic Church is a heretic. Can. 1364 §1 An apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication, without prejudice to the provision of Can. 194 §1, n. 2; a cleric, moreover , may be punished with the penalties mentioned in Can. 1336 §1, nn. 1, 2 and 3 (Code of Canon Law). Any Catholic who supports intrinsically evil acts (abortion, euthanasia, cloning, same-sex marriage, etc), votes for them, or otherwise financially supports or furthers their cause, cannot remain Catholic. Catholics must adhere to Catholic teaching or they separate themselves from the Church; the Body of Christ. Such Catholics are excommunicated by virtue of the acts themselves. A latae sententiae (automatic) excommunication is triggered when they support, enable, and perpetuate such obvious and egregious evil (Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canons 1364, 1398; Canon 1329, §2). They are in turn forbidden from approaching the sacraments as the result (Cf. Catechism of Catholic Church # 1463)."
Published by: Ed McElhaney
Moab, Utah 11/18/2008 04:13 PM EST
Good for Fr. Newman. It is too little too late though. The US Bishops put the nail in the coffin for McCAin when they wrote their Fathiful citizen voting guide. It did nothing but PURPOSELY confuse anyone that read it. It said nothing about purdential issues, like the war, capital punishment, etc. versus Intrinsicly evil issues like Gay marriage a Abortion. Shame on the US Bishops. They will receive the blame when Mr Obama signs the Freedom of Choice ACT as he said he would do.
God help the defenseless unborn babies.
Published by: Kate
Illinois 11/18/2008 01:21 PM EST
The argument that to be truly pro-life you have to oppose the war is a simple "lesser of two evils" argument. Very few Catholic priests agree with the war in Iraq (and I'm sure Fr. Newman is the same).
But it is the difference between an unjust war that has killed many and the fact that our nation LEGALLY MURDERS 50 MILLION of its own people. Any pro-life person knows that it is more important to ensure the life of the helpless in this situation.
Published by: Dennis Dreyer
Fennville/Michigan/USA 11/18/2008 09:56 AM EST
To: GT
Santa Ana, Ca. In all wars fought by the US, we have lost less than a million lives. This is over a 400 year period and mostly lives of citizens fighting for principles they believed. Since the passage of Roe v. Wade, 50 million innocent children have been killed with the justification of "legal" abortion. Do you see a difference?
Published by: Jay Heathman
Alabama 11/18/2008 09:36 AM EST
It IS a shame that the good priest now feels the need to back down and jump through Wilton's Democrat Hoops; if anyone has not yet read Father Zatalava's comments, please do so. he points out rightly that a solitary Confession will in no way permanently absolve from the material cooperation in ongoing, daily murder of the innocents, enabled by every so-called Catholic who cast a vote for the emissary of death...
Published by: Anneg
Cary, NC 11/18/2008 08:07 AM EST
To Concerned Catholic, Jesus did not call us to accept every kind of evil behavior. We are called to love the sinner and hate the sin. Fr Newman, by calling his parishioners to examine their behavior in the light of the teaching authority of the Church. He was not going to ask who you voted for when you went for communion. Fr Newman is both teaching and pastoring. Part of the problem with Catholics in the US is that we can't tell the difference between being pleasant and being holy and there is a difference. Anneg in NC
Published by: James L
Charleston 11/18/2008 07:42 AM EST
The unfortunate truth is that the Administrator did NOT email Fr Newman supporting him. The diocesan PR guy shot his mouth off and had to be reprimanded. Newman was wrong because his statement gave no room for consciences that voted for Obama, not because they supported him on abortion, but because they did not support McCain on other issues. This is morally allowed in the Church. Since all this has come up, Fr Newman has attempted to turn it into part of his campaign to be made a bishop and to embarrass the administrator, who he despises.
Published by: John70
Yoncalla Or. U.S.A. 11/18/2008 01:25 AM EST
Did I read that they have no Bishop in Father Newmans' diocese??? It looks to me that Rome needs to look no farther!
Published by: Lois
Hawaii, USA 11/18/2008 12:37 AM EST
Please pass to Fr. my prayers and support of his actions.
As for Jamaiaca in NY...you are missing the point, and that makes me think you voted for obama? because he is against the war? Babies first my dear, you are polluting the abortion issue...is that to satisfy your guilt for pro-abortion polliwags?
Published by: Baby Rose
IL USA 11/18/2008 12:10 AM EST
Obama prolife ??Ridiculous! By his every word and deed he stands convicted.
His administration will remove all current restrictions on abortion through FOCA and fund them through Medicare with taxpayers money. Health providers will be forced to comply regardless of conscience issues. Parents will no longer be notified and babies who survive botched abortions will receive no assitance. That's a great way to protect & defend the most vulnerable & defenselss citizens of the Nation. We will ALL have blood on our hands.
Published by: JN
SC 11/18/2008 12:07 AM EST
Listening to the video of Monsignor Laughlin reading his statement, I don't hear much of the much-touted "rebuke" and moreover detect a bit of emphasis in the sentence "Father Newman's statements do not \adequately\ reflect the Catholic Church's teaching". While I applaud his boldness, I have to admit that Father Newman could have crafted a more precise and self-contained statement. He failed to note that under certain conditions the indirect and undesired cooperation with evil would not be a sin, for example acting under coercion, being blamelessly ignorant, or sincerely believing that getting Obama out of the Senate was the only possible way to respect the five million or so US children likely to be killed over the course of four years. I think he could have both outlined the Principle of Double Effect in plain language and restated (as Monsignor Laughlin put it) "the Catholic Church's clear moral teaching on the evil of abortion". The email he sent to the AP reporter (who later wrote a completely contradictory "No Communion for Obama voters" headline could have been crafted with idiot-proof bullet points. But we can't always speak perfectly; we're only human. (P.S. The AP article somehow managed to omit the part of Father Newman's letter where he refers to the "extraordinarily gifted man" who "will hold legitimate authority in this nation"...)
Published by: John
Spokane,WA USA 11/17/2008 11:39 PM EST
Any who wish to follow in the footsteps of Christ and be called a Christian cannot look the other way on abortion. This reminds me of what was done with Jews in Nazi Germany. Many looked the other way. The Catholic church should be perfectly clear in its teachings on this subject. The church's guidelines on voting are at best confusing. If one votes following a well-formed conscience, how is that different from moral relativism. We all think we have a well-formed conscience, yet look at the confusion among the faithful.There is a split in the church...actually many of them. Again, the church must be crystal clear about doctrine, natural law, and voting.
Published by: Paul Bradford
Belmont/MA/USA 11/17/2008 09:51 PM EST  Rate: Regular
TRUTH: Voting for abortion is a mortal sin.
HALF-TRUTH: A vote for Obama is a vote for abortion. REALITY: There are several approaches to the problem of how to reduce abortions. Obama believes his approach (education, support for mothers, improved health care) will work better than the approach that has been tried unsuccessfully by presidents for 27 of the past 35 years(attempting to get Roe v Wade overturned). QUESTION: If there really ARE fewer abortions under Obama than there were under Bush, do you suppose that Fr. Newman will apologize for criticizing those of us who voted for Obama? I'm not a parishioner at St. Mary's, but Fr. Newman's comments were directed at me as much as anyone. I read beneath the headline, so I knew he wasn't threatening to deny me the Eucharist but I certainly understood that he was accusing me of material cooperation with intrinsic evil. Rev. Jay Scott Newman is wrong about that. He owes me an apology I'll never get.
Published by: Mark
Portland, Oregon USA 11/17/2008 09:33 PM EST
From Monsignor Martin Laughlin's statement:
‘Sometimes God’s truth, as is the Church’s teaching on abortion, is unpopular. All Catholics must be aware of and follow the teachings of the Church.’ Where is the urgency and passion on the part of the U.S. Bishops and hierarchy to constantly try to persuade the 80 to 90+ percent of U.S. Catholics that they are participating in another "inherent evil" in using or supporting the use of artificial contraception? I would never suggest a moral equivalence between abortion and contraception, however: Could it be that the U.S. Church hierarchy privately disagrees with the HV of Pope Paul VI on this point (just as did the Pope's own commission)? The only alternative that I see, is that the Bishops and hierarchy are reluctant to persue such a deeply unpopular (though presumably morally required!) mission with Catholic lay-persons. Hm......
Published by: frjimt
pocono pines, pa 11/17/2008 07:07 PM EST
me thinkest that our Monsignor Laughlin seeks after a mitre rather than a crown of thorns.
once again, the old addage proves true: we may have a shortage of priests, but we seldom have a shortage of bishops.
Published by: Jack
NY 11/17/2008 05:22 PM EST
How people treat other people is the Church's business to intervene, not what this passing world thinks.
Published by: Dan in Calgary
Calgary Alberta Canada 11/17/2008 04:26 PM EST
My prayers are for Father Newman as he wades his way around the swamp of carefully-worded platitudes, denials, clarifications and reservations of those who are not prepared to confront head-on the real moral issues of our times.
Dan in Calgary
Published by: Concerned Catholic
Raleigh/NC/USA 11/17/2008 03:49 PM EST Rate: Bad
This Father's decree stands in stark rejection to the teachings of Jesus Christ. We will all be judged for our rejection of God's people. Of course a Catholic Church in South Carolina would take such a stance. This is such an embarrassment to the Catholic faith.
Published by: Victor R. Claveau
Angels Camp, CA 11/17/2008 03:39 PM EST Rate: Excellent
See CCC 2258, 2261, 2272. CCC 1463 - Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication.
Heretic: A baptized and professed person who denies or doubts a truth revealed by God or proposed for belief by the Catholic Church is a heretic. Can. 1364 §1 An apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication, without prejudice to the provision of Can. 194 §1, n. 2; a cleric, moreover , may be punished with the penalties mentioned in Can. 1336 §1, nn. 1, 2 and 3 (Code of Canon Law). Any Catholic who supports intrinsically evil acts (abortion, euthanasia, cloning, same-sex marriage, etc), votes for them, or otherwise financially supports or furthers their cause, cannot remain Catholic. Catholics must adhere to Catholic teaching or they separate themselves from the Church; the Body of Christ. Such Catholics are excommunicated by virtue of the acts themselves. A latae sententiae (automatic) excommunication is triggered when they support, enable, and perpetuate such obvious and egregious evil (Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canons 1364, 1398; Canon 1329, §2). They are in turn forbidden from approaching the sacraments as the result (Cf. Catechism of Catholic Church # 1463).
Published by: G Gomer
bonner springs ks 11/17/2008 03:37 PM EST
We need more priest like Fr. Newman. He has guts just like Jesus.
Published by: Douglas Cook
Madison, AL 11/17/2008 03:31 PM EST
Good for Father Newman! Professing our faith and protecting the unborn in the public square Father Newman is the perfect example of a true Defender of the Faith. We need more bishops with the courage of Fr. Newman.
Re: Msgr. Laughlin so much for being a soldier of Christ!
Published by: Georgia
Cooper City, Florida 11/17/2008 03:02 PM EST
What the Bishps (most of them) do not tell the "folks" is that what constitutes remote cooperation. Had they explained that many Catholic would get it. The Bishops are not fully teaching the right way. Fr. Scott Newman is on target and ready to defend the church's teachings. The Msgr. is trying to be plicially correct. The Apostles were put to death for the faith - the Bishops have a lot to answer for in the end..they are losing the sheep and left the gate open. Woe to them! Pray for them. For our Church.
Published by: Eileen Doyle
Largo, Fl., USA 11/17/2008 02:31 PM EST
Hurray for the clergy supporting Fr. Newman. Shame on the Diocese and Msgr. Laughlin. Obama has signed legislation clearly stating that it is ok to kill a baby. You so called catholics that have rationalized your bent on the Democratic Platform do approve of abortion so go to another church. We Roman Catholics follow the teachings of Pope Benedict and the Magisterium and are willing to stand up and be counted. Abortion is a MORTAL SIN. Are you standing?
Published by: Roger Smith
Tampa, FL, USA 11/17/2008 02:25 PM EST Rate: Bad
The headline was NOT a twist of the meaning of Newman's statement if his statement is accurate in this report. Considering all the problems we have in the world, INCLUDING GLOBAL WARMING BY HUMAN BEINGS, I find it repugnant that the catholic church continues to espouse a position contrary to nature and contrary to the best interests of this country and, indeed, the entire world. Shame on them!!
Published by: GT
Santa Ana, Ca. USA 11/17/2008 02:16 PM EST Rate: Regular
Pro Life - Obama is more so than McCain. Obama wants to bring our troops home - McCain wants to prolong and deversify our military potential abroad. Bringing home fathers and future fathers is far more Pro Life.
Published by: NGJ
Seattle 11/17/2008 02:13 PM EST
Just as our nation has enemies within so our Roman Catholic Church has enemies from within. Distortion by the media is one thing. They are seldom our friend. But rash judgement by fellow priests on this matter works against Church teachings against abortion. No wonder many of our young people are not living out the Faith. Confusion reigns! I appreciate Fr. Newman and his courage. We need more like him!
Published by: Frank
Jamaica, NY, USA 11/17/2008 01:46 PM EST Rate: Bad
Is this priest also pro war because that's what you get from John McCain. First let them born then send them to die in Iraq.
Published by: doug broderick
Papillon, NE 11/17/2008 01:42 PM EST Rate: Excellent
The U.S. bishops should be in support of the Priest! The Monsignor had no backbone when confronted and it shows how there is little support from the US hierarchy. I'd back the priest in a heart beat!
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