Can't the Church sue for this?

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kellie

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I have come across a web site through my browsing that has thoroughly disgusted me.

Here is the site

I clicked on a link through this site and found this

My question is, why can’t the Church place a ban on others using the term “Catholic”, and sue them for it.

This is NOT what the True Church teaches, condoms and homosexuality.

If these people don’t like the Church, why don’t they make their own and not use our name.
 
I didn’t go to the site you mentioned because if it disgusted you, then I’ll take your word for it and save myself some disgust. In general, it would be difficult for any religion to sue its wayward members. Pragmatically, what do you really gain? Likely the schismatic church doesn’t have anything of real value. Secondly, I don’t want a court of law to define the character of my faith. Finally, I don’t think one could copyright the word “Catholic.” It’s been around for too long. Prayer for their conversion is the best course of action. If the opportunity presents itself, evangelize them with the truth. The rest, well, The Holy Spirit has done a pretty good job defending the faith so far.
 
I suppose action could be brought under Canon Law, but also suppose no bishop has done so in order to deny these poseurs free publicity.
Can. 216 Since they share the Church’s mission, all Christ’s faithful have the right to promote and support apostolic action, by their own initiative, undertaken according to their state and condition. No initiative, however, can lay claim to the title ‘catholic’ without the consent of the competent ecclesiastical authority.
…
Can. 300 No association may call itself ‘catholic’ except with the consent of the competent ecclesiastical authority, in accordance with can. 312.
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tee
Not A Canon Lawyer
 
Kellie,

Like the other direct respondent, I did not click through to the site, preferring simply to take your word for it.

Christians are discouraged from filing lawsuits in civil court (I Corinthians 6). I doubt that the guilty parties would pay any attention to ecclesiastical court. Don’t worry, though; God will take care of them. Even if they escape Hell they will pay “to the last penny” in Purgatory. (The same applies to us, of course; let us not forget that.)
  • Liberian
 
Saw it, had enough.

They are not using the name of the Church. They are calling themselves Catholic which they are free to do even if they are not Catholic. In law sometimes it’s a fine line but freedom of speech always wins. They could have left “Catholic” out of their ad but they didn’t so that makes me think they are not truly Catholic. Sick.
 
Their argument that condoms should be allowed in order to stop the spread of AIDS…um, even if the Church could allow condom use, how would using condoms stop the spread of AIDS? If they’re good Catholics then they should only be having sex within marriage anyway. Since I’m sure they’re good Catholics, except for this one little bit of dissent…:rolleyes:

Anybody else get what I mean? They’re not after making condoms ligit, they want sex outside of marriage to be ligit. If I saw one of those posters saying that “Good Catholics Use Condoms” then I can’t say that I wouldn’t vandalize it in some way…like writing the Bible verse from Genesis or quoting the Catechism. I’d feel bad about it…sort of. I’d mention it in Confession, but the truth would be on that poster.
 
kellie said:
My question is, why can’t the Church place a ban on others using the term “Catholic”, and sue them for it.
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Probably because it is not a registered trademark. Lots of groups and organizations use the word Catholic. There are even religious denominations, such as the Old Catholic Church which supports female priests, homosexuality, birth control and open communion.
 
Dale_M said:
Probably because it is not a registered trademark. Lots of groups and organizations use the word Catholic. There are even religious denominations, such as the Old Catholic Church which supports female priests, homosexuality, birth control and open communion.
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Dale:

And the Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite which has NO relationship to either the Catholic Church or to the Traditional Anglican Communion (the group of anglican catholics that Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have been negotiating with for the last 12 years):
anglicaneducationcentre.net/

or the Anglican Catholic Church in Canada (TAC Canada)
zeuter.com/~accc/

Or the Anglican Catholic Church - The Name to be given to the TAC if it should ever unite with the Catholic Church as a Sui Iuris body in union with the See of Peter.

Your Brother in Christ, Michael
 
What a sad site. I see they are even bashing Catholic Answers.
 
Wow, thanks guys

I didnt realise there were so many organizations using the word Catholic, who arent really Catholic

Ive learnt heaps
 
From reading another thread over in the news forum, it would appear that members of this group (Catholics for a Free Choice) have now been excommunicated.

“The excommunication that Bishop Bruskewitz announced covered not only to Call to Action, but also to members of Catholics for a Free Choice, Planned Parenthood, the Hemlock Society, the Freemasons, and the Society of St. Pius X.”

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=1719507#post1719507
 
Yes, Bp Bruskewitz did excommunicate the members of those organizations, but his authority only extends to people who live in the diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska. Still, its a signal which people who live elsewhere should pay attention.
 
I hate how everyone nowdays is trying to change every little rule of the Church. When God gave Moses the 10 commandments, i doubt He would have changed them if someone didn’t want to follow one of them.
 
Sue them? Oh, heavens, that is all we need. Paul was pretty clear about what he thought about believers dragging each other to court. I agree with him.

If they start libeling the name of an individual, parish, diocese, or official arm of the Church, saying “Pope Benedict says such and so” or “The USCCB says such and so”, that might be a different story. It would be appropriate to sue for a retraction. As it is, they’re saying that they’ve been baptized in the Catholic Church, haven’t been formally ex-communicated, and they have their own idea of what good is. Legally, I don’t think there is much that could be done about that, anyway.
 
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