PM Paul Martin's Pastor Says:

[HagiaSophia]

The effervescent Fr. John Walsh continues to bubble up into the pages of a Canadian media ever eager to highlight the divisions in the Catholic Church. According to a Canadian Press story, Fr.Walsh, still preaching his dogmas of tolerance and love for violators of God’s laws on his weekly phone-in show on CJAD radio, said that no matter what the authorities in Rome may decide, Prime Minister Paul Martin is welcome to receive communion in his Christian Community.

One of the many issues being discussed at the international bishops’ synod in Rome that is making headlines is a possible decision to refuse Communion to what the 1983 Code of Canon Law calls “manifest grave” sinners, including politicians who support abortion, gay “marriage” and other Catholic non-negotiables.

As Paul Martin’s occasional parish priest at St. Jean de Brebeuf “Christian Community” (known to Catholics as a “parish,”) Fr. Walsh garners much attention for his periodic and very public declarations of dissent from Roman Catholic teaching, particularly in his displays of affection for the homosexual political agenda.
*“We can’t use the Eucharist as a time . . . to judge a person’s conscience by refusing them communion,” Rev. John Walsh told CJAD radio.

According to the Catholic Church, however, it is precisely the duty of a parish priest to make such judgments to avoid sacrilege and scandal. Fr. James Buckley, a consultant to American Life League said, “Prior to Vatican II priests were more conscious that the obligation of preventing public sinners from receiving communion rested on them. Today they hesitate…”

lifesite.net/ldn/2005/oct/05100502.html

 

[emsvetich]

Quoting from an article by George Cardinal Pell entitled The Inconvienient Conscience in FIRST THINGS:

"Nearly every theologian would agree with Newman that conscience is “a connecting principle between the creature and his Creator.” But while some see conscience as God’s invitation to embrace His law as free subjects, others see it as a radical call to personal freedom. Indeed, for many people today, the word “conscience” suggests not law at all, but the freedom to judge by our own personal resources and the right to act as we each think best—a rejection, in other words, of the need for morality and creed; a claim that I should be allowed to live as I choose.

Of course, this view is often dressed up with the claim that conscience is a special faculty that speaks to us, rather like an oracle, and it may even be elevated to the status of a doctrine: the “primacy of conscience.” But however it is presented, it stands in contrast to the view that conscience is instead simply the mind thinking practically and morally. We think well when we understand moral principles and apply them in clear and reasonable ways; we think badly when we ignore or reinvent moral principles, or apply them in ambiguous and unreasonable ways."

It is sad that some priests continue to preach dissent. This may be a result of post vatican ll misunderstandings or pushing the conscience argument to an extreme. I wonder what such priests will do if and when they are told that it is the Church’s way or the highway? It may be that our Church will be smaller in the future, but it will be stronger. There must be one clear message.

 

[Orionthehunter]

According to the Catholic Church, however, it is precisely the duty of a parish priest to make such judgments to avoid sacrilege and scandal. Fr. James Buckley, a consultant to American Life League said, “Prior to Vatican II priests were more conscious that the obligation of preventing public sinners from receiving communion rested on them. Today they hesitate…”

lifesite.net/ldn/2005/oct/05100502.html

I don’t want to have it percieved that I condone the effective schism promoted by this dissident priest. However, I do want to comment on the duty of the Priest to deny communion. I think that prior to such denying, the Priest must have done a few things first:

1. Preach the teaching about the consequences of recieving the Eucharist unworthily from the pulpit often and in clear terms such that poor catechesis is not a factor.
2. Have had personal and on-going private conversations with the person to ensure that they are defiant with full knowledge and consent.
3. Discuss the situation with the Bishop to insure that the Bishop is comfortable with the action adn to give him an opportunity to personally get involved.
4. And after all of the following are done and the person is warned that the Priest will deny him communion, then the Priest can exercise this responsibility.

My concern is that so many people have had catechesis that their understanding may be distorted. It is imperative that this process is handled with the tender heart of Jesus and isn’t felt as a condemnation or singling out unfairly. It is not our goal to drive people away from God but to bring them closer.

P.S. In addition to potentially reforming this person, there will be a benefit as those who held similar positions but less publicly will see the change and it may spread to the others.

 

[Mary1973]

I would like to ask this “priest” what he would do if a known prostitute presented herself for communion. Of course, she would have publicly stated that there was nothing wrong with her profession.