I put the blame squarely on the local Pastors.
A surprising outcome among so-called
Catholics
Rafael Rios
I am currently involved in gathering signatures towards the
state constitutional amendment in Massachusetts to recognize marriage as being
only between one man and one woman.
I am currently
involved in gathering signatures towards the state constitutional amendment in
Massachusetts to recognize marriage as being only between one man and one
woman.ı
One would think
that all your family and friends (at least the Catholic ones) would be
supporting you in this endeavor. Right? Well, think again.
Sadly, I am
beginning to find that volunteering to do this kind of work is a good way to
easily lose friends and distance relatives.
Let me give you
an example. Last night I drove to a friendıs house to get his and his
wifeıs signatures (they had consented in advance). We talked for a while before
I presented the form to sign. She was somewhat skeptical about signing
it, but he was all for it. One thing led to another and the issue of
abortion came up. What I heard from the ³Catholic" lady of the house
was unreal.
Although she
would not have an abortion herself, she said, she saw nothing wrong with
another woman having an abortion. It is a womanıs right to choose, she
stated. She conceded that the unborn is ³probably² a baby by the eighth
month of pregnancy or so, but that in the early stages it is only a
fetus, is only ³kind of² a baby.
Needless to say,
she heard back some truths she was not prepared to hear.
And so, neither
signed the marriage petition.
I put the blame
for this womanıs preposterous position squarely on the local Pastors, and
ultimately on Archbishop OıMalley.
I have written
to Archbishop OıMalley telling him that our church never mentions abortion,
never prays for the unborn, and always has the same theme in our prayers:
Peace, The Poor, and Tolerance.
One of the
priests is a big Red Sox fan, so the subject of the pennant race, world
championship, etc, does find its way into the sermons. But never
abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, human embryonic stem cell research,
cloning, adultery, and all the other moral teachings of the Church.
The
Archbishopıs reply through his secretary states in his second paragraph:
³Archbishop OıMalley has been very clear in his
homilies and in many public statements that as Catholics we are called to
respect life, to pray and work for an end to abortion, and to defend the
definition of marriage as the vowed union of one man and one woman.²
Well, he may be
clear in his homilies, but his subordinate Pastors are not listening.
Archbishop OıMalley should direct his Pastors to follow his lead. A
courageous leader would have done so already.
Iım still
waiting for a priest to say even once that a Catholic who supports 'a womanıs
right to choose' commits a mortal sin, and that furthermore, a Catholic who
publicly supports abortion is not a Catholic and should not receive the
Sacrament of Communion. Iım also still waiting for a priest to state that
marriage is between one man and one woman and anyone who practices or even
promotes same-sex marriage separates oneself from communion with the Church.
I will not hold
my breath.
Comments to Rios@OurLadysWarriors.org
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