Communion For Obama Voters? Yes We Can!

Monsignor Repudiates Priest's Statement That Supporters Of Dem. May Not Take Communion Until Doing Penance

(AP)  A Roman Catholic South Carolina priest should not have told parishioners who voted for President-elect Barack Obama to refrain from taking Holy Communion because of his stance in support of abortion, the church's senior officer in the state said Friday.

"This past week, the Catholic Church's clear, moral teaching on the evil of abortion has been pulled into the partisan political arena," Monsignor Martin T. Laughlin, administrator of the Diocese of Charleston, said Friday in a statement posted on the diocese's Web site. Recent comments by the Rev. Jay Scott Newman, Laughlin wrote, "diverted the focus from the Church's clear position against abortion."

Earlier this week, Newman said in a letter to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion without first doing penance for voting for the Democrat.

"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.

"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."

However, Laughlin wrote that Newman's statements "do not adequately reflect the Catholic Church's teachings."

"Christ gives us freedom to explore our own conscience and to make our own decisions while adhering to the law of God and the teachings of the faith," Laughlin wrote. "Therefore, if a person has formed his or her conscience well, he or she should not be denied Communion, nor be told to go to confession before receiving Communion."

Newman told The Associated Press on Thursday his missive was not intended to be partisan.

"If the Republican candidate had been pro-abortion, and the Democratic candidate had been pro-life, everything that I wrote would have been exactly the same," he said.

Newman did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Friday.

[While Rev. Newman's original letter has been removed from the church's Web site, a Google cache version of it may be found here.]

Conservative Catholics criticized Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004 for supporting abortion rights, with a few Catholic bishops saying Kerry should refrain from receiving Holy Communion because his views were contrary to church teachings.

Four years later, many bishops spoke out on abortion more boldly, telling Catholic politicians and voters the issue should be the most important in deciding which candidate to back. Some church leaders said parishioners risked their immortal souls by voting for candidates who support abortion rights.

In their annual fall meeting, the nation's Catholic bishops vowed Tuesday to forcefully confront the Obama administration over its support for abortion rights.

According to national exit polls, 54 percent of Catholics chose Obama, who is Protestant. In South Carolina, which McCain carried, voters in Greenville County - traditionally seen as among the state's most conservative areas - went 61 percent for the Republican, and 37 percent for Obama.

[nursehope]

The Church should now be taxed...one way to clean up the deficit!

[barbaram99]

wHAT WOULD jESUS DO fATHER WHY hE SIT WITH THE 44TH PRESIDENT..cLEAN HOUSE DEAR..tHAT MEANS HANDS OFF THE CHILDREN..YER BE IN HELL FOR THAT. And if a woman has an abortion for health reasons it is none of yer business.

[barbaram99]

Who I vote for,it is none of the church''s busness. In America, we have sep of church and state. It is my business who I votrd for. As for my walk with God it is beween Him and me. Why pick on Obama who is to be President. Yer job father is to stand with our 44 president..clean yer yard before ye tell me to clean mine as the saying goes. Thank God we will have a new prestdent after 8 years of bush. Peace of Christ to ye and yers..

[blackyowe]

This priest feel threatened by abortions because he looks and acts so much like an infant! Grow up, get married and get a life! Stop telling normal folks what to do!

[jsd330]

I think the priest is republican, his man lost so now he is going to try to put his church members on a guilt trip. ziadora is right, that women are second class in the catholic church. Just make more babies , so we have more members.

I was baptized catholic, went to catholic grade school and could hardly wait to go to a public high school, so I could get away from the brainwashing.
It''s my choice how I think, if I am pro life or pro choice that is my choice not a churches. The only one I have to answer to is GOD. Those are our freedoms in the USA.

[my5200-2009]

Churches should stay OUT of politics - unless they want to pay taxes. This priest has involved his church in politics and should pay taxes.

[usclimey]

Plese stop with the dramatic''''s - such as (Obama would have been lynched) last time I checked the last lynching was over 150 years hello wake up!

Posted by scienceman1

Ted Koppel actually did a story on the last lynching in this country. It was on the Discovery Channel. When did it happen? April 1981 - NOT 150 years ago.

[differnet]

Look, if you disagree with the Catholic Church change denominations. There are hundreds of ways to experience Christianity. If our beliefs are imcompatible with Catholic teachings and rules, then simply change your beliefs. Heck, if it was good enough for Obama to change his church, why isn''t it good enough for you?

[scienceman1-2009]

Plese stop with the dramatic''s - such as (Obama would have been lynched) last time I checked the last lynching was over 150 years hello wake up!

[toolmangler-2009]

Without checks and balances all groups have it within themselves to become ''tyrannical'' in their area of influence, KKK, Black Panthers, mujahadein, Extremist of anytype, and the Church along with the Repugs and Dems

[toolmangler-2009]

Oh sure, religion is the only thing that kept the Republicans honest this past election...not!
Posted by ziadora at 06:10 PM : Nov 16, 2008



What do you think they would have done if there were no religious right to interfere with them. (Obama would have been lynched)

[ziadora]

I may be Catholic; I may have voted for Obama; I may believe in pro-choice. If such were true, believe me, no small man wearing a preacher collar is going to dictate terms to me regarding my religious acts. Stand aside, Father Newman, what I do and believe is between me and God.

Posted by ziadora at 04:30 AM : Nov 16, 2008
------------------------------

And you call yourself Catholic why?

Posted by deathofusa at 05:19 PM : Nov 16, 2008
------------------------------

Actually, I don''t anymore. Even though I was raised Catholic and went to an all-girls Catholic High School, I felt that the church was too chauvinistic, women were and still are treated as a second-class citizen, too let''s close our eyes to child molestation by our priests, too ***-is-only-for-procreation, too we-don''t-believe-in-birth-contol, too etc. I have one thing to say to the moron priests and Catholic church, stop trying to control women and their bodies!!!

[ziadora]

Oh sure, religion is the only thing that kept the Republicans honest this past election...not!

[toolmangler-2009]

They should tend their own business of saving souls and keep their noses out of politics!
Posted by karenbe111 at 05:57 PM : Nov 16, 2008




Even if its politics business to get rid of tthe Church? The only thing that keeps politics partially honest is the existance of the various religions. Lose one, and the other becomes a intolerable tyrant.

[toolmangler-2009]

Thats why I am a Baptist, I ask GOD directly for forgiveness before I take communion, I don''t ask Mary (although I respect her) to intercede with Jesus Who will intercede with GOD for me. Jesus told me (and you) what to do.

[karenbe111]

Whatever happened to separation of church and state? The Mormon, Evangelical, Baptist and Catholic churches continue to try to shape public policy. They should tend their own business of saving souls and keep their noses out of politics!

[deathofusa]

I may be Catholic; I may have voted for Obama; I may believe in pro-choice. If such were true, believe me, no small man wearing a preacher collar is going to dictate terms to me regarding my religious acts. Stand aside, Father Newman, what I do and believe is between me and God.
------------------------------------------------------
Posted by ziadora at 04:30 AM : Nov 16, 2008


And you call yourself Catholic why?

[deafgolf7]

Do you remember about Dark ago time. Most Christian and heretic were suffering, put fire and dead from Catholic did murder and kill who family dead is not catholic. In was dark ago time. And some still day are hide to people not know what day.

YOU need read "Alberto Rivera" it was very important, He was Ex Jesuit priest. I was read most catholic are white and black lie to world people%u2019s member catholic was not know priest and Nun%u2019s action sexual and did abortion. Most priest and Nun not show by admit. You need read Alberto Rivera book. Most catholic bishop and priest fool at people.

I m not stupid. why Catholic try look for good work and make pay attention of our church power. but white like. And Catholic priest and bishop is wolf to people%u2019s soul.

[deafgolf7]

Do you remember about Dark ago time. most christian and heretic was suffer, put fire and dead from Catholic did murder and kill who family dead is not catholic. In was dark ago time. and some still day are hide to people not know what day.

[deafgolf7]

YOU need read "Alberto Rivera" it was very important, He was Ex Jesuit priest. I was read most catholic are white and black lie to world people''''s member catholic was not know priest and Nun''''s action sexual and did abortion. most priest and Nun not show by admit. you need read Alberto Rivera book. most catholic bishop and priest fool at people.

I m not stupid. why why Catholic try look for good work and make pay attention of our church power. but white like. and Catholic priest and bishop are wolf to people''''s soul.