The Archbishop of Kansas City, Joseph Naumann has told Governor Kathleen Sebelius that she should not present herself for Holy Communion until she has publicly repudiated her support for abortion rights. Archbishop Naumann announced this publicly in his diocesan newspaper The Leaven (Governor’s Veto Prompts Pastoral Action)This is not a rushed action on the part of the Archbishop. He has met with Governor Sebelius several times and written privately to her. As he says:
My concern has been, as a pastor, both for the spiritual well-being of the governor but also for those who have been misled (scandalized) by her very public support for legalized abortion.He concludes his message:
The spiritually lethal message, communicated by our governor, as well as many other high profile Catholics in public life, has been in effect: “The church’s teaching on abortion is optional!”May God bless Archbishop Naumann richly for this outstanding example of prudent and kindly pastoral leadership.
I reissue my request of the faithful of the archdiocese to pray for Governor Sebelius. I hope that my request of the governor, not to present herself for holy Communion, will provoke her to reconsider the serious spiritual and moral consequences of her past and present actions. At the same time, I pray this pastoral action on my part will help alert other Catholics to the moral gravity of participating in and/or cooperating with the performance of abortions.
8 comments:
Dear fr. Finigan,
the line about certain teachings being 'optional' or not - aside from the abortion-issue at hand - made me wonder about the question: is there anything at all in the Church's teaching that is optional? If so, how could we decide which is optional and which is not? Put differently: do you think that all Catholics should act and think the same about all things, and, if not, about which things should they? I understand that this is a bit off-topic, but its something I think about a lot. I agree with you and mr. Naumann that it is ever so easy to brush certain teachings aside that one doesn't like, by saying, "well, that's just optional". On the other hand, it is not clear to me what teachings are actually meant to be not optional...
I hope I'm being clear!
It is usually quite clear in the Catechism and other teaching documents of the Church what we are bound to believe and what we are bound to practice. That is the best guide to start with.
Dear fr. Finigan,
thanks for your reply. Of course, I am reading the Catechism and profiting from it. Additionaly I have the documents from Vatican II waiting on the shelf. Yet still I find it hard sometimes to wade my way through, trying to find an equilibrium between my (hopefully honest) consciousness and Church teaching, especially when confronted with the mass of opinions within and without the Church. Especially living in the Netherlands as I am, your blog is a good counterpoint - as I'm sure you'll understand.
Rejoice. Another bishop has found his "set" which was previously thought to have dropped off and rolled behind the couch. Hope springs eternal.
Thomas - I am glad you have already found the Catechism helpful. Sometimes people wade off into deeper waters without that essential point of reference.
More specifically, you could look at Ludwig Ott's "Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma". In the introduction, he explains "theological notes" and then for each thesis, he says whether it is "de fide", "sententia communis" etc.
Archbishop Naumann for Westminster?
Just a note to Thomas - when your conscience is informed (reading through and understanding Catholic Church teaching - the Catechism, lives of the Saints etc...) you find that over time your conscience transforms and conforms naturally to God's Word because inherently deep in our hearts we know what the Truth is. But, oh how the 'world' encourages us to fight against this! As you say Thomas, there is just so much 'opinion' about everywhere. Jesus never 'opinioned' about anything. Also remember St Augustines words 'my soul is restless until it it rests in Thee my God'. God Bless you in your honest search for Truth.
Hurrah of course to the good Archbishop - this is true pastoral leadership, fraternal correction and Christian Charity. It is all about guiding a soul back to the Truth and fearing God's judgment for NOT doing anything, more than fretting about the opinions (mostly wrong and politically correct) of others.
Fr. Finigan: thanks for the tip, I wasn't aware of this book; will try to get a look at it in time.
And George, thanks for the kind words. St. Augustine is special to me, not only because he also was a convert, but also because I very much recognized his restless soul. As fate would have it, I will be baptized in the St. Augustine church in Utrecht, The Netherlands, this summer. After a long and strenuous search, I'm very much looking forward to finally 'coming home'.
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