Update: Church says priest was wrong in Obama/Communion flap

Unfortunately, the Monsignor is wrong. We form our concience around the clear teachings of the Church, not independently of it. Voting for a pro-abortion politician when there is a viable pro-life choice available makes one complicit in the evil. In using the word viable, I mean that the pro-life politician is not supportive of an equal or greater evil. War and the death penalty can be evil acts (especially in this current environment), but not equally evil, as the Church considers the unborn as much a life as the born. With that understanding and belief about life, a Catholic sees that a holocaust is being committed in our country, with 50 million victims so far. I'd love to hear from the Vatican on this one.

Fr. Laughlin is clearly wrong and is in conflict with the teaching of John Paul II. Fr. Newman was clearly correct in carrying out his pastoral duty asking sinners to confess before receiving the blessed Sacrament. To knowingly give the blessed Sacrament to a known unrepentant sinner is a desecration of the Sacrament and very clearly outside the teaching of the entire 2000 year history of the Church. St. Paul is quoted as saying to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord while not in a state of grace brings condemnation of he who receives. A pastor of a flock cannot knowingly allow such actions without abdicating his calling to feed Christ's sheep. Supporting the murder of the most innocent and helpless of humanity is a mortal sin and separates one from Christ's family within the Church. God bless!

Fr. Joe

Father Newman was merely expressing the Catholic position on those who are complicit in evil. As for clergy being political, the very notion that they should not be political shows a profound lack of historical and theoligical understanding. Christianity is a political religion that must be expressed in the Public Square. If that means losing our charitable givings, then let it be damned. We have the most organized and most funded institutions in North America. Losing 20% of our income is nothing. As for losing people who are not serious about being Catholics, well, that might actually in the long term cause Catholicism to grown. People are longing for a coherent and purposeful worldview in the face of secular nihilism.

No friend, the Church is not going return to being nice and quiet. Oh no, this is just the beginning of the Church, both Catholic and Evangelical asserting its worldview.

I would invite you to read http://www.firstthings.com/ if you want to understand where priests like Newman is coming from. I'd bet you a $100 that he subscribes to it.

What planet does this angel of light come from with his condemnation of Catholic Obama supporters? Is he totally oblivious to the history of his church? The whole notion of Christianity is based on the salvation of sinners and "sinners" includes every living, breathing soul who ever walked the face of the earth. Unfortunately, we are so blinded by the sins of others that we can't see our own. Obama supporters are no more (or less) guilty of sin than McCain supporters. And while the sinless father is busy casting stones, he should reserve a few for himself. Get over it and move on.

I think Monsignor Martin T. Laughlin was wrong in not supporting his priest. Is it not that Catholics confess their sins before receiving communion? Jesus said that if we think it in our minds, we have already committed the sin. I believe that if we support someone or policies that do not honor the sanctity of life, it is like we committed the act ourselves. Someone once told me that we should look out for and observe potent ion problems before they are acted. How much more did we have to know when Obama said he will enact the FOCA, and he supports unrestricted abortions? Do we wait until he actually performs the act that he promised? btw: it is not only Obama, but many others in positions of authority. Gen. Douglas MacArthur once said: “History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline. There has been either a spiritual awakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster.” We should learn from that. As the old saying goes - The leaders usually represent the morality of the citizens. Are most of us murders? That is scary if it is true, and we all need to pray for everyone, including those in authority and ourselves, that Godly decisions are made.

27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians: 11:27-32

Father Newman is very blessed to stand up for the Word of God.

Does it matter at all that Republicans haven't done a thing but talk about ending abortions? They have appointed 7 of 9 Sp Ct Justices, and completely controlled government for the first six years of Bush's administration...and we have as many abortions now as when the Republicans first put the issue in their party platform in the mid-1970s. The greatest decrease in abortions since Row happened during the Clinton administration, and Democrats (including Obama) have been focused on actually tackling the underlying issues that cause women to choose abortions. It might feel good and self-righteous to talk about Roe, but it does little to actually address the problem.____And I'm not even going to start on the effect on "Life" of this ill-begotten and totally unjust war (using the Catholic criteria for just war) or the GOP's decision to block Democratic efforts to expand healthcare coverage for children...it seems to me there are an awful lot of white washed tombs participating in this debate!__

So did the Rev. Jay Scott Newman say that by receiving Communion, McCain supporters "drink and eat their own condemnation," because the Senator supports a illegal, immoral war in Iraq?
It disturbs me when those who oppose abortion rights support war. Are the lives of children (born and unborn) killed in Iraq & Afganistan any less sacred than those in the United States?
What happened to the "seamless garment" doctrine? If life is sacred then it is always sacred not just when it's in the womb.

I had always understood that the RC church expected everyone to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to receiving Communion, regardless of circumstances.