Pope opens synod, says keep God in public life - The Vatican and Abortion

[NNN0LHI]

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Pope opens synod, says keep God in public life

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict, opening the first major Church meeting since his election, said on Sunday that trying to keep God out of public life was "not tolerance but hypocrisy".

But discussion is expected on issues such as the shortage of priests, the decline in Mass attendance and whether Catholics who back abortion rights should be able to receive communion.

The U.S. Catholic community was divided last year over whether they should support presidential candidate John Kerry, himself a Catholic who supported abortion rights.

Some Catholics say they personally would not have an abortion but, in pluralistic societies such as the United States, feel obliged to support a woman's right to choose.

But the synod's working document says Catholics cannot back politicians who openly support abortion.

[DanCa]

1. They excommunicated me in the year 2000

for not taking pictures of woman entering abortion clinics. The local rc church wanted to put pictures of these women in the local paper as a way of scarlet lettering these w omen. I was so distraught I lost my voice for three days. Shortly afterwardward i w as dxd with young onset parkinsons. Nice world were living in isn't it.

[Nobody]

4. Have they ever excommunicated anyone over anything other than

the right to choose, contraception, ordination of women, or stem cell research? At least these days.

Why don't they excommunicate sex offenders who prey on children, politicians who call for war, business owners who lay people off so they can hire someone else for less than living wages?

Not long ago I went through the training to be an escort at a local clinic so people seeing the doctor do NOT have to have these clowns intimidating them.

Somehow being excommunicated by narrow minded fools doesn't seem to be necessarily a bad thing.

I hope stem cell research finds an effective cure soon.

[DanCa]

6. Thank you for being pro cure and if its okay

ill say a prayer and or send you white light for being an escort. I know personally how insane those creeps are. Danny.

[rpannier]

2. If they're concerned about mass attendance

what they're doing should alleviate their concerns. It will make it smaller.

[drduffy]

3. Remember. The Nazi pope is Jeb's buddy.

And Jeb is a neocon.

[ReadTomPaine]

5. Looks like Ratzi is already playing head inquisitor again.

So much for separation of church and state. I wonder how this will play in Western Europe.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

7. did pope RATz say catholics couldn't back death penalty politicians

if the church comes out and condemns an execution like they did when Tim McVeigh was executed does that mean catholic can't back any politician who supported it?

[CatholicEdHead]

8. Intresting points here

It sounds like the movement of "traditionalists" to try to kick out any "dissenters" is well underway (read comments under every story at http://cwnews.com for a feel of this mindset, sad and disgusting).

First:
""The type of tolerance which permits God as a private opinion but refuses to allow him in the public arena, is, in the reality of the world and our life, not tolerance but hypocrisy," he said in the homily before the bishops."

This cuts both ways depending on the issue (e.g. religous "left" issues), but here in the US it will not fly due to our overall secular Constitution. The risk of overreach is the long history where the Vatican supports (or pratically is) the government (e.g. Franco Spain, etc...). The Vatican likes to be in power.

"But the synod's working document says Catholics cannot back politicians who openly support abortion."

From my almost daily readings of Catholic World News, it is good news to those "tradionalists". They want their idological purge, yet the way the Abortion issue is framed it hurts in the eventual goal of minimizing abortions. Yet their narrow way of thinking (heavily borrowed from rethoric from some "born-again" Protastant sects). An intellectual discussion to weigh ALL options is pretty much impossible as it is their way or the highway. :( The tone of many of that side of the church (mainly the vocal ones) is that they want the church to themselves and no-one esle (e.g. Monaghan Ave-Maria city style).

"
"I hope the synod leads to a deeper appreciation of the Eucharist and what it means for us as a sacrament. We have to make sure we are faithful to that celebration on Sunday despite the cultural pressures against it," said Bishop William Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."

This frankly means that they want followers and nothing else. Just blind focus on the ceremonies inside the churches and no real push outside the walls. This downplays intellectualism and honest discussion of problems with all issues on the table. This is pushing the "pray and pay" style of Catholism of years past.

"Skylstad told Reuters he expected some talk on the shortage of priests but was not expecting any substantial discussion about the Church rule on priestly celibacy. Some groups believe the shortage could be eased if priests are allowed to marry."

Finally, this means that this issue is still realistically non-negotiable. Yet this is one of the most important issues the Church faces, yet the Vatican "Good Ole Boys" club is too scantimious to realize it.