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Title: Another Catholic pastor labels voting for Obama a sin
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URL Source: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/56697.html
Published: Nov 30, 2008
Author: Modesto Bee
Post Date: 2008-11-30 20:15:04 by Yellow Cake
Keywords: None
Views: 399
Comments: 14
Parishioners of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Modesto have been told they should consider going to confession if they voted for Barack Obama, because of the president-elect's position condoning abortion. "If you are one of the 54 percent of Catholics who voted for a pro-abortion candidate, you were clear on his position and you knew the gravity of the question, I urge you to go to confession before receiving communion. Don't risk losing your state of grace by receiving sacrilegiously," the Rev. Joseph Illo, pastor of St. Joseph's, wrote in a letter dated Nov. 21. The letter was sent to more than 15,000 members of the St. Joseph's parish. It is one of 34 parishes in the Stockton Diocese, which has more than 200,000 members in Stanislaus, San Joaquin and four other counties. Illo also delivered this message in a homily. Obama's support of abortion rights angered many Catholics nationally during the campaign, and Illo's letter, while the first in Central California from a priest to his parishioners on the topic, is not the first nationally. A Greenville, S.C., priest told parishioners earlier this month that those who voted for Obama risked placing themselves "outside of the full communion of Christ's church" by their vote. That priest's action was supported by his diocese, the Diocese of Charleston, S.C., which said the priest was simply asserting church teaching. But the Most Rev. Stephen Blaire, bishop of the Stockton, Calif., Diocese, said he disagrees with Illo. He said Catholics should not feel compelled to disclose how they voted to their priest. Blaire said Catholics who carefully weighed many issues and settled on a candidate, such as Obama, who was supportive of abortion rights, were not in need of confession. He said confession would be necessary "only if someone voted for a pro-abortion or pro-choice candidate -- if that's the reason you voted for them." "Our position on pro-life is very important, but there are other issues," Blaire said. "No one candidate reflects everything that we stand for. I'm sure that most Catholics who voted were voting on economic issues. "There were probably many priests, and I suspect many bishops, who voted for Obama." Illo's letter states, "Many Catholics voted for such pro-abortion candidates thinking that their good positions on other issues, such as the war or health care, outweighed their deplorable stand on abortion." Illo also wrote that Obama "promised Planned Parenthood that the first thing he would do upon taking office is to sign the so-called 'Freedom of Choice Act,' which would grant unlimited access to abortion in all 50 states up until the moment of live birth." Illo, in an interview Wednesday, explained his reasoning. "In Catholic teaching, you have to go to confession when you have committed a mortal sin," he said. "Now, what is a mortal sin? It's somewhat complex. No one can say, 'You committed a mortal sin.' I can only say, 'It's a grave matter.' It's my job to look after my parishioners. "I've gotten a lot of e-mails and phone calls. It's about 12-to-1 in favor of what I said. One person has left the parish. But I got all of these other positive things." Across the country, Obama's nomination and campaign was divisive for many Catholics. Many priests and church officials sermonized against him because of his stance on abortion, as they did four years ago when Democratic John Kerry challenged President Bush. There were Catholic-inspired anti-Obama videos on YouTube regarding the issue. In a story published in October in the Chicago Tribune, Joe Scheidler, president of the Pro-Life Action League, said it was hypocritical for any Catholic to vote for Obama -- even if they agreed with his positions on other health care topics. "There are a lot of ways you can solve poverty and all these other issues," Scheidler said. "But abortion is the taking of a human life, and the church is very strict on that. Any involvement in abortion is not just a sin, it's an excommunicable sin. This is serious business."
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#1. To: Yellow Cake (#0)
Cat-licks are so screwed up - too funny. Thanks for the post of confirmation.
New England 'cat-licks' went for Obama in overwhelming numbers...they don't give a rat's behind about life issues. See also: Kennedy, Ted...number of times re-elected by 'cat-lick' majority. My Catholic in-laws are going to love hearing about 'cat-licks'...ROTF!
Once again, all religions suck. Some suck more than others, some suck like a galaxy-sized black hole. "Cat-licks" are one of those that I personally feel suck a lot worse than most. Then again, let's face it, any of the desert religions that come from that miserable hell-hole called the Middle East are terminally screwed in the head. Heat stroke does that to people's brains. "It's believable because it's unbelievable", "it requires faith to understand, thus proving how true it is", "it's black because it's white", "it's up because it's down".... feh. Pernicious nonsense, twaddle and humbug. Unsolvable puzzles for obsessive- compulsives to fritter their lives away on. Permanent spankings for those who need to be told how bad they are. Utter and complete toxic waste, all of it.
#2. To: lodwick (#1)
Remember...G-d saved more animals than people on the ark. www.siameserescue.org
#3. To: who knows what evil (#2)
 | Teaching Others In The ONLY Way They EVER Learn! |
#4. To: Elliott Jackalope (#3)
pretty polly your guess is about right...
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
#5. To: Dakmar (#4)
Fight the power!
#6. To: Elliott Jackalope (#3)
Nice, very nice. Thanks.
Then again, let's face it, any of the desert religions that come from that miserable hell-hole called the Middle East are terminally screwed in the head. Heat stroke does that to people's brains. "It's believable because it's unbelievable", "it requires faith to understand, thus proving how true it is", "it's black because it's white", "it's up because it's down".... feh. Pernicious nonsense, twaddle and humbug. Unsolvable puzzles for obsessive- compulsives to fritter their lives away on. Permanent spankings for those who need to be told how bad they are. Utter and complete toxic waste, all of it.
#7. To: Dakmar (#4)
Sounds to me like an out-take from Deliverance...but interesting.
#8. To: lodwick (#7)
Authentic sound, it's the visuals that throw most folks.
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
#9. To: Yellow Cake (#0)
While I don't endorse Catholicism, I believe this priest was correct in standing by his principles on the matter, not to mentionbiblical teachings. Besides, without life, none of the other stuff means anything.
#10. To: Elliott Jackalope (#3)
I believe churches are ridiculous in their 'do do' and 'don't do' malarky. Virtually all their malarky is man-made gobbly de goop, and not Christs teachings. They make christianity out to be something horrific, sad sacks and sour pusses wanting to inspect your fruit(s).
Permanent spankings for those who need to be told how bad they are.
#11. To: rowdee (#10)
........AND to take your money for "God." (As if God needs it)
Virtually all their malarky is man-made gobbly de goop, and not Christs teachings. They make christianity out to be something horrific, sad sacks and sour pusses wanting to inspect your fruit(s)..........
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition SILENT RUNNING 
"Corporation: An entity created for the legal protection of its human parasites, whose sole purpose is profit and self-perpetuation." ~~ IndieTx
#12. To: Yellow Cake, All (#0)
Once again, I kept reading when I should have stopped right there. But noooooo, I couldnt do that. I suppose a pro-war asshat like mcnuts would have been a better choice. I suppose Christ would have approved of voting for him, since mcfruitcake is such a stellar pro-lifer. McFruity for pope! When will these nutcases get it thru their thick skulls that is matters not at all who they vote for, Roe V Wade is not going anywhere. Unbelievable. These religious blind guides make me sick.
"If you are one of the 54 percent of Catholics who voted for a pro-abortion candidate, you were clear on his position and you knew the gravity of the question, I urge you to go to confession before receiving communion. Don't risk losing your state of grace by receiving sacrilegiously," the Rev. Joseph Illo, pastor of St. Joseph's, wrote in a letter dated Nov. 21.
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Nehemiah 4:14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”
#13. To: Elliott Jackalope (#3)
Since Religion is evil. It says love your neighbor. I guess it is ok to hate you?
#14. To: IndieTX (#11)
The money thing doesn't bother me.........after all God gave his son for me, so whats a few bucks. Problem with money is that people have come to worship it, rather than God. They don't come right out and say that, but its obvious by the way the live and breath finances. That said, I do believe folks should be giving for the right reason. There are monetary needs for ministries to continue to spread Gods word.......but most aren't as into that as they are in feathering their own nests and all sorts of funky financial dealings. But God sees that; and for those that are too gullible to see what is before their eyes, God will take care of the bad ones in the end. As for the savvy ones who buy into the bad ones, they're to be congratulated for using the grey mass that God gave them.
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