Good will to all men? Not from the grumpy atheists! (Thank God not all atheists are grumpy but there sure seems to be a lot of them)
Why is it that so many in the atheist community cannot bring themselves to get past their anger whenever they engage in discussions? The language of many of their contributions in public debate is laced with invective and dripping with sarcasm and bile. There are exceptions of course, but they tend to fall more into the category of being the 'exception that proves the rule' when compared to the hostility of many of today's atheist posters. Comment offered by the theists in the public square is often depicted as being 'malicious' or 'venomous' and intended to enslave the 'feeble minded and weak' by those who post. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venom is something that is oriented to death. Christians are oriented in a 180 degree different direction. We speak not to the culture of death that grips our world but rather for the culture of life and light which ends with the gift of eternal life. For example, the Catholic Church in its hum...
I was surprised that abortion prior to this pronouncement could not be forgiven in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Are there any other forms of sin, particularly killing, that merits such a sanction? Would a person who was the administrator of capital punishment be automatically excommunicated. Would those who took part in an unjust war be denied reconciliation? Timothy McVeigh killed scores of innocent people, including children, in Oklahoma and he was given the Sacrament of Reconciliation just before he was executed. Is this a double standard?
ReplyDeleteMichael: Double standard? Maybe. But it's more of an acknowledgement of the particular gravity of abortion as being the killing of an innocent life denied even the grace of baptism. But this seems to me to be kind of a 'dog bites man' story since I don't know of a diocese where priests are not already given this authority when they receive their faculties in ordination. Perhaps it's different in other parts of the world but it will have no effect or change in Canada or the rest of the 1st world states.
DeleteFr. Tim
That's what I thought. It surprised me it was required.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem that the pope has given all priests who,before this, did not have the right to absolve those who commit the sin of abortion.As Father notes,this right has existed in Canada since at least 1983.However the pope has not said anything about the crime of abortion nor does it apply,it would seem, to those abortionists who are guilty of the crime of abortion.Would it be too much to ask the bishops to clearly state the laws on this in Canada instead of wandering around snapping pictures and commenting on nonesense?!
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