The May 2010 Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Newsletter can now be found at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/Newsletters/Newsletter108(May2010)(RGB).pdf Bill C-384 was soundly defeated by a vote of 228 to 59. Check how the Members of Parliament voted at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/HowTheyVoted.pdf On June 5, 2010, we are co-hosting the US/Canda Push-Back Seminar at the Radisson Gateway Hotel at the Seattle/Tacoma Airport. The overwhelming defeat of Bill C-384 proved that we can Push-Back the euthanasia lobby in the US and Canada and convince people that euthanasia and assisted suicide are a dangerous public policy. Register for the Seminar at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/2010SeminarFlyer(RGB)(LetterFormat).pdf The Schindler family are being attacked by a Florida television station and Michael Schiavo. The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is standing in solidarity with the Schindler family. My blog comments: http://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2010/05/att...
Reflections from the pastoral ministry of an Evangelical Catholic Priest.
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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