catholic church greenville

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A priest at a South Carolina Roman Catholic church says his parishioners shouldn’t take Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because of the Democrat’s stance on abortion.

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman says church law doesn’t allow him to refuse parishioners the sacrament at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenville. But he says his congregants shouldn’t take Communion until they do penance for supporting “the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president.” Newman’s decision was first reported by The Greenville News.

The Catholic Church as you know is very conservative. I am also not Catholic but I know they stand firm on their traditions. Obama is seen as extremely liberal in his ideas so perhaps the church would see supporting him as a sin. Of course, they have no idea who voted for whom. I admire the church for their strong belief even if I do not understand it all. The church has survived centuries virtually unchanged. Governments and societies have not lasted so long. There is something to be said for a conservative approach and adherence to tradition.

2008-11-14 10:04:36 by e.sillery

Mandatum from Maundy Thursday Mass, St. Mary#39;s Catholic Church, Greenville, SC

SC priest: No communion for Obama supporters

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."
The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.

"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.

"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exists constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."

During the 2008 presidential campaign, many bishops spoke out on abortion more boldly than four years earlier, telling Catholic politicians and voters that the issue should be the most important consideration in setting policy and deciding which candidate to back. A few church leaders said parishioners risked their immortal soul by voting for candidates who support abortion rights.

As far as I'm concerned, he was correct because the Church teaches that life begins at conception, and biological life does. I believe that there may be medical reasons for terminating a pregnancy, but those seem to be few and far between. Mr. Obama wants to take the genetic material for scientific experimental use, but I can't get past the fact that while others deserve a day in court, these youngest of all, do not. What does the state have to do with it, except for denying the unborn their constitutional rights? Politically, we're supposed to be FOR human rights. If it's a woman's right to decide about her body, why isn't the DNA an exact match? If she voluntarily had sex, why isn't she half responsible for the outcome? There are plenty of rules about a father supporting a child, but none about deciding if a child gets to survive pregnancy, so where are his rights? Sorry, but the law is applied inconsistently, and not at all for the innocent victim. According to the Church, murder is a mortal sin, and when in that state, it is sacrilegious to receive communion.

2008-11-13 22:36:59 by marnefirstinfantry

Because Obama is a radical pro-abortion politician?

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville, South Carolina that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.

Do you agree with Rev. Newman?

I sure do.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27705755/?gt 1=43001

So many people believe that God is subject to the legal rights of Americans. How did this happen? God's law is higher than any government, man made laws. God does not bend to a law that gives a person a legal right to have an abortion. That aborted child belongs to God, not to its mother.

The Eucharist is not a right. Receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ in the Eucharist is not a personal freedom we exercise...it is only by the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ that we can approach to receive him. It is his sacrifice and love that allows this, we have no right to it at all.

St. Paul says that if you receive 'unworthily, without discerning the Body and Blood of Christ, you call judgment down on yourself. You are guilty of profaning (murdering) the Body and Blood of Christ." Pretty strong words. So strong in fact, it is the responsibility of the Church to warn against it. That is what the priest is doing. He can't enforce it because he can't know who supported Obama, but each person knows. If they come up to receive anyway, they deny the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and they are guilty of profaning his Body and Blood. Serious stuff and their priest did the right thing by letting them know.

2008-11-13 18:39:17 by Why Don't People Like Me? 2

I am an avid reader of news,books,magazines and any that is informative. I would hardly ever post anything here ,but this just struck me as inexcusable and would like your opinion ? Here is an excerpt taken from the paragraph, the link to the entire article is below.A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.
>LINK:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081113/ap_o n_re_us/obama_catholics

I am not a Catholic so maybe I am not in the best position to give my opinion. Although I am going to anyway. This Reverend Newman sounds more like a staunch Republican than a Catholic and possibly a sore loser. He most certainly gives strength to the argument against mixing church and state. The Catholic church has always been notoriously slow to welcome change, even when certain aspects of their doctrine have been shown to be archaic. So it would not surprise me if the church backs him up on this issue. Personally I believe that a person in his position having that kind of influence on so many people on so many levels should be much more level headed when making statements such as this. I think he should be removed.

2008-11-13 15:52:21 by hiba

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A priest at a South Carolina Roman Catholic church says his parishioners shouldn't take Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because of the Democrat's stance on abortion.

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said Thursday church law doesn't allow him to refuse parishioners the sacrament at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville.

But he said his congregants shouldn't take Communion until they do penance for supporting "the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president." Newman's decision was first reported by The Greenville News.

The decision is not setting well with Steve Krueger the national director of Catholic Democrats. He says Newman is "off-base" and acting beyond the authority of a parish priest.

In their annual meeting, the nation's Roman Catholic bishops vowed yesterday to forcefully confront the Obama administration over its support for abortion rights.

I guess one could hope that the Catholics in his parish that voted for Obama would use this statement to finally break free from the Catholic Church...heck, I voted for McCain and if the leader of my church suggested that Obama supporters weren't welcomed there, I would leave with as many of them as I could get to follow me!

2008-11-13 20:59:59 by Hope