Here is an editorial by Fr. Alphonse de Valk, c.s.b. from Catholic Insight
The bishops of Canada are letting the Catholic community and all of Canada down. The issue is the same-sex legislation, Bill C-38, now being pushed through by the Liberal (Martin-Cotler) government.
At the time of this writing, June 7, the media are telling us that the special legislative committee will produce its foregone conclusion approving the abolition of the traditional definition of marriage between husband and wife in favour of (any) two persons, by June 14-16. Third reading will follow immediately; the Bill will be sent forthwith to a compliant Liberal-dominated Senate for approval within one or two days, and then go to the Governor-General for her signature and enactment as the law of the country. That is the plan of Justice Minister Irwin Cotler and that is what the media expect to happen.
Member of Parliament Patrick O’Brien has resigned from the Liberal Party to sit as an Independent in protest against both the process and substance of this legislation, which will destroy the recognition and needed protection of the family and marriage. His was a courageous act. What we need now is more Catholic MPs to follow him in his determination to fight this bill which, as O’Brien points out, “far supersedes any personal or partisan political consideration.”
Pope Benedict is quoted in all the June 7th Toronto newspapers (Post, Globe, Star, Sun, Metro) under the headline: “Gay marriage fake: Pope.” He is also quoted on radio and TV. So it is not as if MPs have not heard what the Church has had to say. Moreover, Canada’s bishops from coast to coast have issued pastoral letters rejecting the legislation, and defending the traditional family as the building block of society.
What did the Pope say, exactly? The news items noted that Pope Benedict, “in his first pronouncement on gay marriages yesterday (June 6), condemned same-sex unions as fake and an expression of ‘anarchic freedom’ that threatens the future of the family.” Here is the text:
“Today’s various forms of dissolution of marriage, free unions,
trial marriages, as well as the pseudo-matrimonies between people
of the same sex, are instead expressions of anarchic freedom,
which falsely tries to pass itself off as the true liberation of man.”
In other words, Canada’s Bill C-38 is fake; it is fraudulent. Those who promote this legislation indulge in moral fraud. Fraud is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “criminal deception.”
That brings us to the question of how Archbishop Marcel Gervais of Ottawa can describe the chief instigator of this fraud, Prime Minister Paul Martin, as “a faithful member of my Cathedral parish,” to whom he will not deny Holy Communion. Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary has long since said that he, in good conscience, cannot give Communion to Paul Martin and politicians like him ( See C.I., June 2005, pp. 41-42).
Here is a Catholic Prime Minister who publicly rejects Church teaching on abortion—which the Church insists is murder—and by this stand, keeps his party fully devoted to the “pro-choice” cause. Mr. Martin then extends his enthusiastic support to an all-out attack on the family by bullying politicians to possibly acting against their conscience, and ramming through a measure which two-thirds of Canadians oppose, which Pope John Paul II condemned on eight different occasions in the last two years of his life, and which the present Pope calls “an expression of anarchic and false freedom.” But his bishop declares him “a faithful member of my parish.” To continue doing so, is this not a slap in the face of every truly faithful Catholic in the country?
Meanwhile, many other bishops, including Cardinals, remain silent about the Catholic MPs in their dioceses who publicly scorn the Church by voting and speaking in favour of Bill C-38.
All this happens during the celebration of the Year of the Eucharist. If we Catholics truly emphasized the simplicity, purity, beauty and holiness of the Eucharist, we would know how to defend it against those Catholics who spurn the truths of faith.
4 comments
I wonder if there is an optimum number of bishops? It seems that after a certain point, many of them lack a spine. The U.S. bishops are not far behind their Canadian brethren.
Actually, it’s much worse than fraudulent. The Pope means by “anarchic freedom” the freedom of Hell–that is, the “freedom” that comes with totally rejecting God’s righteousness and being totally self-guided (see TRUTH AND FREEDOM). Hell is the only place where one can be truly “liberated” to “enjoy” “free love”. So, those who advocate these type of relationships are really saying “Go to Hell”.
Thanks for dropping by, Jeff, and bringing this article to my attention. (I’ve responded in the comment that follows yours — primarily for the benefit of others who may not be aware of what’s at stake.) One of the articles I cite has a great quote from Archbishop Raymond L. Burke:
“In his encyclical letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Pope John Paul II presents, in a full way, the visible and invisible dimension of the communion with Christ and the church that must exist for a worthy reception of the body of Christ (Nos. 34-46). Regarding the invisible dimension of communion, he reminds us of what we have been taught or should have been taught from our first preparation for holy Communion, namely that it is a sacrilege to receive the sacrament when one is not in the state of grace. One who publicly condones and promotes objectively grave sin also lacks the proper disposition for the worthy reception of holy Communion. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church, following the ancient admonition of St. Paul, reminds us, we must examine our conscience before approaching to receive Communion; and if we are involved in a grave sin, we must repent and be absolved of the sin in the sacrament of penance before receiving Communion (No. 1385 and 1 Cor 11:27-29).” [emphasis mine]
I spent 5 years in Ottawa (fairly recently), so this particular issue with Archbishop Gervais saddens me all the more. Isn’t this a classic example of a situation where there’s a grave danger of ‘causing scandal’?
From the article, Rabbi, Imam, Presbyterian Pastor and Bishop Tell Catholic Prime Minister to Practice his Faith:
“Toronto Catholic Bishop Emeritus Pearce Lacey, who knows all too well the numerous efforts that have been made by Catholic leaders in Canada to gently call Prime Minister Martin to an authentic practice of his faith, expressed frustration at the scandalous behaviour of the Prime Minister. In addition to direct entreaties by Martin’s own bishop, Ottawa Bishop Marcel Gervais, countless Catholics have urged him to stop setting such a terrible example of Catholicism. Moreover, Calgary Bishop Fred Henry has informed his flock that the media’s description of Martin as a ‘devout Catholic’ is a misnomer. Bishop Henry has said openly he would deny Martin communion and would consider excommunicating him, were he Martin’s bishop.”