Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Two posts about the unique bigotry known as Catholicism in one day! Please, don’t get the impression this blog is devoted to theology — far from it, it’s just that the church of Peter and Paul seems to be out of control following the passing of California’s Prop 8, and I think these reports are important and my readers need to know as much as possible about modern day Catholocism.
Bishop Stephen Blaire of the Stockton Diocese, was busy fielding requests for interviews Monday, as news leaked out that Rev. Joseph Illo of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Modesto, sent a letter on Nov. 21st to his parishioners regarding President-elect Barack Obama’s stance on abortion.
In the letter, Illo outrageously and inappropriately advised congregants that if they were:
“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.”
According to exit polls, 54 percent of Catholics nationwide voted Nov. 4 for Obama.
Illo’s letter generated news coverage and reaction across the nation over the weekend. Parishioners said his stance had outraged them.
As I blogged after Prop 8 passed, the concept of separation of church and state is deeply enshrined in the character of most Americans. Once the Catholic church joined the Mormons to help them get Prop 8 passed, the state of California began traveling down a slippery slope. What’s next? Will organized religions decide who is hired for a job? Who gets to rent a house? Who will receive medical care?
7 Comments
+ at 12:58 pm
Imagine a world free of organized religion! How truly wonderful it would be.
+ at 2:58 pm
I haven’t set foot in a church in 30 years.
It’s precisely this sort of thing that confirms I made the right decision.
+ at 3:39 pm
It’s important Catholics have children…. the priests have “needs”.
Ok that was exceptionally snarky & well, below the belt, you might say— but if the accusation fits…
All these religious nutcases must have been absent the day they studied “Thou shalt not judge”.
+ at 6:35 pm
Some of them already decide what they will or won’t dispense in the pharmacy.
+ at 6:54 pm
If I received such a letter, I would resign from the congregation and demand disciplinary action from the Office of the Bishop.
We’re Americans first, Catholics second.
+ at 4:35 pm
They should be going after child raping priests instead of meddling in politics.
+ at 9:11 am
Chris I’m sure you’ve probably already seen this but just in case… “Prop 8 the musical”
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c0cf508ff8/prop-8-the-musical-starring-jack-black-john-c-reilly-and-many-more-from-fod-team-jack-black-craig-robinson-john-c-reilly-and-rashida-jones
Peace bro, M