Archbishop Vigneron of Detroit has done a shocking thing. He has stated the obvious. Bishops should be doing a lot more obvious stating.
A Detroit professor and legal adviser to the Vatican says Catholics who promote gay marriage should not try to receive holy Communion, a key part of Catholic identity.
And the archbishop of Detroit, Allen Vigneron, said Sunday that Catholics who receive Communion while advocating gay marriage would “logically bring shame for a double-dealing that is not unlike perjury.”
And then of course they dig up this guy, whose only job seems to give comments like this to media.
Most American bishops do not favor denying either politicians or voters Communion because of their positions on controversial issues,” said Thomas Reese, a Catholic priest and senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. Reese said that Peters’ views are “in a minority among American canon lawyers.”
But, Reese added, “about 30 or so bishops have said that pro-choice or pro-gay-marriage Catholics should not present themselves for Communion.”
They are not controversial from a Catholic point of view, only from a dissenters point of view.
Good on ya Archbishop Vigneron. Now that they have been warned, it is time to follow through.
April 8, 2013 at 7:20 pm
No doubt they will want him put on a list of hate crimes offenders.
April 8, 2013 at 7:46 pm
Praised be Jesus for giving us such a strong and courageous shepherd.
April 8, 2013 at 7:53 pm
God bless that man and let's pray for the rest of the bishops, beginning with the president of the USCCB, who have yet to publicly state that they are following canon law 915.
Please catholic bishops, BE catholic!
April 8, 2013 at 9:30 pm
Now if more bishops would do this. What a new church we would be!
April 8, 2013 at 10:42 pm
God bless our bishops.
April 8, 2013 at 11:44 pm
Well, Bishop Vigneron, I disagree, and I will prance up to communion with my rainbow sash in my a&&less chaps this coming Sunday, holding hands with my partner, Steve. What will you do if you see us coming? Whatever will the consequences be?
Cue crickets.
April 9, 2013 at 12:22 am
Blackrep, your consequences will be eternal hellfire.
Cue demons and their maniacal, unsympathetic laughter.
April 9, 2013 at 12:43 am
Oh, now look, you've made poor Steve cry!
April 9, 2013 at 1:28 am
As a resident and parishioner in his Archdiocese, this bishop is a strong man and good for Detroit.
April 9, 2013 at 1:32 am
God bless and keep him safe. We need bishops like him to lead us all.
April 9, 2013 at 1:52 am
Fr Reese may believe Ed Peters (The canon lawyer and legal adviser mentioned) represents the minority in the US but, he may want to consider whom the Vatican has appointed relator to the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.
April 9, 2013 at 2:41 am
If you don't follow the teachings, why would anyone decide that they deserve the culmination of those teachings. The Eucharist. Seems like we're dealing with people who haven't gotten past the narcissism of their teen years. Intellectually and emotionally.
Also, it's about time these bishops act as shepherds. Awesome!
April 9, 2013 at 2:56 am
Archbishop Vigneron is a real blessing to us here in Detroit. God bless him!
April 9, 2013 at 2:56 am
Archbishop Vigneron is a real blessing to us here in Detroit. God bless him!
April 9, 2013 at 8:39 am
Praised be Jesus for giving us such a strong and courageous shepherd.
Oh, puh-leeze! Saying that such advocates "should not present themselves for communion" lets the priests and bishops off the hook because they don't have the courage to do something that might be publicly embarrassing.
Archbishop Vigneron is a real blessing to us here in Detroit. God bless him!
People have said the same thing about Dolan in New York….
Wake me when Vigneron disciplines one of his priests for offering the Eucharist to advocates of gay marriage, abortion, etc. Of course, I expect to sleep as soundly and at least as long as Rip van Winkle.
April 9, 2013 at 8:40 am
Have Catholics become so desperate for sound teaching that they confuse words for actions?
Think about that. Think about it seriously….
April 9, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Yes, it would seem so.
April 9, 2013 at 7:43 pm
The answer for all these issues of course is given us in the Word.
I Cor. 5:9-10. The point is that if a "Christian" is behaving in an way that is blatantly contrary to Christian teaching yet still claiming to be in the church, action by the church is necessary.
" I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister[c] but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people."
April 10, 2013 at 10:56 am
As a Catholic obedient to Church teaching, these comments by the bishops have me confused and yet ready for action. I mean, he is right and yet, why stop there? Can we not promote the fullness of faith and go after the Protestants, too? Them with all of their divorce, remarriage, living together and whatnot…Looking at Mark Sanford parading his mistress around on stage with his kids is just so sad. Why defend marriage from one attack and not the other? Ban communion from Catholics who support divorced and remarried couples!