In one of his firmest condemnations since taking over the papacy, Pope Benedict proclaimed today that the Church’s opposition to gay marriage is “non-negotiable,” and that Catholic politicians have the moral obligation to oppose it, in addition to laws on abortion and euthanasia.
The document, called “Apostolic Exhortation,” says that all believers and especially those in power must defend fundamental values. Such values include “respect for human life, its defense from conception to natural death, the family built on marriage between a man and a woman, the freedom to educate one’s children and the promotion of the common good in all its forms”.
Leftist Italian politicians accused the pope interfering in their internal affairs and attempting to launch moralistic dictatorship. However, the pope’s words are also applicable to the US, where some Catholic politicians have said they are against abortion but support pro-choice in order to gain votes. One such example, Democratic Senator John Kerry, a Catholic who supported pro-choice during his 2004 presidential campaign.
The pope said that bishops must not show any preferential treatment to politicians, and that they must hold everyone accountable. In the past some bishops have refused to give communion to Catholic politicians that support abortion rights. He also criticized those who have called for an optional celibacy in the priesthood, claiming that it is a “priceless treasure.”
Finally, he said that individuals who divorce and remarry should not receive communion, since the Chruch does not recognize divorce.
It seems as though the world is finally starting to see some of Cardinal Razinger’s strong traditional Catholic values. The beginning of his term was marked with a lot of diplomacy and appeasing the masses, but now he seems to be coming into his own and starting to push his own agenda. I for one am completely in support of him. In a world where moral boundaries are constantly being pushed and broken, it is encouraging to know that we have a conservative pope who will not allow the Church or Catholics or become impure by the corruptions of present day society.
2 Comments
The church and the vatican has got to be one of the most immoral and perverse institutions in all of human history. Down with this pope and all popes. He should say something about the US government and how it is immoral to bomb civilians or starve them to death with sanctions and embargoes.
I don’t think one can safely criticize another’s morality or immorality, because who is to say who is right? Sure, the Church has had its bad times throughout history; what power-wielding organization hasn’t? But it isn’t fair to judge current people by the actions of past individuals. If that were the case no country would have friendly relations with Germany, England, France, Russia or any other entity that has persecuted in the past. Not to mention that those of us alive today had nothing to do with what happened centuries ago. So to say “down with this pope and all popes” shows a bit of ignorance I think. One can make the argument that they don’t like the Church and what it stands for, but scapegoating the pope for the negative actions of the Church in the past is unfair. Also, the Vatican does not support US “foreign policy,” it refused to declare the Iraq War as a just and holy cause, thereby making it illegitimate according to Christianity. It’s up to us as Americans to hold our leaders accountable.