American BRAVEHEART: Father Jay Scott Newman, stalwart priest
November 14, 2008 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Nov 13 06:59 PM US/Eastern
By MEG KINNARD
Associated Press Writer
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — 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 exits 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. . . .”
[See my earlier post on about Father Newman on this weblog: “Good Times in Greenville.”] Say some prayers for this good priest. He’s going to be pummled for this. Treasure in heaven.
Hello dear friends of babies,
Please do two things: 1) go to http://www.fightFOCA.com and sign the petition and;
2) watch this 10 minute video about abortion – it is very graphic, be warned!
http://www.massmediamail.com/durarealidad/
It is time to change hearts, one at a time, in order to transform the culture. It is time for those 54% of “Catholic” voters to see the holocaust they are materially cooperating with.
God bless you Father Newman – God raised you up to prick many consciences, and to hopefully, awake the sleeping giant.
God bless Fr. Newman and despite the fact that his statements have been repudiated by the Diocese of Charleston, god has already spoken through him to the whole of USA and beyond. Catholics who voted for him have been warned in charity to seek forgiveness for the horrors to come under this Obama administration.
Pope John Paul II is smiling down upon him and it is time to recall Pope John Paul’s words to the US Bishops in 1987 (words that nnever seemed to filter down to the flock…) He said;
“It is sometimes reported that a large number of Catholics today, do not adhere to the teaching of the Church on a number of questions; notably, sexual and conjugal morality, divorce and remarriage, some are reported as not accepting the Church’s clear position on abortion. It has also been noted that there is a tendency on the part of some Catholics to be selective to their adherence to the Church’s moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the Magisterium is totally compatible with being a “good Catholic” and poses no obstacle to the reception of the sacraments. This is a grave error that challenges the teaching office of the Bishops of the United States and elsewhere.” Pope John Paul II 16 September 1987 Reference Vatican II Lumen Gentium 25
Bless Father Newman and our Catholic bishops who have spoken up for life. As Catholic Christians we are all called to preach the truth in words and actions. father Newman expressed the truth eloquently when he stated: “Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exits constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil.”
A “What were you thinking?” to Catholics who voted for President-elect Obama. The evil of abortion effects all of us regardless of race, creed, or color. The election of President-elect Obama is not something to be proud and happy about, but in fact very shameful.
That being said, we need to not only pray the Rosary daily for a conversion of heart of President-elect Obama, but also for the conversion of heart for our Catholic brothers and sisters who voted for him. Our Lord and Our Blessed Lady will listen not disappoint us.
odabree,
So, what you’re saying is that a vote for Obama was a moral evil and a vote for McCain, while imperfect, was morally acceptable.
I agree.
I agree with anonymous, no need with going tit for tat with the candidates positions on life issues. Althought John McCain, not perfect, had a better stance on most of the issues concerning life. Seems to me that most people think that the pres and congress have the ability to over turn roe-wade, when in reality they don’t, only the supreme court has this power, and that’s where John McCain would have been a factor, by appointing conservative judges, when the next opening arose on the court. Lets all pray for a conversion of the heart of President Obama, for with God all things are possible.
This is a real sensative subject with our Black Brothers and Sisters. South Louisiana has a high percentage of Catholics, both Black and White. A majority of our Black Citizens voted for Barack because he is black, in spite of the fact that he is also pro-choice. I know that they were very proud and happy to be able to elect the first ever black president. All of our prayers, now, should be asking God to change Barack’s heart to see that Pro-Life is the only choice, and that our Black Catholic brothers and sisters will see the need to receive the Sacrament of Reconcilliation.
I have to question who does Father Newman believe to be a “plausible pro-life alternative”? Perhaps “plausible” is to suggest that would be John McCain and while I can certainly see the anger regarding the destruction of innocent life, I do not see the Republicans solving this problem.
Let’s take a look at John McCain and the Republicans from the words of Chuck Baldwin:
“The “pro-life” GOP controlled the entire federal government from 2000 to 2006 and nothing was done to overturn Roe v. Wade or end legal abortion-on-demand.
Had John McCain and his fellow Republicans truly wanted to end legal abortion, they could have passed Congressman Ron Paul’s Sanctity of Life Act. Year after year, Dr. Paul introduced this bill, and year after year, it sat and collected dust in the document room on Capitol Hill.
What would Congressman Paul’s bill do? It would do two things: 1) It would define life as beginning at conception and, thus, declare the personhood of every pre-born child. 2) Under Article. III. Section. 2. of the U.S. Constitution, it would remove abortion from the jurisdiction of the Court. In practical terms, Dr. Paul’s bill would overturn Roe v. Wade and end legal abortion-on-demand. So, where was John McCain? Why did he not support Ron Paul’s bill and introduce a companion bill in the U.S. Senate?
How can John McCain, and his fellow Republicans in Washington, D.C., look pro-life Christians and conservatives in the eye in 2008 and expect that we take them seriously when they say that they are “pro-life”? If the GOP had truly wanted to overturn Roe v. Wade and end legal abortion-on-demand, they could have already done it. They controlled the White House, the U.S. Senate, and the House of Representatives for six long years, for goodness sake. The reason they did not do it is because they did not want to do it. They merely want to use “pro-life” rhetoric as a campaign tool to dupe gullible Christian voters every election year. And the disgusting thing about it is–it works.
John McCain openly embraces embryonic stem cell research. In 2000, he boldly said he did not favor the overturn of Roe v. Wade. John McCain was a member of the infamous “Gang of 14” senators from both parties whose purpose was to oppose pro-life, strict constructionist judges.
Speaking of judges, John McCain voted for the pro-abortion justice, Stephen Breyer, and the radical, pro-abortion, ACLU attorney, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. So much for the argument that we need John McCain for the sake of appointing conservative justices to the Supreme Court. For that matter, Republican appointments dominated the Court that gave us Roe v. Wade and the one that later gave us Doe v. Bolton. Proving, once again, that the Republican Party, as a whole, has no real commitment to the life issue.
John McCain also gave us McCain-Feingold. This is the law that keeps pro-life or pro-Second Amendment organizations from broadcasting ads that mention a candidate by name 30 days before a primary election or 60 days before a general election. This proves that John McCain believes neither in the right to life nor the right to keep and bear arms. (This is one reason why the Gun Owners of America gives McCain a grade of F.)
In a debate with George W. Bush in May of 2000, John McCain attacked Bush’s support for the pro-life plank in the Republican Party. Still today, John McCain believes that babies who are conceived via rape or incest should be murdered. I remind readers, however, that there are no “exceptions” in the womb, only babies.
If all of the above is not enough, as a senator, John McCain has repeatedly voted to fund pro-abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood with federal tax dollars. In fact, McCain has voted to use federal tax dollars to support abortion providers at home and overseas. Yes, this “pro-life” senator (along with “pro-life” President, George W. Bush) has significantly increased federal spending for abortion providers to levels eclipsing even the appropriations authorized by President Bill Clinton and his fellow Democrats.”
So please do elaborate on what “a plausible pro-life alternative” is, but wait, we really don’t have 1st Amendment rights of Free Speech because the Church really can’t go throwing out names now can they?
Oh yes, we Christians are so concerned about innocent life that we can find only enough time to go vote, but the rest of our selfish life tends towards personal gratification (watch TV, the movies, parties, playing games, etc.). Of course, there are exceptions, just not enough of them.
If you voted for Obama, indeed, shame on you but if you voted for the other lesser evil, McCain, I don’t give you any accolades; however, if you voted for neither or someone like Chuck Baldwin, then you can see, you can hear; kudos to you.
If you want Christianity to grow, then act like one; open your ears and your eyes.
As John Quincy Adams said, “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”
In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.
Let me be the first to “pummel” Father Newman! I pummel him with thanks!! I Love this Priest!!
Brennan
Very interested in reading about this “stalwart priest”! I “Googled” Father Newman, and found his own website (http://web.mac.com/jayscottnewman/Site/Evangelical_Catholicism.html). (sorry, I don’t know how to shortcut the url…)
I particularly enjoyed his article “What is Evangelical Catholicism”. Number 6 stood out the most to me, so I am pasting it here for review:
“6. Receiving the Sacraments without receiving the Gospel leads to superstition rather than living faith, and the Church must therefore take great care to ensure that those who receive the Sacraments also receive the Gospel in its integrity and entirety. Consequently, before Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, and Marriage are administered, there must be in those who request these Sacraments clear evidence of knowledge of the Gospel and a serious intention to live the Christian life.”
It just seemed to speak to many issues with Catechesis today…
Thanks! God Bless Pat!
Brennan