Because 23% of Americans actually claim to be Catholic, it should be made crystal clear as to what excommunication actually is. Some look at excommunication as a thorny punishment from the Catholic Church. It actually is a medicinal penalty that is compulsory to help the sinner repent and turn back to God.
The Church fervently hopes that the former Catholic changes their ways, and is in "communion" with the rest of the Church. Unfortunately, this election showed a true differentiation.
The mind boggling part was that fully 54% of American Catholics during the last presidential election voted for the party who espoused abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, and same-sex marriage. Cloning in this administration seems a likely probability as can be seen in New Stem Cell Research Bill Could Promote Human Cloning ... [1].
The above is all of the five "non-negotiables" that exist for any Catholic. Any "non-negotiable" is an intrinsic evil every time-that is, belonging to an act that is essential or inherent. No exceptions exist.
For the Democrat party, one's vote was for a new heath care system that would have abortions take place as health care. Their vote included embryonic stem cell research (ESCR)--but not adult stem cell research (ASCR). ESCR has produced tumors, and kill a young human being every time research is done.
There was only one candidate who wanted to use amniotic, umbilical, and "pluripotent" stem cells-all those not involving the killing of a young person. And she was only a vice-presidential option.
Issues are never equal, so priorities exist. Abortion and euthanasia are at the very top of the priority list for all issues-no issue is higher. Therefore, any Catholic voting for the candidate endorsing most (or all, in this case) is de facto excommunicated by their own actions from the Catholic Church.
Some alleged Catholics will become obstinate, agitated at the Church, and more obtuse in their thinking. Other Catholics will understand this is a method the Church uses to pull them back into the Faith. They will understand this, and start believing what a true Catholic actually believes.
For the last 100 years every pope has condemned socialism, which seems to be rearing its head in this administration. The main reason is socialism ultimately denies the central truth of Catholicism that man needs God. Per the five Catholic "non-negotiables", no Catholic can support this administration no matter how Catholic-friendly it may sound.
Excommunication exists for bringing lapsed Catholics back into the faith. But in 1996, Bishop Bruskewitz forbid Catholics of the Diocese of Lincoln (Nebraska) from membership in 12 dissident groups: Planned Parenthood, Society of Saint Pius X, Hemlock Society, Call to Action, Call to Action Nebraska, Saint Michael the Archangel Chapel, Freemasons, Job's Daughters, DeMolay, Eastern Star, Rainbow Girls, and Catholics for a Free Choice.
"Contumacious persistence in such membership for one month following the interdict on part of any such Catholics will by that very fact cause them to be excommunicated," said the order. And when Catholics would not comply for one month, they were automatically excommunicated [2]. The Vatican would not rescind the excommunication after an appeal to do so.
Even Pope Benedict has discussed excommunication for those espousing abortion on his flight to Brazil on 5/9/07. A reporter broke the ice by asking him if he supported the excommunication of Mexican legislators who had voted to legalize abortion. The Pope replied, "Yes, this excommunication was not something arbitrary, but is foreseen by Canon Law...[CCL 915].
Catholics can be all-encompassing, but 46% in the last election showed where the Faith truly was. The bishops that stood up for the Faith should be truly exonerated. For them, automatic excommunication was not an option.
Imagine the surprise of half of the alleged Catholics in the US when they realize they have been automatically excommunicated, because they do not believe as the Church does.
So exactly what religion are they?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin Roeten can be reached at roetenks@charter.net [3]
Links:
[1] http://www.lifenews.com/bio2981.html
[2] http://www.liberalslikechrist.org/Catholic/USexcommunications.html
[3] mailto:roetenks@charter.net