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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Former Priest Sowing Confusion	Carol	Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Question: Some of my Catholic relatives are being greatly influenced by a retired priest (now layicized) who's life cause seems to be pointing out the evil of U.S. policy in Iraq and Iran. My relatives heatedly talk of untold numbers of innocent Muslim adults and children being murdered at the hands of Americans through economic sanctions and crossfire. These relatives feel so strongly about this matter that other concerns, such as abortion, have been altogether overridden. It almost seems like a "religion" within the Catholic faith for them, and it is almost creepy how they really do believe we had no reasons for invading other than to steal oil and hedonistically slaughter and oppress the people. I suppose some policymakers could have had evil intentions, but I have friends deployed over there who really want to help these people, as do many of us here at home. Where exactly is this ideology and coming from? Are there official Catholic movements promoting this thinking? Thanks!
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Carol: Many of these issues are merely matters of opinion. The Church does not make a proclamation on every issue. When the Church has not made a proclamation we need to use moral theology and a Catholic worldview to make assessments about issues. Since most Catholics in the United States are poorly catechized in the faith they may find themselves thinking in ways that are consistent with moral theology and/or with the Catholic worldview. Thus, their opinions are influenced by the secular notion of things. On the issue of abortion, however, the Church has made its proclamation. There is no other issue that is equivalent to the issues of abortion, euthanasia, and infanticide. Thus, a Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who is pro-abortion because the other candidate is pro-war for example. War is not on equal standing with abortion. The Catholic has a moral obligation to NOT vote for the candidate who is pro-abortion. While war issues are important, they are not as important as issues of abortion. Those Catholics who voted for Obama sinned. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Former Priest Sowing Confusion

Carol

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Question:

Some of my Catholic relatives are being greatly influenced by a retired priest (now layicized) who's life cause seems to be pointing out the evil of U.S. policy in Iraq and Iran. My relatives heatedly talk of untold numbers of innocent Muslim adults and children being murdered at the hands of Americans through economic sanctions and crossfire. These relatives feel so strongly about this matter that other concerns, such as abortion, have been altogether overridden. It almost seems like a "religion" within the Catholic faith for them, and it is almost creepy how they really do believe we had no reasons for invading other than to steal oil and hedonistically slaughter and oppress the people. I suppose some policymakers could have had evil intentions, but I have friends deployed over there who really want to help these people, as do many of us here at home. Where exactly is this ideology and coming from? Are there official Catholic movements promoting this thinking? Thanks!

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Carol:

Many of these issues are merely matters of opinion. The Church does not make a proclamation on every issue. When the Church has not made a proclamation we need to use moral theology and a Catholic worldview to make assessments about issues. Since most Catholics in the United States are poorly catechized in the faith they may find themselves thinking in ways that are consistent with moral theology and/or with the Catholic worldview. Thus, their opinions are influenced by the secular notion of things.

On the issue of abortion, however, the Church has made its proclamation. There is no other issue that is equivalent to the issues of abortion, euthanasia, and infanticide. Thus, a Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who is pro-abortion because the other candidate is pro-war for example. War is not on equal standing with abortion. The Catholic has a moral obligation to NOT vote for the candidate who is pro-abortion. While war issues are important, they are not as important as issues of abortion.

Those Catholics who voted for Obama sinned.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum