ICTHUS Posted June 3, 2004 Posted June 3, 2004 Greet's, all Phatmassers, After listening to Paul Martin, our acting Prime Minister and, supposedly, a practising Catholic, utter blasphemy and outrage on national television that he 'supports a woman's right to choose' to have an abortion, I am seriously considering firing off an outraged email to the Archbishop of Ottawa, the Most Rev. Marcel Andre J. Gervais, asking him to at the very least, deny Mr. Martin Holy Communion. I know this will be a major thing - I mean, I'm asking a bishop to deny the PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA Holy Communion, however, I believe it is justified given Mr. Martin's stance and his no doubt flagrant disregard of Holy Church. What are your thoughts? Peace of Christ, Ryan
Crusader_4 Posted June 3, 2004 Posted June 3, 2004 Yes ICHTUS and you can put my name on the signature right beside it if you want. Athanasius Contra Mundi!!!
ICTHUS Posted June 3, 2004 Author Posted June 3, 2004 Should I email, or write? My handwriting is atrocious...and it would be quicker to email...
ICTHUS Posted June 3, 2004 Author Posted June 3, 2004 Also, just for some background info, there is an election coming up and the pre-election polls show that a large percentage of Canadians distrust Paul Martin. (By the way, Martin is the head of the Federal [i]Liberal[/i] Party of Canada)
Crusader_4 Posted June 3, 2004 Posted June 3, 2004 Write. it shows more effort and the saying goes for ever one letter it represents 100 others altho we must remember that e-mailing a bishop is not like e-mailing a politician its not a public poll. You must call him to be an apostle.
crusader1234 Posted June 3, 2004 Posted June 3, 2004 Sounds good to me.... I'm even more mad at Stephen Harper for taking it off of the conservative issues list... entschuldigung! ich bin retarded!
p0lar_bear Posted June 3, 2004 Posted June 3, 2004 Do you think the Archbishop is unaware of the situation? Do you think writing an angry letter telling him how to do his job will help? Not that you shouldn't be concerned, but be careful how you address your archbishop.
cmotherofpirl Posted June 3, 2004 Posted June 3, 2004 Emnphasize how scandalized you are, because scandal is a reason to deny Holy Communion.
ICTHUS Posted June 3, 2004 Author Posted June 3, 2004 [quote name='p0lar_bear' date='Jun 3 2004, 09:03 AM'] Do you think the Archbishop is unaware of the situation? Do you think writing an angry letter telling him how to do his job will help? Not that you shouldn't be concerned, but be careful how you address your archbishop. [/quote] Actually, he's not my Bishop, he's our ecclesiastical neighbor. The Archdiocese of Ottawa is due northeast the Archdiocese of Kingston, wherein I reside. I talked to one of the deacons in the diocese with whom I am friends, and he was saying that His Grace, Archbishop Gervais, is aware of Mr. Martin's dissent and has 'spoken to him privately' about the matter - supposedly, he wants it to remain between Martin and himself.
ICTHUS Posted June 4, 2004 Author Posted June 4, 2004 Although I should note that I question His Grace's judgement on this matter...
p0lar_bear Posted June 4, 2004 Posted June 4, 2004 Well, bishops are first and foremost pastors. It is really difficult to lead someone if you begin by alienating them. The bishops in the US who have made public statements barring politicians from Communion did not start with that. They all worked to contact the politicians, wrote personal letters, met with them, etc. in order to try to explain the Church's teaching and why it is wrong for them to support abortion. It was only after all the private efforts failed that they decided to make public statements. Give the archbishop a chance to deal with the situation pastorally first.
ICTHUS Posted June 4, 2004 Author Posted June 4, 2004 You're probably right, p0lar bear. I know not for how long Paul Martin has been openly supporting abortion, and I don't know what His Grace, the Most Rev. Marcel Gervais is doing with Mr. Martin....
Dave Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 So did you e-mail His Excellency? Please keep us posted on how that goes.
ICTHUS Posted June 7, 2004 Author Posted June 7, 2004 No, I got bogged down with some other stuff in the meantime, however, Im wondering if I should, since one of the deacons here with whom I am friends told me that His Grace is 'taking the matter up privately' with Mr. Martin
p0lar_bear Posted June 8, 2004 Posted June 8, 2004 You could write a letter expressing support for His Eminence. In the letter you can bring up the fact that you see Mr. Martin's statements as scandalous. Also include that you are praying that his efforts are successful, etc.. Just make sure that the tone is supportive rather than accusatory.
CanCath Posted June 9, 2004 Posted June 9, 2004 (edited) Woohoo! First ever post here! I'm from Ottawa! Anyway, rumour is that a friend of a friend of a friend (hehe) saw Paul Martin going to Confession in Ottawa somewhere the other day. I think, although he is clearly denying his faith by saying that he supports abortion, I don't think it is up to us to judge whether he should receive communion or not. However, I do dislike all this talk in the media about Martin being a "devout Catholic". Last time I checked, he wasn't. Anyway, he's scum in my eyes, but to go and right a letter to deny him communion.... I don't know. Edited June 9, 2004 by CanCath
ICTHUS Posted June 12, 2004 Author Posted June 12, 2004 Well, of course, I would humbly petition His Eminence to act as he saw fit in the matter.....making it known how scandalized I was. How is Cardinal Gervais as a Bishop, CanCath?
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