Sad to say, the original positive statements of support coming out of the Diocese of Charleston, S.C. are now being repudiated by the Administrator. Msgr Martin T. Laughlin.
To recap from my original post, Fr. Newman addressed a letter to his parishioners on the parish website, which was distributed the following Sunday, calling on those who voted for Barack Obama to voluntarily refrain from Communion until going to confession. He did not deny anyone Communion, but admonished those who committed a grave sin by supporting a pro-abortion candidate, an entirely appropriate thing for a pastor to do. Many bishops during the presidential campaign said exactly the same thing!See an article that gives a good rundown of what happened.
Well, it appears the diocese has reconsidered its position and is now repudiating Fr. Newman's actions. The Administrator has posted a video and PDF file on the diocesan website that imply Fr. Newman's statements were a violation of personal freedom. Quoting from the catechism and stating that the pulpit is for preaching the word of God, Msgr. Laughlin accuses father of partisan activity. So now warning your parishioners that they must have an informed conscience and act according to God's law and not man's is partisan. The message is presented in a confusing way that I think could easily lead one to the view that personal conscience always trumps God's law. This is the same confusion that has led 90% of Catholics to reject Church teaching on birth control, the sanctity of marriage, and other key doctrines. Frankly, I wonder if the diocese is acting more out of fear of the IRS than fear of the Lord.
Local Catholics in Charleston who are organizing a prayer vigil during Masses this weekend are calling for support for Fr. Newman whom they say has been "rebuked and silenced". If this is true, it's a shameful outcome for this courageous priest. Please call the Chancery next week and ask for the status on Fr. Newman. Send letters of support to the Diocese asking that they go into his personnel file. A personal letter of support to Fr. Newman would also be appropriate. And please pray. When Jesus said he came to divide families, he also meant the family of the Church. My Jesus, have mercy on our poor Church.
Send a copy of diocesan correspondence to:
Apostolic Nuncio
Most Rev. Pietro Sambi
3339 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
Rev. Msgr. Martin T. Laughlin, P.A, Administrator
Diocese of Charleston Chancery
119 Broad Street
P.O. Box 818
Charleston, SC 29402
Phone: (843) 853-2130
Fax: (843) 724-6387
mlaughlin@catholic-doc.org
Thanks for reporting on this and all the rest of
ReplyDeletethe activity around Canon 915. So many don't
know or don't care to know but should be told
since their eternal souls are at stake.
Father Newman is a hero.
God bless you for your wonderful work,
Missy Smith
WAKEUP
Women Against the Killing & Exploitation
of Unprotected Perosns
It is a shame the lack of support Fr. Newman is getting!
ReplyDeleteHe advised the parishioners to vote with a good moral conscience. When realizing there may be more improperly formed consciences than proper, he brought it to attention. Is that not what a priest is supposed to do!?
He is right in what he said. If a person can't handle that, then too bad for them. Father should not have to sit on the truth just because it may be what others don't want to hear.
I no longer live in SC, but I used to live in Taylors and went to middle school at St. Mary's.
I would love to still send a letter of support to Fr. Newman. Thank you for his address.
Please note that this back-peddling comes right on the heels of the USCCB meeting this past week. That is NOT a coincidence. The Charleston diocese, I suspect, was taken to the woodshed by the "brother bishops". Thus, Msgr capitulated and threw the good priest under the bus.
ReplyDeleteQuote:
ReplyDeletethat imply Fr. Newman's statements were a violation of personal freedom."
Personal freedom to do what, receive to their own condemnation? Receive Jesus into an unworthy vessel? I know we are all sinners but to do what some have done after being instructed according to the Church...well, either they just will not serve or they are not persons that are able to comprehend things.
Here is a homily that gets to the nitty-gritty. It can be read or listened to.
http://www.semperficatholic.com/page6.html
I think there is evidence of shady business in this situation. Check out this report:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otr.cfm?id=4872
Pray for both men. I think they are both being heavily persecuted.
Fr Newman is no hero. You should see how he deals with people when he doesn't get his way. He's also not above 'twisting the truth' to make himself appear to be a hero. I seriously doubt the good monsignor would have called him with the alleged congratulations. Fr Newman wants publicity and to get a mitre. God help us all if he ever does. He's a bully.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous character assassination is cowardly and, from my experience, often a lie. Priests who are courageous enough to correct are often considered "bullies" by those who want to be coddled and made nice to. I've been called "violent" for daring to softly, but vigorously disagreeing with a liberal pro-abortion person masquerading as a Catholic. So you'll have to excuse me if I consider your post a bunch of hooie! Father's letter was charitable and I suspect he also elaborated on it from the pulpit.
ReplyDeleteThere is someone I know who is very close to Msgr. Laughlin. From what two people have told me, he is a very good man, and initially applauded Fr. Newman's statement. His hand is being forced behind the scenes. In addition, the diocese of Charleston, SC (currently without a bishop) is under the direction of the diocese of Atlanta. Wilton Gregory is their archbishop. Have you seen Gregory's statement regarding O after the election?
ReplyDeleteThis needs to get out.
Read what follows:
Dear J,
Here is what I wrote to Fr. Zuhlsdorf yesterday. I think it is important to get the whole story out. While none of the questions I have are by any means conclusive, I think they do indicate something is going on. If these things are true, Msgr. Laughlin is in no position to defend himself. Hopefully the whole story will get out soon...
=====
I am writing to you due to the consternation and confusion that I feel as a result of the media explosion involving Fr. Newman's bulletin statement from St. Mary's in South Carolina. Liberals all now feel vindicated because Msgr. Martin Laughlin, the diocesean administrator (the Charleston diocese currently has no bishop) has issued a statement repudiating Fr. Newman's statement. Case closed. Another liberal triumph.
I am not one given to conspiratorial ruminations, but this is all extremely fishy. According to Diogenes over at CWNews's "Off the Record", immediately following the bulletin posting of Fr. Newman, Msgr Laughlin personally contacted Fr. Newman to thank him for the clarity of his statement and to lament that the US Bishops did not speak with such clarity and timeliness. The diocese confirmed that Msgr Laughlin and Fr. Newman were of one mind on this issue.
Then comes November 14. In an unprecedented manner, a video (!) is posted to the diocesean website featuring Msgr Laughlin "repudiating" the statements of Fr. Newman and calling him to task for his abandonment of Catholic teaching regarding Eucharistic hospitality.
This brings a number of questions to my mind that lead me to think that Msgr Laughlin's hand was forced.
1) Why did Msgr Laughlin enthusiastically thank Fr. Newman for his public stand and then, less than 48 hours later, publicly repudiate him?
2) Why did Msgr Laughlin issue a video statement about the affair? Such a move--especially coming from someone as low-profile as Msgr Laughlin--is extremely odd and seemingly uncalled for.
3) Why did Msgr Laughlin issue a statement which--at least in spirit, if not in letter--contradict his own public statement on the election less than two months previous? If memory serves, on the front page of his diocesean paper, Msgr Laughlin told the faithful of his diocese that they could absolutely not rationalize a vote for a pro-abortion candidate on the spurious grounds of him representing a "lesser evil." He said that one could never act in an evil manner so that good results may come to fruition. Why make this extremely strong statement and counter it weeks later with something undermining the whole of it?
I ask these questions merely to bring this issue into the public discussion. I strongly suspect that some monkey business is taking place behind the scenes and would hate to think that Msgr Laughlin would be branded as a brazen liberal for castigating Fr. Newman. As an aside, I know some that know Msgr Laughlin well. They have always spoken very highly of him as a staunch and stalwart defender of Catholic moral principles. He is, I am told, very fond of the Tridentine Mass and was thrilled at the possibility of again offering the Mass of his ordination following the Motu Proprio.
Abp Wilton Gregory was quoted in an interview that, Obama's election was "a great step forward for humanity"? Does he include the aborted babies in the term, "humanity"?
ReplyDeleteWilton Gregory was MC for Joseph Bernardin. In addition, he was consecrated to the episcopacy by Bernardin. Cut from the same "seamless garment" no doubt.
Here's Gregory's interview from beliefnet:
Pope Obama I? Well, sort of...
Monday November 10, 2008
Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory suggests that Obama's victory is a foretaste of what will happen in the Catholic Church--once we get around to electing an African as pope. As Richard Owens reports from Rome...
Archbishop Gregory, who in 2001 became the first African American to head the US Bishops Conference, serving for three years, said that the election of Mr Obama was "a great step forward for humanity and a sign that in the United States the problem of racial discrimination has been overcome". Like Mr Obama Archbishop Gregory comes from Chicago, and was previously Bishop of Belleville, Illinois.
He said that recent Popes, beginning with John XXIII and Paul VI, had brought prelates "from all nations and races" to Rome to take up senior positions in the Curia, the Vatican hierarchy. This offered "an international vision of a Church rich in diversity", he told the Italian newspaper La Stampa.
Archbishop Gregory said that the next time cardinals gathered to elect a Pope they could "in their wisdom" choose an African pontiff. "My own election as head of the US Bishops Conference was an important signal. In 2001 the American bishops elected someone they respected regardless of his race, and the same thing could happen with the election of a Pope."
Barack Obama.jpg I'd also note that within two months of his election as head of the USCCB, then-Bishop Gregory was hit with the sex abuse tsunami. His response to the crisis was (geenrally) considered agile and bold, and his racial breakthrough was soon forgotten. Perhaps Obama will enjoy a similar fate.
In any case, rumors are intensifying that Archbishop Gregory is on the short-list to replace Cardinal Egan in New York. At this point, the American church could use that more than an African pope...