[Apologetics] Kerry Cited in Heresy Case!

[Art Kelly]

Thanks, Bret.

I wonder why John Kerry wants to remain in the
Catholic Church. From my persepective, he would fit in
very well with the Episcopal Church.

It would be interesting to talk with Senator Kerry to
see exactly where he is coming from.  Maybe Kerry
wants to be a cafeteria Catholic, but he should
understand that he cannot pick and choose which
doctrines to adhere to and which to reject.

If Kerry wants to attend Catholic Mass every Sunday--I
saw a recent picture where he received "communion" at
a Methodist Church--he should voluntarily not be
receiving Communion.

He should also understand that Catholics must live
their faith.

Art

--- Bret <bbellamy at mindspring.com> wrote:
> Bret has sent you an article from The Washington
> Times.
> 
> Bret's comments: BAM!  As Emeril Lagasse would say.
>
-----------------------------------------------------------
> KERRY CITED IN CATHOLIC HERESY CASE
> By Julia Duin
> THE WASHINGTON TIMES
>
-----------------------------------------------------------
> A Catholic lawyer has filed heresy charges against
> Sen. John Kerry with the Archdiocese of Boston,
> accusing the Democratic presidential candidate of
> bringing "most serious scandal to the American
> public" by receiving Holy Communion as a pro-choice
> Catholic.
> 
>     The 18-page document was sent to the archdiocese
> June 14, but released to the public only yesterday
> by Marc Balestrieri, a Los Angeles-based canon
> lawyer and an assistant judge with the Archdiocese
> of Los Angeles' tribunal, an ecclesiastical court.
> 
>     "Heresy is a public, ecclesiastical crime," said
> Mr. Balestrieri, 33, whose complaint is posted at
> www.defide.com. "It affects entire communities. It
> is one of the greatest sins you can commit."
> 
>     If the Boston Archdiocese, which is refusing
> comment on the case, decided to press heresy
> charges, the Massachusetts senator could be
> excommunicated.
> 
>     "My goal is his repentance, not
> excommunication," Mr. Balestrieri said. The charges
> do not seek monetary damages.
> 
>     The Rev. Arthur Espelage, executive coordinator
> for the Canon Law Society in Alexandria, said a
> Catholic layman can legitimately bring a case
> against another layman in a church court. The
> charges, known in church parlance as a
> "denunciation," are similar to a criminal complaint
> in secular law.
> 
>     But "this is really unique," he said. "I have
> never heard of a case like this being processed
> before."
> 
>     The charges must be filed in the diocese where
> Mr. Kerry lives. If the Archdiocese of Boston
> rejects the case, Mr. Balestrieri can appeal it to
> the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
> headed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in Rome. 
> 
>     Father Espelage said church officials, not
> politicians, are the ones usually accused of heresy.
> But this suit may change that.
> 
>     "It's as if someone has launched the nuclear
> missile now," the priest said. "I'd suspect there
> will be communication between the [Boston]
> Archdiocese and the Holy See on this." 
> 
>     A spokeswoman for Mr. Kerry refused comment
> because the campaign had not seen the document.
> 
>     Mr. Balestrieri said he filed the heresy charge
> — plus an additional complaint charging "harm" to
> himself as a result of Mr. Kerry's pronouncements on
> abortion and related issues — because canon law
> entitles Catholics to "possession of the faith
> unharmed."
> 
>     "By spreading heresy, he is endangering not just
> mine by every Catholic's possession of the faith,"
> he said.
> 
>     "I am inviting all baptized Catholics who feel
> injured by Kerry to join the suit as third parties"
> by reading the document on the Web site and then
> sending a certified letter of agreement to the
> Boston Archdiocese.
> 
>     "People are saying you can be pro-choice and be
> a good Christian, that it is not contrary to the
> faith to support aborted murder," Mr. Balestrieri
> said. "This is a life-threatening heresy."
> 
>     "Bishops have had 31 years [since the Supreme
> Court made abortion an individual right] to do
> something on this matter, but they've done nothing,"
> he said.
> 
>     Charles M. Wilson, director of the St. Joseph
> Foundation in San Antonio, which has filed numerous
> complaints in church courts across the country on
> behalf of Catholic laity, doubts the Boston
> Archdiocese will respond to the case. 
> 
>     The weak point of a "denunciation" suit, he
> said, is that the bishop need not take action.
> Usually a bishop will first investigate the case and
> determine whether the charges have substance, Mr.
> Wilson said, but Archbishop Sean O'Malley of Boston
> is under no obligation to prosecute the accused.
> 
>     
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
-----------------------------------------------------------
> This article was mailed from The Washington Times
>
(http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040630-111108-2541r.htm)
> For more great articles, visit us at
> http://www.washingtontimes.com
> 
> Copyright (c) 2004 News World Communications, Inc.
> All rights reserved.
> 
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=====
ART KELLY, ATM-S 
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