An email I have just received:
“You people better get a lasso on that South Carolina priest that is terrorizing people with his threats with regards to Obama. I know that you don’t want a media campaign about your segragationist policies and being the richest institution in the world (more gold than anyone) but most of all we will reawaken people minds of the perverts that rape little boys from your churches.”
In his book, The New Anti Catholicism Philip Jenkins outlines the new forces of anti-Catholic bigotry ranged against the Catholic Church in America. No longer is it the old ‘pope is anti-Christ’ Protestant fundamentalists, but the rabid abortionists, feminists and homosexualists.”
Check out this video for another example of things to come.
UPDATE: Some of the hate mail directed to Fr Newman has come through to me by mistake. If I am getting just a fraction, he’s getting lots, and the excerpt above is just a taste of the rage that is out there. Of course very few engage in either rational or civil (not to mention charitable) debate. Phew! It doesn’t make for pretty reading. The fact that some of it is coming from Catholics is even more disturbing.
UPDATE 2: The media storm is unleashed. Fr Newman’s controversial letter has been picked up by the national news media. His words have been twisted in order to distort his message and the message of the Catholic faith. I continue to receive thousands of emails destined for him. Many are supportive, but I am shocked at a large number that spew the most vicious, foul mouthed filth, hatred and blasphemy imaginable.
Truly frightening. This is the unfortunate turn our society is taking. I read a story today about a group of protesters that interrupted a church service in a similar manner. I doubt such a thing would occur at St. Mary’s, but I have often wondered what the appropriate response would be if some group or person desecrated the Eucharist in protest. My first inclination is probably not something of which Christ would approve. Where is the line between righteous indignation and stooping to the level of our oppsosition? One thing is sure, in times like these, I look forward to defending the faith.
Sooo, which part of Fr. Newman’s homily was “…terrorizing people with his threats…” do you think? Was it the part where Fr. made the terrorist observation that Catholics who voted for Obama had placed themselves outside full communion, or perhaps the terrifying suggestion that we ought to pray for him? What is truly terrifying, of course, is that such garbled (inebriated?) hatred is out there waiting for us! Time to do as Padre Pio admonished: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.”
Looks like we’ll soon have the wheat seperated from the chaff. And did anyone else notice that reporter looked as nervous as a cat passing razor blades but the old lady seemed fairly calm? Guess she’s got the strength of her convictions, Lord may we all.
“I know that you don’t want a media campaign . . .”I don’t want to speak for other Catholics, but this one would welcome a media campaign. The more attention The Church receives, the more she can share The Word.When do we start?
“You people” Truly a person who hates Catholics…she is threatening to make us “pay” with scandal that she will create if we do not bend to her opinions–are there not laws against such threats? And, sheesh, if were so rich–where’s all that gold she’s talking about!?
I have tried several times, unsuccessfully, to email Fr. Newman at his church web site, but it must be shut down. This is what I wanted to tell him:Thank you, Father, for your courage in speaking the truth in love to Catholics who voted for Obama, the most pro-abortion candidate ever….not to mention his running mate Biden, an actual (?) Catholic. If all Catholics would vote for life, politicians like these would not be elected.God bless you!And God bless you also, Fr. Longenecker. I get so much from your blogs.
Perhaps it’s my private conspiracy theory, but I think it no accident that Father Newman’s somewhat convoluted course in life has placed him in Greenville, SC, the mecca of anti-Catholisicm, home of BJU. King’s knight to queen’s pawn 6. Check.
The only thing better would be to, at the same time, place a married Catholic priest who is a Bob Jones alumni in Greenville, South Carolina.But then, the conspiracy would be obvious.Checkmate, The Diocese of Charleston.
That would be to assume that the Catholic hierarchy is both imaginative enough and efficient enough to organize a conspiracy.Alas, that has not been my experience.I think the more likely explanation is that God has a sense of humor.
PLEASE pass along to Fr. Newman that there are so many people at my parish applauding and rejoicing in his strong defense of the faith. Even Protestant friends are cheering, and admiring how the Church stands firm no matter what.We are praying for him!!!
On Teresa Tomeo’s radio program, Catholic Connection which airs on EWTN in the mornings, Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life read an email he received. It amounted to a death threat. I would imagine Fr. Scott is getting some of that, as well
I just wanted to add that the mark of the priesthood is in the cross-hairs of the Angel of Darkness. It is publicly visible when priests uphold what is good and true.
I am getting the same in the comments section of my blog regarding Father Newman.They hate Christ so naturally they will hate His followers also.God bless Father Newman.
You and Fr. Newman are not bishops, let alone the pope. You do not represent the church, or at least you claim you don’t when you rant on politics. So I don’t like the fact that your getting hatemail, but don’t try to put it off as simply anti-catholic. It is anti-right-wing-catholic. You two are judgementalists who claim people are excommunicated for voting for an abortionist president, when powers related to abortion are largely outside of his office, but who proudly vote for a pro-unjust-war candidate when the last two popes spoke out against the Iraq war. The war is WITHIN the power of the oval office. Abortion is largely OUTSIDE of the power of the oval office. When are you going to get that simple fact through your thick wooly head? The president does not have a ‘CRIMINALIZE ABORTION’ red button on his desk or Bush would have pressed it.You keep talking about how abortion is SOOO much worse than unjust war. You fail to explain why the fact that the president has power over war but not over abortion shouldn’t factor in to this.
Marcus Aurelius:Two obvious powers over abortion that the new president has:(1) The power to appoint pro-Roe justices to the Supreme Court, a power magnified by the pro-choice Senate that will speedily confirm them.(2) The power to sign or veto legislation. A President McCain would very probably have vetoed FOCA. President-elect Obama welcomes it.The result: many millions of additional deaths, considering how long it will be now before the states are freed of the tyranny of the Supreme Court forbidding the people’s representatives to decide abortion limits and the dual-track tyranny of FOCA. Jim Cole
jim cole,As you know, appointments to the Supreme Court are subject to Senate confirmation. So, while any president may attempt to name the persons he wants to vacancies, sometimes those nominees are not confirmed.Yes, presidents sign or veto legislation. And it is this particular power that worries me perhaps the most when it comes to soon-to-be President Obama. However, President Bush had opportunities to veto legislation that I dearly wish he would have done, but he chose not to. Obviously, the power to sign or veto is only as potent and useful as the president who wields it.
Yep, I knew when I heard it on FOX News yesterday at 4 pm that you and Fr. Newman were gonna be hit hard. Unfortunately for us humans, it always seems to take a martyr to teach the really important stuff (may it at least NOT be a martyrdom involving the physical realm!). We and our friends are praying very hard for you two right now. Again and again I say, THANKS for your witness and may God bless all you do in His name. Let this not distract or deter you from His work.
Marcus,This is not political.From Fr. Newman yesterday regarding his statements:”It was not an attempt to make a partisan point. In fact, in this election, for the sake of argument, if the Republican candidate had been pro-abortion, and the Democratic candidate had been pro-life, everything that I wrote would have been exactly the same.”It is regrettable that the mainstream Democratic party has taken such an extremist stance on the abortion issue and left Catholics few other options, namely a Republican or a candidate with no chance of winning. We should pray for the return of a Democratic party that supports the life of the innocent rather than atrocities numbering greater than 45 million (and counting).In all honesty, your stance is quite untenable from a Christian perspective. Rather, such flimsy reasoning is the hallmark of hyper-political, hyper-partisan rhetoric, something that the bishops (as well as Fr. Newman) take great care to avoid.P.S. I’m not a bishop either.
father dwight,because you removed the post regarding Father Newman and the follow-up he posted on st marys website, I dont quite know where to post this. The diocese of charleston has said that Father Newman’s comments have “diverted the focus from the Church’s clear position against abortion” and ” the Catholic Church’s clear, moral teaching on the evil of abortion has been pulled into the partisan political arena”. I was wondering what this means for Father Newman and what he has previously said, if we have to “obey” what Msgr Laughlin says, or, quite frankly, how I should feel about the situation.
here is the link to the diocese websitehttp://www.catholic-doc.org/
Father Longenecker – I do not view you as judgmentalist…Marcus, I do view you as a pot stirrer – trying always to put your point against the war across…I read Archbishop Wilton Gregory’s interview with the Timesonline, UK, lauding B.O.He said in part, Obama’s election was “a great step forward for humanity and a sign that in the United States the problem of racial discrimination has been overcome.” And this while 50 % of babies of color are being slaughtered due to his way of thinking…and having a 100 % approval rating from NARAL and Planned deathhood (I called them one day, by the way, and they said the do not help parents – they only help people who do not want to be parents…and we know how they do that, so that is why I put the name the way I do)You can read the article that I quoted from here:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article5097668.eceOur own Archbishop – applauding a man who promotes genocide and infanticide…what is the world coming to?This is really about wrong versus right – and when our Church is divided, which it is, then we need to figure out how to overcome the enemy from within. I wonder if those who have a “fatwa” out on priests who defend life and preach the gospel, who do not fall away from the teachings of Holy Mother Church, will be charged with a hate crime?It will be interesting to see…AND to know if the Archbishop has also gotten hate mail…
Marcus:His Holiness stated a personal opinion that the war in Iraq is unjust. That’s an opinion I agree with. However, he did not formally condemn the war as unjust, he simply stated an opinion. Therefor, persons of good will may, as a matter of prudential judgment, differ on that.There can be, on the matter of abortion, no disagreement.And, as a further explaination, 48,000,000 deaths is far beyond the body count of the Iraq war–unless, contrary to Catholic teaching, you wiegh the deaths of post partum humans more heavily than pre partum humans.So, there is no equivelency in gavity: one is a prudential judgment, the other a mater of doctrine. There is no equivelency in number–abortion far outweighs the toll of the war. and there is no equivelency in kind–abortion is murder. Killing in combat, even unjust combat, is not.And, actually, the Pope has weighed in on this issue too–on the side of Frs Longnecker and Newman.
Just want to add my support for Fr. Newman. I just read his statement. I hope and pray you get a supportive bishop down there soon.
Don’t we all. I will respect Msr. Laughlin’s decision as our administrator, but I will pray for a speedy successor to Bishop Baker.
McCain voted for the appointments of Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, David H. Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, as well as Roberts and Alito. Obama did not vote for Roberts and Alito. It is clear who has a litmus test for this job. This is the influnce a president has over the abortion issue, and it is almost certain Obama will nominate someone to insure the slaughter continues. And sadly, that legacy can long outlast even the shortest of presidential tenures.
ignorant redneck,Here is an article I would recommend concerning Just War and various ramifications in the disagreement on the subject between Pope Benedict and some neocons:http://www.amconmag.com/article/2005/aug/29/00011/
Redneck,Get your catechism out and read about just war. Iraq was wrong, period, no ‘personal opinion’ about it from a catholic perspective.A vote for McCain was a vote for the John Hagee-esque Neocon ideologies that started and sustained the Bush Doctrine of unjust, pre-emptive war. McCain’s embrace of the Hagee half of the GOP was further underscored by his pick of Palin.There was a sunami of support for Obama because neocons cheered bone heads like Bush and Palin on. The few like yourself who see the war was wrong by catholic doctrine are only willing to meekly whimper out a condemnation like ‘in my personal opinion’ or the ‘holy father just uttered an irrelevant personal opinion’. HOGWASH! Killing one Iraqi Chrisian child with a bomb during that war was just as tragic as an abortion! That bomb killed child was ‘collateral damage’ that the Neocons in power were well briefed of in advance.The president was told, ‘if you push the war button innocents will die in order to achieve our objective’ and he pushed it anyway.I think that is rather similar to a young mother who is told ‘if you get an abortion an innocent will die in order to achieve your child-free state’.Both involve the death of innocents to achieve an objective, both are condemned absolutely by the church and in the catechism, and the President of the United States of America has almost uniliateral control over a military intevention as Commander in Chief, but, the President has little power over abortion.Even had McCain won, the senate would not have allowed him to appoint an anti-Roe justice.The Neocons elected Obama, pure and simple. The so-called conservatives who laughed a guy like Ron Paul off the stage elected Obama.The Catholic who rejected a neocon and instead abstained or voted Obama or Libertarian? That catholic bears little responsibility for the Neocon travesty if you ask me. The Neocons lost the senate! There’ll be no change in the supreme court for life issues without the senate!You people are WAY to focused on the presidency. If you’re serious about politics you ought to learn something about how the government actually functions and where control over abortion actually resides!
Newsflash from Rocco’s blog:83 year-old Msgr Martin Laughlin, the diocesan administrator — publicly rapped the priest (simultaneously sending his spokesman, Steve Gajdosik, under the bus), lamenting in a statement that, as a result of Newman’s comments, the “moral teaching on the evil of abortion has been pulled into the partisan political arena”: The recent comments of Father Jay Scott Newman, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenville, S.C., have diverted the focus from the Church’s clear position against abortion. As Administrator of the Diocese of Charleston, let me state with clarity that Father Newman’s statements do not adequately reflect the Catholic Church’s teachings. Any comments or statements to the contrary are repudiated. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions.” The Catechism goes on to state: “In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path; we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also examine our conscience before the Lord’s Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church.” Christ gives us freedom to explore our own conscience and to make our own decisions while adhering to the law of God and the teachings of the faith. Therefore, if a person has formed his or her conscience well, he or she should not be denied Communion, nor be told to go to confession before receiving Communion. The pulpit is reserved for the Word of God. Sometimes God’s truth, as is the Church’s teaching on abortion, is unpopular. All Catholics must be aware of and follow the teachings of the Church. We should all come together to support the President-elect and all elected officials with a view to influencing policy in favor of the protection of the unborn child. Let us pray for them and ask God to guide them as they take the mantle of leadership on January 20, 2009.
Current events flash: Senate approves Justices Roberts and Alito to Supreme Court.
First I would like to add my heartfelt support for Father Newman. We are all praying for all of the priests at St. Mary’s in this struggle.Secondly I wanted to make a point about the Supreme Court. With regard to pro-life issues, the Supreme Court was never intended to have jurisdiction over that area of law. They have unconstitutionally usurped an authority which the states never granted them. When we place so much emphasis and importance on the Supreme Court, all it does is validate their usurped authority. You might ask, “well what difference does that make now? – they have the defacto authority.” Well, let me point out the case of Judge Roy Moore and his Ten Commandments monument. I first started hearing of a federal judge’s order to remove it several years before it actually came to pass and then I heard no more about it until the time it was removed. I wondered why. I found out that at the time the federal judge first ordered it removed, the then Governor of Alabama (I apologize that I can’t remember names right now) refused. At issue is the fact that states never gave up the right to express religious beliefs and that the federal government had no jurisdiction to decide such matters. If I remember correctly, I think the governor also said something about his state national guard meeting the federal agents at the border. The point is that the Federal government backed down. Let me repeat that. The Governor said no and the Feds backed down. It was after that Governor had stepped down and a spineless one had taken his place that you began again to hear about the story and we all know the result. The only truly depressing election results were the failure of South Dakota to pass a constitutional amendment against abortion and the failure of Colorado to pass a beginning of life amendment. Some people in these states truly understand the nature of the battle. I truly believe that if two or three states would have the courage to refuse to allow abortions to be committed on their soil, that Roe vs. Wade would be over tomorrow. Standing up for state’s rights is not going to make a perfect world – nothing earthly will. But allowing all authority to rest in a body so vulnerable to the whims of politics is disastrous. Therefore, the only thing I agree with marcus arelius on is that we put too much importance on who the president is and not enough on our local South Carolina House, Senate and Governor positions.
I’m confused by Msgr. Laughlin’s statement. What isn’t being said? He seems to agree with Fr. Newman yet his quoting from the Catechism without comment leaves a huge gap for us to fill in … how, exactly?
Re:anti-Catholic postsY’know father, I wouldn’t spend too much time on them. I never really thought much about demons and the Evil One, but if you look at the filth that is thrown at Catholics on blogs like Washington Post, etc., you have to think–like Chesterton–that these things have managed to slip through a wormhole somewhere and walk the world freely.What to do I don’t know. These are blogging bullies, no doubt about it , and would respond to legal action, but I think for now the safest thing is to withdraw. Not for Fr Newman to stop speaking the truth, that is his right, but not to return the fire of the atheists.
It may not be entirely comforting, but there is some solace in knowing such anti-Catholic attacks in a sense validate the truth of the Church. If this were not the case, no one would care.If this were not the true Church, womyn priests could just start their own cult, or join TEC, or just start banging a drum. But it doesn’t work for them, because they know anything else is an empty facsimile. How ironic that they want to change the thing they desire until it becomes something different, no longer resembling the object they pursue. I suspect a sinister directive underneath it all.Alexander Pope used to adore his criticims. We can find a silver lining in ours as Catholics. I just pray no one gets hurt.
Father Newman is another Athanasius! My prayers are with him — big time!!!And, FWIW, I wish I were in his parish!
There is certainly a lot of stone casting here and I pray that Like St. Paul, it is lovingly accepted as a test of faith.We know that the Magisterium is the teaching authority of the church but while the Bishops are the “collegial character” of the ecclesial ministry, our priests are equally “In Persona Christi Capitis”.While I’ve heard a few Bishops speak at the occasional Mass, the last time I met a Bishop was years ago at my Confirmation and I’ll bet that’s the same for most Catholics. Since then I have spoken primarily to those men who have chose to be on the “FRONT LINES” so to speak. It is Priests like Fr. Newman and Fr. Longnecker who are out there walking amongst us sinners trying to make us into saints every single day and whom have most certainly have helped form my conscience and I for one am very grateful. Their guidance together with the Catechism and the gifts I seek of the Holy Spirit through prayer has largely formed my conscience.As Msgr Laughlin correctly states from the Catechism, man CAN form his or her own conscience. Of that there can be no doubt. But the CCC also recognizes that for Catholics the conscience is primarily formed through the teachings of the Magisterium aided by the witness and advice of others (let’s hope that’s our Priests), and guided by the Holy Spirit within ourselves through reflection and prayer.Forming a conscience requires a lot more than agreeing or disagreeing with the internet opinions of others or with politicians and their policies. It takes many years and requires a clear understanding of first who we are, where we are, where we’re going and how we intend to get there. As Catholics it requires asking many questions of ourselves and then with much study, reflection and prayer, asking some very basic questions: Is your eternal life worth more to you that your physical material life? Is your eternal life worth more to you than your political life? Or perhaps your Social Life?Truly only you can answer those questions for yourselves. And only you can act on the answers, for indeed it IS your own soul that is at stake. That is what St. Paul was reminding us in 1 Cor 11:29 when he said “lest they eat and drink their own condemnation”.Either way you choose to form your own conscience, it is truly yours and only you are responsible for your own thoughts, actions and sins.As Catholics, we are SUPPOSED to be in a STATE OF GRACE and as free from all sin as possible before receiving Holy Communion! This is nothing new at all. See how pure, sinless and “Full of Grace” was our Blessed Mother Mary when she received the Body of Christ within her! To receive the sacred Body and Blood of Christ within us, we should strive to be as free from sin as we can consciously be. That goes for all aspects of our lives, not just this particular issue.I find an awful lot of irony in this. In St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 11, from which Fr. Newman correctly quoted, he calls for Christian Order and for us to be “Imitators of Christ.”If you believe as Catholics do that our Priests are “In Persona Christi Capitus”, and that they are Imitators of Christ, then only to mock and jeer when they make a stand for your eternal souls in trying to ensure the same thing for you, are you not then also mocking and jeering Jesus the Christ Himself?Then there’s that whole casting of the first stone thing.Father Longnecker, Thank you for your steadfast devotion to the faith and the faithful. Please let Fr. Newman know that there are many whom agree with him. Also, if I have misstated anything here, please let me know. I humbly accept your counsel. I pray that one day the Holy Spirit may guide my words as well as He has yours and Father Newman’s.May God Continue to Bless You.
Sitting in St Mary’s service this morning, it was a relief, after Father Newman’s homily to hear the sound of applause. The Catholic faith demands that we be truthful and faithful to no one but ourselves and The Father. It is truly amazing the persecusion that was recieved by Father Newman’s statement last week. Being a Catholic all my life has been special to me, and I would hope that my children will grow up and have priests such as Father Newman, Father Bart, and you Father Longenecker to guide us through all things outside the church that may “tempt” us. Thank you for taking care of your loyal parishioners.
Father Dwight…I’m thankful for you and all the other priests of St. Mary’s and elsewhere who hold the same views written on our newsletter last Sunday. A small portion of what I took from it:Father Newman is not telling us what to do, he’s not controlling us, not ordering us, not politicizing, not “slamming” Obama, not “bashing” those who vote for him….he’s asking his parishioners and other Catholics to examine their conscience (Which good Catholics should do regularly), and THINK about why they voted the way they did. Did they see and learn all there was to know about this man before voting. Americans have the unsavory habit of skimming surface just long enough to spot something that suits them and say, “Ah, there we go! That’s all I needed” and stop there. We need to learn more, think more, search our souls more, and above all…PRAY more. God will guide us if we trust our lives to His great will. Thank you, Father Dwight, for helping to spread His word and message of love and mercy.
Fr. Newman is a blockhead for writing that letter. Which catholic voted for Obama because they like abortion? Get real. Newman was out of line and did not represent my church, and that is why he was smacked down by the diocese administrator. Fr. Longenecker should probably get smacked down a bit too.
The Catholics who voted for Obama are the ones who don’t dislike abortion enough.
Marcus, You’re kidding, right? Please tell me you don’t really think of that letter as a “smack down”? The Msgr. merely restated a different and still valid part of the Catechism on conscience. But nowhere in his letter (I have a copy) did he say WHAT was wrong.In fact, the sentence where he said “Fr. Newman’s statements do not adequately reflect the Catholic Church’s teachings” is actually quite soft and could be take to mean that Fr. Newman’s statement weren’t STRONG enough! (and that’s MY personal opinion) See how a statement can have two meanings depending on the reader? It was actually well crafted and perhaps intentionally worded that way.Smack down? Not even close!Your church? What church would that be? I have my doubts that you’re even a Catholic, based on your writings and disrespect of both the Church and these two fine Priests. Even if you thought they were wrong, there is a respectful way to handle it. What do you think defines a Catholic Marcus? Is it just a baptism certificate and a check in a block on religious preference? Maybe confession on Saturday and receiving Holy Communion on Sundays? I’m interested to hear your definition of “Catholic”.If you only believe what you like in the teachings or doctrines of the Church or her people, perhaps it is not the Church that you like, but yourself.God Bless You.Bob Cavalcante Jr.(My REAL name)
Hello Father,I am new Catholic and have been looking watching this issue as it has developed over the election. I have been listening in my RCIA classes how the Catholic’s seem ready to always take the high road (versus the Protestants) and stay the course even in times of intense pressure. I am glad to see this in actual practice and applaud you and Fr. Newman for taking the stand which you have. It is good to see someone actually practice what they preach. This gives me great joy in confirming why I chose to come home to Rome. Thanks for the courage to show us the way.
Hello Father,I am new Catholic and have been looking watching this issue as it has developed over the election. I have been listening in my RCIA classes how the Catholic’s seem ready to always take the high road (versus the Protestants) and stay the course even in times of intense pressure. I am glad to see this in actual practice and applaud you and Fr. Newman for taking the stand which you have. It is good to see someone actually practice what they preach. This gives me great joy in confirming why I chose to come home to Rome. Thanks for the courage to show us the way.