Christian: Catholic conservatism (Jesus, priest, moral, funeral, homosexual)

[michel]

I believe this came from www.timesonline.co.uk ; my wife saved it for me, because she thought I would be interested..................
Catholic conservatism on the rise as priest refuses funeral for 'sinner'
From Richard Owen in Rome





A PARISH priest has refused to give an Italian woman a Christian funeral because she had “lived in sin”.

Father Giuseppe Mazzotta, parish priest at Marcellinara, near Catanzaro in Calabria, said that he had denied a Christian funeral to Maria Francesca Tallarico, who died of breast cancer at the age of 45, because she had lived with her partner but never married him. Her partner was separated and had an 11-year-old daughter.




“She lived with her lover, so she was a public sinner,” Father Mazzotta said. “I decided not to celebrate an official Mass for this woman, who was not in communion with the Church.”

Father Mazzotta said that he had performed the liturgy of absolution for the dead. He added that he was close to the dead woman’s family and had offered them “words of comfort”.

Father Antonio Sciortino, the Editor of Famiglia Cristiana, a popular Catholic magazine, accused Father Mazzotta of “excessive zeal”. Mario Paraboschi, a local councillor, said that he was perplexed. Father Mazzotta said that his action carried a message: “Marriage is a sacrament. We cannot simply pretend.”

The priest’s decision has underlined the growing power of conservative Catholicism in Italy. The liberal and secular Left is increasingly alarmed by the return to “Catholic values” in politics and everyday life, which has clear implications for the general election, due next May.

Yesterday Romano Prodi, the leader of the opposition Centre Left, who hopes to oust the ruling Centre-Right coalition of Silvio Berlusconi, came under fire from the Church and the Right for suggesting that he would follow “the French example” and recognise homosexual “civil unions” if he were returned to power.

Signor Prodi said that he would not go so far as Spain and legalise gay marriage, but Il Giornale, the conservative newspaper owned by the Berlusconi family, said that that was the logical next step.

Last month a referendum proposing the liberalisation of restrictive laws on assisted fertility was roundly defeated. Opposition was led by the Pope, causing the Left to charge the Vatican with interfering in Italian affairs in a throwback to the era of Christian Democratic rule.

The Vatican’s call for a boycott was widely heeded, with a turnout reaching only 25 per cent, half the quorum required.



Father Giuseppe Mazzotta obviously thought he was doing the right thing by the Catholic Church (and I can see his point, in absolute terms) - what do you think ?

I left this open to non Catholic Christians, for their input as well.

[James the Persian]

Well, the phrase that springs to mind is 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone'. I don't see this as conservatism so much as overly rigid legalism. Thankfully, our clergy don't tend to lose track of the fact that people are people and not everyone can live up to the highest moral standards that are the ideal, so I couldn't imagine something similar happening in the Orthodox Church. I'm sure it's not the norm in the RCC either, but I'd be interested to see how others respond.

James

[michel]

So would I; this just doesn't sound 'right'..........

[Uncertaindrummer]

Yeah I gotta agree with iacobpersul here... not holding a funeral because she was in sin? How does he know she didn't have a perfect Act of Contrition before she died and land in Heaven? He doesn't.

[Terrywoodenpic]

It is not How I would see Jesus acting.
Or dosen't that mean anything these days.

Terry
_________________________________
Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God

[Scott1]

"As for the proud minister, he is to be ranked with the devil."
Saint Augustine

.... kinda sums up my feelings about Fr. Mazzotta.

May God show him more mercy than he showed this poor woman.

[savedgirl]

i think its ok

[CaptainXeroid]

I'm not Catholic, and I won't presume to criticize Father Mazzotta's beliefs, but I think denying a 'Christian burial' does more to hurt the family than it does to the person who is deceased.

[michel]

Hi Savedgirl,

As I noticed that this is your first post, I thought I'd Welcome you to the forum;


You might like to look at:- Articles for New Members ; from there, there is a link to the forum rules, which you ought to see.


You might also like to post on:- Are you new to ReligiousForums.com? , to introduce yourself to the members.


I look forward to seeing your posts.

[Victor]

Can't believe I missed this one. No surprise, I agree.

~Victor