* From a press release…
Scheduled for approximately the same time that Gov. Pat Quinn signs into Illinois law the redefinition of civil marriage, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki will offer “Prayers of Supplication and Exorcism in Reparation for the Sin of Same-Sex Marriage” at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sixth and Lawrence streets in Springfield, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 4 to 5 p.m. Clergy, religious and laity are invited to attend. […]
Bishop Paprocki said that since same-sex marriage is contrary to the plan of God (see Genesis 1:27 and 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9), those who contract civil same-sex marriage are culpable of serious sin. He also noted that politicians who enacted civil same-sex marriage legislation are “morally complicit as co-operators in facilitating this grave sin.”
“It is scandalous that so many Catholic politicians are responsible for enabling the passage of this legislation and even twisting the words of the pope to rationalize their actions despite the clear teaching of the church,” he said. “All politicians now have the moral obligation to work for the repeal of this sinful and objectionable legislation. We must pray for deliverance from this evil which has penetrated our state and our church.”
* He also referenced some comments made by the Pope back when he was a Cardinal…
Regarding the proposed redefinition of civil marriage in Argentina, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio wrote on June 22, 2010: “The Argentine people must face, in the next few weeks, a situation whose result may gravely harm the family. It is the bill on matrimony of persons of the same sex. The identity of the family, and its survival, are in jeopardy here: father, mother, and children. The life of so many children who will be discriminated beforehand due to the lack of human maturity that God willed them to have with a father and a mother is in jeopardy. At stake is the total rejection of God’s law engraved in our hearts. … Let us not be naive: it is not a simple political struggle; it is an intention [which is] destructive of the plan of God. It is not a mere legislative project (this is a mere instrument), but rather a ‘move’ of the father of lies who wishes to confuse and deceive the children of God.”
Bishop Paprocki noted, “The pope’s reference to the ‘father of lies’ comes from the Gospel of John (8:44), where Jesus refers to the devil as ‘a liar and the father of lies.’ So Pope Francis is saying that same-sex ‘marriage’ comes from the devil and should be condemned as such.”
It’ll be interesting to see how the GOP gubernatorial candidates respond to this demand for repeal.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:45 am:
Paging Pope Francis. Paging Pope Francis. You’ve got some tolerance house-cleaning to do.
Exorcism? Are you freaking kidding me???
- Adam Smith - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:47 am:
Absolutely tone deaf. Taking a bad situation and making it worse.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:48 am:
I don’t know why anybody would go to a church where hate was preached. He just called some of his parishoners evil. How nice.
I don’t consider people like the Bishop to be the best example of a “Christian.”
- OneMan - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:52 am:
I think they are failing to notice he said may, not shall… Big difference….
- Springfield Wesite - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:55 am:
POPE-racki is a joke. I want our old bishop back.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:58 am:
“All politicians now have the moral obligation to work for the repeal of this sinful and objectionable legislation.”
Sinful and objectionable? As opposed to sinful and a-ok?
It’s Springfield, not Teheran. Civil law, not canon law. Democracy, not theocracy.
As for Pope Francis:
–“We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible. I have not spoken much about these things, and I was reprimanded for that. But when we speak about these issues, we have to talk about them in a context. The teaching of the church, for that matter, is clear and I am a son of the church, but it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.
The dogmatic and moral teachings of the church are not all equivalent. The church’s pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently. –
If anyone cares to read Pope Francis’ words — “untwisted” — here’s the full interview in question. Highly recommended.
http://www.americamagazine.org/pope-interview
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:58 am:
I signed up to attend the bill-signing ceremony and am awaiting confirmation. While there, I will offer a Prayer of the U.S. Constitution and Rule of Law in the Celebration of Marriage Equality.
- anon - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:06 pm:
Paprocki blames the devil for sex abuse lawsuits as well. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/new-springfield-bishop-th_n_545387.html
- Wensicia - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:09 pm:
“All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbor as yourself.”
– Jesus Christ
- Sir Reel - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:10 pm:
I say if the good bishop is so upset with this law, he give up the Catholic Church’s tax exempt status. That would show he’s willing to stand up to the evil government!
- MrJM - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:11 pm:
Have condemnations been issued by any of the other ayatollahs?
– MrJM
- Dee Lay - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:14 pm:
“Democracy, not theocracy. ”
Funny how that’s forgotten as needed.
Exorcism is a serious catholic rite.
Claiming to do one on….a law? oliticians? in general? not only cheapens the catholic church, but Christianity as a whole. I think the fair bishop doth forget the teachings of thine Jesus.
- A. Nonymous - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:37 pm:
I’m not Catholic.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:38 pm:
“Prayers of Supplication and Exorcism in Reparation for the Sin of Same-Sex Marriage”
Has the bishop held any public prayers of supplication and exorcism for the sin of child molestation?
- Newsclown - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:42 pm:
(Excuse duplicate post due to issues with browser cookies)
If you read carefully the bible quotes Paprocki cites, they say God is both male and female at the same time, and made us in God’s image. Further, the part about “let no man separate what God has joined” could easily be interpreted to mean what I think the ancient Hebrews meant: “don’t try to break up someone’s marriage”.
Add to this the recent new science that proves gender identity is an epigenetic trait and essentially inherited, (i.e. you ARE “born” hetero or non-hetero, God made you that way), and what the Bishop’s citations really order us is to not mess with people that God made the way they are, nor to interfere if two of them love each other.
Nothing about gay marriage threatens MY marriage. Plenty of impartial studies show that children raised by gay couples do as well as ones with traditional moms and dads, and better than with just single parents.
God is love. The church is ordered to hate sin, but love the sinner; to always welcome anyone seeking God’s grace. The Bishop’s duty is to remain engaged in dialog with those not of his faith, to eventually reach an understanding.
I don’t know what the Bishop’s personal agenda is; I just know that these diatribes fit right in with the kind of thing Jesus disparaged as being of selfish man, and not of God.
Some great lyrics in this recent song by Macklemore; “God’s Goalie” should particularly pay attention to: “If you preach hate, those words are NOT anointed”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0
- LincolnLounger - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:42 pm:
“… and even twisting the words of the pope to rationalize their actions …”
It’s probably the grammar geek in me, but I’m fascinated as to how that sentence was written. Catholics refer to the Pope as “Holy Father” or the “Supreme Pontiff.”
To use the word “pope” — uncapitalized, as if there are piles of them to be had — in a sentence like that seems almost a throw-away. Very odd.
- really? - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:42 pm:
No way! Awesome dude…make it a reality TV show where this bishop guy does exorcisms for all kinds of civil issues in today’s world. Give me a break. This will, of course, make national news. Today. Yes, publicly, I have to renounce anything I’ve ever had to do with the Catholic Church for believing in such Medieval concepts and not realizing the thoughts and expressions of it’s own biblical and theological scholars. Like others have said here, this will only make the church look bad. I think it already looks like another episode of “Honey Boo Boo Child” or the esteemed learning channel series of “Bootleggers”. What a joke. BTW. I’ve never said it here. I am a former - ex priest. Left many years ago over issues of knowing what goes on behind closed doors in this church and did (still do) not believe it is consistent with the teachings of Christ. From my pulpit today, I encourage people of good faith to continue to challenge their religious leaders - and do not be afraid to leave your pew.
- Curious - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:48 pm:
How about public prayers against unjust wars? Denial of communion / excommunication of those who fight / lead such wars? (It has happened within the last 100 years.)
- Publius - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:54 pm:
What about treating others as you would be treated? There is a great deal of wisdom in the old saying “Live and let live.” There are some obvious responses to the bishop’s hateful stewardship. For instance, I am a Presbyterian.
- haverford - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:55 pm:
So he NOT a fan, then.
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:57 pm:
How about he do something positive about…I don’t know, anything. Go feed some hungry people.
- TJ - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:03 pm:
Judge not lest ye be judged, padre.
- SpfldCatholic - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:08 pm:
Driving more people away… This man is not good for the Church.
- Chicago Publius - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:12 pm:
This reactionary dude is out of control. Why isn’t he praying for the reparation of sins associated with divorce, pollution, unjust wages, and the death penalty? The church’s encyclicals, especially JP II’s “Gospel of Life” speak directly to these issues as well. Funny how these clerics can, cafeteria style, pick and choose the social issues that they want to tackle.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:14 pm:
A man, woman and children make a family, every child deserves that right?
Well…I’m still waiting on the bills that prohibit divorce and mandate marriage for the single and pregnant. If somehow a same-sex couple is depriving a child of a proper upbringing by not having a mom/dad in the house, what’s the excuse for all of these single moms and dads. Sinners, all of them, but let’s be consistent - let’s force them to either get married or stay married. Then we’ll keep the family unit intact.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:16 pm:
And for God’s sake, when are we going to reintroduce stoning for loose women? Seriously.
- Sara - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:20 pm:
I thought the church only recognized marriages
In the church. My marriage is not recognized
Nor would same sex couples. He needs to be
removed.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:20 pm:
Leviticus 19:19 prohibits fields with two kinds of seed. We’ve got some darn farmers to excommunicate.
Same passage says you can’t wear a garment with two types of material. Almost all shoes have two types of material. The shoeless are chosen! Make sure your fellow man knows this.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 1:44 pm:
Let’s not forget about Lot and his two daughters. That was weird.
- West Side the Best Side - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:11 pm:
Maybe too many hard checks against the boards in some of Bishop Paprocki’s hockey games.
- RetiredStateEmployee - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:13 pm:
http://emilycheath.com/2012/08/31/how-to-determine-if-your-religious-liberty-is-at-threat-in-just-ten-quick-questions/
Maybe the bishop needs a period of self reflection.
- cermak_rd - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:16 pm:
What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. –Hillel.
OK, different tradition, but still a neat concept.
- walkinfool - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:42 pm:
There used to be especially righteous Christians, who proved their faith by living alone on top of pillars for months.
That’s how I picture the good Bishop, looking down on everyone else in his Cathedral.
- PoolGuy - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:44 pm:
I think this Bishop has spent too much time watching the Last Exorcism and the Conjuring.
SSM is a mockery to his faith, but performing a stunt like this isn’t???
one step forward, two steps back
- Catrike - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 2:56 pm:
And not one word from the bishop about the Republican war on the poor. So stange.
- Catrike - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 3:00 pm:
“So strange”.
- Nearly Normal - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 3:05 pm:
The Bishop loves his hyperbolic statements and rants. Although he is not my bishop his statements often make my parish Sunday bulletin. Most just seem to frown at the page and quickly turn to another page in the bulletin.
The bishop was in Arizona this summer and found a hostile audience composed of grads from Jesuit schools and universities–
http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/illinois-bishop-faces-challenging-audience-talk-same-sex-marriage
- Tilt - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 3:39 pm:
“I don’t know why anyone would go to a church where hate was preached…”
Reverend Jeremiah Wright was the spiritual advisor to the Obamas for how many years. Answer your own question. The fact that Obama claims not to have heard no hateful sermons explains why he never seems to know anything about his own policies.
Rather than tackling the bishop for standing up for Catholic Church teachings, maybe we ought to ask some of the nominally “Catholic” elected officials who prefer the label only as a means of reaping votes to cross the aisle and join the Unitarians or Methodists if they prefer diversity and warm and fuzzy spirituality where everybody is correct because there are no absolute rules.
In other dioceses in the USA, local bishops have denied communion to politicians who publicly support abortion. In Chicago, the Church hierarchy has been slavishly devoted to the Democratic Machine since Daley and Cody did business together.
Religion and politics do not mix well, but what Paprocki is doing is only revolutionary because this is Illinois.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 4:08 pm:
Let’s start making our candidates respond to every press release from a religious figure.
That’s a great way to get less religion in our politics rather than more.
Wait, it doesn’t work like that?
- olddog - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 4:24 pm:
@ Tilt 3:39 p.m. === … maybe we ought to ask some of the nominally “Catholic” elected officials who prefer the label only as a means of reaping votes to cross the aisle and join the Unitarians or Methodists if they prefer diversity and warm and fuzzy spirituality where everybody is correct because there are no absolute rules. ==
Maybe we ought to ask ourselves to cool the divisive, insulting rhetoric about the “warm and fuzzy spirituality” we perceive in each other’s faith communities.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 4:33 pm:
And the Bishop wonders why attendance is down and the baskets are light in most of his parishes? Huh.
- Langhorne - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 4:35 pm:
Quinn doesnt live in this diocese, and presumably is not a member of any of its parishes, so poprock isnt his bishop. Can this bishop excommunicate someone who is not a member, if we get to that. Durbin might be different.
And i think the bishop can exhort members to behave acc to church teachings, but is flat out wrong to harangue “all poloticians” to repeal it.
- kimocat - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 5:38 pm:
I think this bishop has gone around the bend. Calling Mel Gibson.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 5:45 pm:
Tilt,
I don’t think people are reacting because the Bishop doesn’t believe in same sex marriage. My comment was more about the over the top rhetoric he has spewed, and now calling for exorcisms which seems more than a bit medieval.
I also still question the whole selective hysteria about gay marriage, especially when precisely this type of hysteria has been rejected by the Pope himself.
- Juvenal - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 6:20 pm:
The Bible is a Rorshach Test.
How it is interpreted tells you nothing about the Will of God and everything about the heart of the reader.
- flea - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 6:28 pm:
The Holy Goalie must have lost his cannoli.
- low level - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 6:44 pm:
The charity and love he and others like him constantly show is truly breathtaking. Even in the rules based culture of the church hierarchy, exorcisms are very rare and require a bunch of approvals from higher up.
He has truly lost it. The very sad thing is this turns people away from the church and the faith. At its core, it’s beautiful and has aided many during difficult times in their lives.
- low level - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 6:50 pm:
“In Chicago, the Church hierarchy has been slavishly devoted to the Democratic Machine since Daley and Cody did business together.” - Tilt
Is that you, John Kass?
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 6:53 pm:
He’d have better luck if he threatened to leave Illinois unless his church gets tax breaks. Oh. Wait. Nevermind.
- Just The Way It Is One - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 7:09 pm:
Whoa–I didn’t think he, on behalf of the Catholic Church, would go THAT far! But it’s clear that the Bishop is DEADLY (from an ETERnal standpoint!) SERious about this situation, and is obviously now holding each and EVERY Illinois Catholic Legislator at least, who voted for SSM, “culpable,” that is, to “blame” them PERsonally for what he has now specified PUBlicly as a “grave…serious sin!” And this comes, to boot, from a high-ranking Official Catholic Church Perspective–with a stinging rebuke from the Pope’s actual words in clear opposition to affirming such relationships with Marriage–as opposed to Civil Unions and sensitivity to the LGBT community, which some have suggested the Pope may have expressed support for previously (i.e. Civil Unions ONLY…)! Yikes! The Bishop will perform an EXORCISM against the law? Some may chuckle, but at least for the Catholic Lawmakers (Madigan too) and Governor involved, this is Serious Business…!
- Quizzical - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 9:31 pm:
He should tone down his language. At some point the anti-gay rants sound like a cry for help from somebody with something to hide.
- Soccertease - Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 10:20 pm:
I may be the lone ranger on this but think it’s admirable that the bishop speaks out (maybe a bit too strongly though). We have gotten so politically correct and trendy that it’s not all bad when someone like the bishop swims against the stream.
- low level - Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 5:42 am:
” but at least for the Catholic Lawmakers (Madigan too) and Governor involved, this is Serious Business…!”
No, it’s not. Nice try though.
- Tony - Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 7:54 am:
I like how the gay supporters and a majority of state and federal politicians say that a majority of the United States population support gay rights/marriage. I say “no they don’t” they just don’t care. There’s a big difference between supporting and not caring because we have more important issues going on in our lives. Besides the Catholics went belly up the minute Obama, was elected it’s to late now to take the religious high ground not to mention the Bible has remained the same on homosexual relations. It’s a NO-NO, no matter what we say or do!!!
- SAP - Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 9:05 am:
Soccertease: I think people can live with a catholic bishop being anti-gay marriage. The problems are that (1) he is trying to force his religious beliefs down the legislature’s throats and (2) he either can’t read or he is lying when he says that SB10 impacts catholic marriage.
- wayne - Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 10:14 am:
….and if even one gay couple weds in Illinois in June, 2014, it will be proof that there is no God (or that She approves of gay marriage) and proof that the Catholic Church is full of horseapples!