Priests "disciplined" for opposing initiative to ban equal marriage

[TechBear_Seattle]

Not so academic a question: Can the Catholic Church legally suspend priests who refuse to endorse the Church's political views? Does becoming a priest, with it's traditional vow of obedience to one's bishop, mean giving up one's political autonomy forever and ever, amen? It would seem so.

Next question: What about the vow of obedience to church doctrine taken at confirmation, especially when the Church is now agressively stating that it's purely political opinions are Holy Dogma?

Priests Disciplined For Opposing Anti-Gay Amendment
by Margo Williams 365Gay.com Boston Bureau

Posted: September 29, 2005 9:00 pm ET

(Westborough, Massachusetts) The Reverend George Lange of St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Westborough, Massachusetts has been removed, at least temporarily, for opposing a ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriage.

Lange's associate pastor was also removed. The action came after the two placed an article in the parish bulletin voicing their opposition to the proposed amendment.

"The priests of this parish do not feel that they can support this amendment. They do not see any value to it and they see it as an attack upon certain people in our parish, namely those who are gay," the item in the article said.

The state's four Catholic bishops are leading a signature drive to get the amendment on a ballot in the 2008 election.

The article continues at http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/09/092905massPriest.htm

[Kagemusha]

1. To answer your question, hell yes!

The church is a private religious organization administrated by a foreign nation (the Vatican). If the bishops decide to enforce what they view as religious discipline, the fact this disciplines view that, without the religious aspect, would be purely political, it is perfectly, 100% legal.

Confirmation is a joke btw. They keep knocking the required age down so far before the age of majority that the idea of catholic kids making informed lifelong decisions is a complete farce.

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. So any American employee of a foreign-owned company....

Can be required to vote in accordance with the company owners' political views? Does this mean that employees of Rupert Murdoch can be required to vote as Faux News tells them to vote, or be fired? If not, what makes a religious organization any different?

[davidinalameda]

3. being a priest is a bit different than working for Microsoft

it's that whole vow of obedience thing going on