In Massachusetts, a state which is nominally 50 percent Catholic, we’re about to pass a law legalizing the cloning and slaughter of children in order to harvest their cells to provide medical treatments. The man most strongly pushing this bill through the Legislature is Senate President Robert Travaglini. He is a Catholic. Now, the state Catholic conference has been doing the usual thing, as in lobbying and trying to get people to write their representatives.
But one Catholic priest, Fr. Tom DiLorenzo, has decided to take more direct steps. He has been protesting and praying outside Travaglini’s home. DiLorenzo leads a very large Charismatic prayer group, is a radio talk show host, and is pastor of a neighboring parish. The Archdiocese of Boston has taken no direct steps in addressing Travaglini or any other Catholic politician promoting this abomination… until now.
The Archdiocese has ordered Fr. DiLorenzo to stop his protests outside the senator’s home.
‘‘As a matter of course, the archdiocese does not comment on personnel matters. However, I can confirm that Bishop [Richard] Lennon recently contacted Father DiLorenzo concerning Father DiLorenzo’s public activities in the East Boston neighborhood,” Lynch said. ‘‘Bishop Lennon imposed limitations on Father DiLorenzo’s activities there.”
Rather than impose discipline on pro-abortion Catholic politicians, we punish Catholic priests who are doing their duty by witnessing to the Gospel while heretical priests continue to roam free and preach blasphemy and dissent. What’s wrong with this picture?
When will Canon 915 be enforced? “Those who are excommunicated or interdicted after the impostion or declaration of the penalty and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.” (Canon 915) Here’s hoping our Holy Father continues to take an active interest in this topic.
