Ignorant populace

This video has been making news all over the country today, and so I'm sure you've seen it already, but I thought I'd post on it nonetheless. It exposes how little the American public (specifically those who voted for Obama) really know about the election. When these type of people are empowered to vote and decide the fate of the nation, we can see how our system has within itself the seeds of its own collapse.

Much has been said in the media concerning the pastor in South Carolina who told his congregation to go to Confession if they had voted for Obama. In that same vein, I was pleased to see the following statement in a local parish bulletin close to my home:

Did you vote for Obama?

Pope Benedict has taught that those who neglect proper formation of their conscience are committing a serious sin. it is, as Bishop Boyea states before the election, an obligation for all Catholics to seek the truth and abide by it. The Catholic Church furthermore teaches that the Holy Spirit has guaranteed the Church's infallibility in areas of faith and morals.

One priest in South Carolina has told his parishioners that they must go to Confession before receiving Communion if they voted for Obama. This has stirred significant controversy. Yet in a qualified sense, I agree with Fr. Jay Scott Newman. Depending on your openness or stubbornness to the Church's teaching on abortion and embryonic stem cell research and the motives you had in voting, it is possible that Communion may be harmful to you (1 Corinthians 11; CCC 1388, 1415). Please see me if you have any question about this. Frequent Confession is always recommended anyway.

I like what this priest was saying here (despite the fact that it was buried at the bottom of the backside of an insert and easily overlooked). He points out the fact that the Church's restriction of Communion to people in serious sin has to do with protecting them from committing a sacrilege, not with the Church being snooty and trying to keep sinners away. It's not a matter of saying, "You're not good enough to come to our party," but of saying, "Please don't mishandle the dynamite or you'll blow yourself up." I hope more priests come out and support this South Carolina priest in his conviction.