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Ontario 'Catholic' Premier Disparages Pope over Comments on Pro-Abortion Politicians

Catholic organization spokesman responds, "the Premier of Ontario is interfering in the business of the Church"

By John-Henry Westen
TORONTO, May 16, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Dalton McGuinty, the Premier of Ontario who despite his support for abortion and homosexual 'marriage' continues to refer to himself as 'Catholic', has raised the ire of Catholics by making disparaging remarks about the Pope over his comments regarding pro-abortion politicians. 

Last week, on the way to Brazil, Pope Benedict XVI reiterated the Catholic position on pro-abortion politicians noting that they are to be denied communion.  Asked if he supported the actions of the Bishops of Mexico in noting the automatic excommunication of pro-abortion Catholic politicians, the Pope responded, "Yes, this excommunication was not an arbitrary one but is allowed by Canon law which says that the killing of an innocent child is incompatible with receiving communion, which is receiving the body of Christ."

Reacting to the Pope's matter-of-fact comments on Catholic teaching, Premier McGuinty told reporters, "There are very few political leaders who would allow all of their actions to be informed exclusively by dictates of the church." 

McGuinty added, "There's one particular aspect of myself that is in common with the Pope and (that is) I happen to be Catholic."

"Mr. McGuinty needs to show some respect to the Church to which he claims to belong," said Suresh Dominic, spokesman for the Catholic pro-life group Campaign Life Catholic.   "It is the job of the Church, and not Mr. McGuinty, to decide who may and who may not receive Holy Communion."

"Many complain of the church interfering in matters of the state, but here the Premier of Ontario is interfering in the business of the Church," Dominic told LifeSiteNews.com.

"No one is forcing Mr. McGuinty to call himself a Catholic.  It would be nice to see persons of integrity in politics.  If someone is going to fight against the most important teachings of the Church on life and family, the least they can do is admit they are no longer members of the Church."

McGuinty's comments also seem to have sparked anti-Catholic sentiment in Ottawa Citizen columnist Christina Blizzard.  Blizzard in her latest column praised the Premier because "he quietly told the Pope where to get off." Blizzard falsely presented the Pope's position as requiring "that a politician should have to check with the Vatican before making a pronouncement."

"What place does a medieval organization like the Vatican have in a modern multicultural society?," demands Blizzard.  In her concluding remarks Blizzard calls on Canadians to back Premier McGuinty and states, "Do you want your laws dictated by a duly elected Parliament in Queen's Park or Ottawa? Or do you want them formulated by a bunch of unelected old men in Rome?"

Father Alphonse de Valk, editor of Canada's Catholic Insight magazine, took issue with the Canadian media's reportage on the matter which referred to McGuinty as "both Catholic and pro-choice".

"It is impossible to be a Catholic and to publicly support abortion," said Fr. de Valk.  "The Magisterium of the Church has solemnly declared abortion to be an intrinsic evil, directly contradicting God's reason and revelation. Abortion is neither a 'right,' nor is it acceptable. It is wholly evil."

The Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church (Canon 915) makes it clear that "those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion." Premier McGuinty clearly falls into this category, says Father de Valk. "We call on Mr. McGuinty to rethink what it means to be a Catholic. There can be no fence-sitting on this issue."

See related previous LifeSiteNews.com reports:

Ontario Premier McGuinty Appoints Homosexual Activist as Health Minister
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/oct/03102302.html

Homosexuals Now Hold Both Key Ontario Government Ministries: Education and Health
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/oct/06101107.html

Ontario Liberal Party Leader McGuinty Comes Out in Favour of Homosexual 'Marriage'
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/sep/03091101.html

Ontario Premier McGuinty Visits Catholic School After Mocking Catholic Principles.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/oct/03102108.html

Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty and Liberal MPP George Smitherman (also openly gay), and now Federal Liberal MP Allan Rock have all lobbied the Catholic school board to allow the homosexual prom date.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/apr/02040903.html

Ontario Liberal Party Leader Dalton McGuinty said in December 1996 that he believes "in a woman's right to choose"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/1998/oct/98100701.html

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