Politics
Wednesday September 3, 2008
Vatican Forces Pro-Abortion, Pro-Homosexual "Marriage" Catholic Priest From Canadian Politics
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
By Tim Waggoner
OTTAWA, September 3, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Controversial Catholic priest and MP, Raymond Gravel, an adamant supporter of abortion and same-sex "marriage", has announced that he will be stepping down as Bloc MP of Repentigny in Quebec after being issued an ultimatum by the Vatican.
"My bishop received instructions from Rome and in effect I had to choose between the priesthood and my role as an MP. There was a threat of laicization and I could have been defrocked," Gravel told Cyberpresse.
He then explained that the Vatican's actions were influenced by several English-Canadians who complained to his superiors about his support for Morgentaler's appointment to the Order of Canada and his opposition to the Unborn Victims of Crime Bill, saying, "They complained about my positions that were avant-garde."
Similarly, in an eight-minute speech in the House of Commons earlier this year, Gravel claimed that he was misrepresented by LifeSiteNews.com, which he said instigated the complaints to his religious superiors. From the Official Hansard: "I get the feeling that comments made by two people, John-Henry Weston (sic) in LifeSiteNews.com and Mr. Jalzevac (sic), incited this taking up of arms." John-Henry Westen and Steve Jalsevac are the editor and managing director of LifeSiteNews.com, respectively.
After Morgentaler's appointment to the Order of Canada, LifeSiteNews.com reported on Gravel's comments supporting the prolific abortionist: "It does not belong to us to judge Dr. Henry Morgentaler by refusing him the distinction of the Order of Canada because of his fight for women who are living through the trauma of an unwanted pregnancy."
LifeSiteNews.com also reported on his opposition to Conservative MP Ken Epps' Bill C-484, which seeks to recognize wanted unborn children as separate crime victims when they are harmed or killed during criminal attacks against their mothers.
Pro-life leaders say that a victory has been won today with the removal of the controversial priest from politics.
"I am thankful that the wayward priest can no longer further anti-life ideals on a parliamentary level and hope that he will in the future align his beliefs with the church that he is supposed to represent," said Campaign Life Coalition president Jim Hughes.
It remains to be seen whether as a priest Fr. Gravel will be forbidden in his ministry to expound the strongly anti-Catholic views he promoted as a Member of Parliament and for which views he still does not appear to have any remorse.
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Controversial Catholic Priest/Politician Defends Award to Arch-Abortionist Morgentaler
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jul/08070811.html
Editorial: Canadian Catholic Priest Politician Condemns LifeSiteNews.com Founders in Parliament
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08030410.html
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- "Manhattan Declaration" Embodies U.S. Christian Pushback against Abortion, Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Hoffman Loses Final Tally of NY-23 Race; Alleges ACORN Tampering and Fraud
- Abortion Activist Judge Hamilton Confirmed with Help of Ten Republican Senators
- CDC Reverses Gardasil Vaccine Requirement for Immigrants
- Germany Faces Economic Downturn with Plummeting Birth Rate and Aging Population
- CCHD in Archdiocese of Chicago Says it is Working to Fix Problems
- Rejection of Washington DC Marriage Referendum Challenged With Legal Suit
- Obama-Supporting Homosexual Activist to Out Sexually Involved Priests Unless they Support Gay 'Marriage
- Austrian Catholic Bishops Issue Bland Response to Govt's Homosexual Partnership Bill
- Interim Report on Catholic Sex-Abuse Says "Homosexual Identity" Not a Predictor of Sex Abuse
- Commentary on Nov 20 NewsBytes
- LSN NewsBytes - US Health Care Reform
- LSN NewsBytes - Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD)
- LSN NewsBytes - Life Issues, Religion, Swine Flu, US Politics, Sarah Palin, Miscellaneous
- LSN NewsBytes - Climate Change/Global Warming
- 59 Bishops Contributed Financially to Maine Bishop's Effort to Oppose Maine Same-Sex "Marriage" Law
- Pro-Abortion Lawmakers Shower Praise on Senate Bill's Phony Abortion Compromise
Most Read this Week
- Largest U.S. Homosexual Publisher Shuts Down, Closing Major Gay Newspapers
- EWTN's Arroyo Hosts Reform CCHD Reps Who Reveal Shocking Evidence Against USCCB Anti-Poverty Arm
- Italian Mayors Order Crufixes Put in Classrooms in Revolt against European Court Ruling
- Nat'l Organization for Marriage Responds to Miss California "Sex Tape" Scandal
- Obama Evades Questioning on Stupak Amendment in FOX Interview
- "Manhattan Declaration" Embodies U.S. Christian Pushback against Abortion, Same-Sex "Marriage"
- French Judge Finds Hospital Guilty of "Unreasonable Obstinacy" in Saving Newborn's Life
- EU Leaders to Choose President today in Secret "Soviet Style" Meetings
- Hoffman "Unconcedes" Battle for NY-23: Recount Provides Hope for "Miracle" Victory
- CCHD Responds to Reform Movement
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.