“No man is above canon law!”

As the Gorsuch Trials continue, this comes from the often amusing Eye of the Tiber:

Catechumen nominee Neil Schlesing said that “no man is above canon law” when pressed on whether Pope Francis could allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion.

It was one of several exchanges Tuesday as Schlesing mostly deflected council members’ efforts to get him to reveal his views on the death penalty, global warming, and other controversial issues inside the Catholic Church.

As the grueling day of questioning wore on, council members and Schlesing engaged in a well-established tradition in recent confirmation Masses, as the nominee attempts to resist all requests to say how he feels about the Holy Father’s decisions, regardless of how many times he’s been asked.

Donohue also asked Schlesing what he would do if the pastor of the church asked him to deliver a speech about sin in front of the congregation.

“Mr. Council, I would have walked out the door,” Schlesing replied. “That’s not what Catholics do. My personal views, I tell you, Mr. Council, are over here. I leave those at home.”

The exchange with parish council member Lindsey Donohue came on the second day of Schlesing’s confirmation hearing to fill one of the final vacant seats for this round of confirmation classes.

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6 Comments

  1. mikeinmo says:

    Speaking of canon law………..

    Our parish was the beneficiary of a wonderful mission (March 20-23), complete with Mass each evening. The priest was a very effective communicator, and spoke often of the Real Presence, the need for us to be forgiven for our sins, and traditional Catholic teachings. All well and good.

    Last night, after Mass, we had an opportunity for Confession. The mission priest and a local priest were available to hear individual confessions. Before individual confessions, the mission priest led the congregation in the Act of Contrition. He then had the congregation recite the “mission prayer” as everyone’s Penance. The 2 priests then went to their private locations for private confessions. I think each penitent was to recite the “mission prayer” again, either during confession or thereafter, not quite sure.

    Was this legit? I have not heard of this practice before. Care to comment?

    BTW, my wife and I made our individual confessions today (regular format) at a neighboring parish which offered all day Confessions from 9 am to 7 pm (various priests were available in shifts throughout the day). My one teenaged son made his Confession at the same location after school. Our other teenaged son and a friend visit the Seminary (St. Louis) April 7-9 for a “come and see” weekend. He will make his confession there.

  2. ce lathrop says:

    Neither is any man above Ecumenical Councils….

  3. PatS says:

    Although “personal views” are to be left at home for judges, this does not mean the personal views are not in alignment with our Judeo-Christain founded and based Constitution.
    It is the left that do not leave their socialist views at home when ruling.
    We need people to stand up and recognize our Constition was founded by Christians and with Christain concepts which include Liberty and Freedom of the INDIVIDUAL (I capitalize a very distinguishing point about our founding vs. all other democracies.
    God gives us individual choice as well. Short of a benevolent Monarch who acknowledges God’s rule, our founding is the best government that has been founded.
    It’s time to stop leaving our faith at home and recognize its compatible with work and play…. Let people know you are a Catholic guided by our cathecism…

  4. VexillaRegis says:

    Haha! “Parish Council Grills Catechumen Nominee At Confirmation Mass”. Hilariuos!

  5. Imrahil says:

    General statement:

    If a personal view is weak enough that one is able to leave it at home, then it never was that much of a personal view.

  6. Imrahil says:

    (Every once in a while, I am surprising myself with occasional and seldom outbreaks of brevity.)

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