EGR priest denies Communion to gay judge

[Chrystal-J]

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Judge Sara Smolenski, chief judge of the Kent County District Court, has been denied Communion at the church where she has been a parishioner for more than six decades because she is married to a woman.

It is a move that for many was the final straw in a pattern of behavior that has them calling for the removal of a priest — a priest who came to St. Stephen Catholic Church about three years ago.
In 1966, under the leadership of Rev. Msgr. Edward N. Alt, St. Stephen Catholic School became the first integrated Catholic school in Metro Grand Rapids and had a student body that was nearly 40 percent non-Catholic.

This tradition of inclusion and acceptance would be the essence of the school and the church for 50 years.

But now, some here say that is changing.

“I’ve been a member of St. Stephen’s Catholic Parish for 62 years, basically,” Smolenski said.

Smolenski who has been on the bench for nearly 30 years, comes from a family of prominent community members, including her father who was also a district court judge, and her brother, a state appeals court judge.
“I was baptized there, my parents were married there, every one of my nine siblings went to school (from) first through eighth grade. We buried my parents out of that school,” Smolenski said. “This is a church that is a part of who I am. This is a church who helped form my faith.”

News 8 featured Smolenski in March of 2016, when she became the first Kent County elected official to marry someone of the same sex.

But it was just last Saturday that Smolenski got a call from the parish priest, Father Scott Nolan.

“The way he said it was ‘because you’re married to Linda in the state of Michigan, you cannot accept communion,’ that’s how he said it,” Smolenski explained. “I try to be a good and faithful servant to our Lord Jesus Christ. My faith is a huge part of who I am, but it is the church that made that faith, the very church where he is taking a stance and saying ho-ho, not you.”
Link: EGR priest denies Communion to gay judge

 

[thecolorsblend]

Good find. And good on Father Nolan for calling this out.

inclusion and acceptance

This is always code for utter degeneracy.

 

[JackRT]

What is an EGR and why are they attacking their own congregants?

 

[Chrystal-J]

EGR = EAST GRAND RAPIDS (Michigan).
The priest didn't attack--just denied communion.

 

[chevyontheriver]

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Judge Sara Smolenski, chief judge of the Kent County District Court, has been denied Communion at the church where she has been a parishioner for more than six decades because she is married to a woman.

It is a move that for many was the final straw in a pattern of behavior that has them calling for the removal of a priest — a priest who came to St. Stephen Catholic Church about three years ago.
In 1966, under the leadership of Rev. Msgr. Edward N. Alt, St. Stephen Catholic School became the first integrated Catholic school in Metro Grand Rapids and had a student body that was nearly 40 percent non-Catholic.

This tradition of inclusion and acceptance would be the essence of the school and the church for 50 years.

But now, some here say that is changing.

“I’ve been a member of St. Stephen’s Catholic Parish for 62 years, basically,” Smolenski said.

Smolenski who has been on the bench for nearly 30 years, comes from a family of prominent community members, including her father who was also a district court judge, and her brother, a state appeals court judge.
“I was baptized there, my parents were married there, every one of my nine siblings went to school (from) first through eighth grade. We buried my parents out of that school,” Smolenski said. “This is a church that is a part of who I am. This is a church who helped form my faith.”

News 8 featured Smolenski in March of 2016, when she became the first Kent County elected official to marry someone of the same sex.

But it was just last Saturday that Smolenski got a call from the parish priest, Father Scott Nolan.

“The way he said it was ‘because you’re married to Linda in the state of Michigan, you cannot accept communion,’ that’s how he said it,” Smolenski explained. “I try to be a good and faithful servant to our Lord Jesus Christ. My faith is a huge part of who I am, but it is the church that made that faith, the very church where he is taking a stance and saying ho-ho, not you.”
Link: EGR priest denies Communion to gay judge

What a sense of entitlement.

 

[chevyontheriver]

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Judge Sara Smolenski, chief judge of the Kent County District Court, has been denied Communion at the church where she has been a parishioner for more than six decades because she is married to a woman.

It is a move that for many was the final straw in a pattern of behavior that has them calling for the removal of a priest — a priest who came to St. Stephen Catholic Church about three years ago.
In 1966, under the leadership of Rev. Msgr. Edward N. Alt, St. Stephen Catholic School became the first integrated Catholic school in Metro Grand Rapids and had a student body that was nearly 40 percent non-Catholic.

This tradition of inclusion and acceptance would be the essence of the school and the church for 50 years.

But now, some here say that is changing.

“I’ve been a member of St. Stephen’s Catholic Parish for 62 years, basically,” Smolenski said.

Smolenski who has been on the bench for nearly 30 years, comes from a family of prominent community members, including her father who was also a district court judge, and her brother, a state appeals court judge.
“I was baptized there, my parents were married there, every one of my nine siblings went to school (from) first through eighth grade. We buried my parents out of that school,” Smolenski said. “This is a church that is a part of who I am. This is a church who helped form my faith.”

News 8 featured Smolenski in March of 2016, when she became the first Kent County elected official to marry someone of the same sex.

But it was just last Saturday that Smolenski got a call from the parish priest, Father Scott Nolan.

“The way he said it was ‘because you’re married to Linda in the state of Michigan, you cannot accept communion,’ that’s how he said it,” Smolenski explained. “I try to be a good and faithful servant to our Lord Jesus Christ. My faith is a huge part of who I am, but it is the church that made that faith, the very church where he is taking a stance and saying ho-ho, not you.”
Link: EGR priest denies Communion to gay judge

Fr James Martin will be tweeting about this.

Oh, he probably already has.

 

[Michie]

EGR = EAST GRAND RAPIDS (Michigan).
The priest didn't attack--just denied communion.

An extreme act of mercy according to our Faith.

 

[Chrystal-J]

Fr James Martin will be tweeting about this.

Oh, he probably already has.

He probably will be Tweeting about this. Sad day when you're castigated for standing up for biblical beliefs.

 

[Mathetes66]

Faithful to the Scriptures & taking a stance, like the minister who denied communion to Joe Biden for his pro-abortion stance. The days of persecution & ridicule are here & around the world for making stands & contending for 'the faith once for all delivered to the saints.'

I have prayed for him to stand strong in his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

The judge feels she is entitled because of her status and sense of entitlement. The church is not a country club where your status counts.

What counts is picking up your cross daily and following Christ. The judge doesn’t seem to be up to the task.

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

What is an EGR and why are they attacking their own congregants?

How is this attacking?, please tell me.

 

[pdudgeon]

Interesting how the chosen verbiage of the article's author slants the article, and the result is a perceived "attack" on the judge in this case.

In days gone by it used to be the practice to only see these articles on the Editorial page.
Now almost all the "news" is an editorial, and it's the truth that is being attacked.

 

[JackRT]

The judge feels she is entitled because of her status and sense of entitlement. The church is not a country club where your status counts.

What counts is picking up your cross daily and following Christ. The judge doesn’t seem to be up to the task.

You paint with too broad a brush. I suspect that you know nothing about any sense of entitlement, her cross or her following Christ.

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

You paint with too broad a brush. I suspect that you know nothing about any sense of entitlement, her cross or her following Christ.

But you do, is that it?

 

[AvilaSurfer]

You paint with too broad a brush. I suspect that you know nothing about any sense of entitlement, her cross or her following Christ.

An excellent example of attacking. Thanks

 

[Rhamiel]

You paint with too broad a brush. I suspect that you know nothing about any sense of entitlement, her cross or her following Christ.

well we know something about her following Christ, we know she doesn’t follow Christ because she choose to pretend to be married to another woman rather then follow the will of Christ

 

[Michie]

Politicizing Catholic Communion | The American Conservative

 

[JackRT]

But you do, is that it?

I am equally ignorant of the woman's condition but I do believe in being just.

 

[JackRT]

well we know something about her following Christ, we know she doesn’t follow Christ because she choose to pretend to be married to another woman rather then follow the will of Christ

We are not permitted to debate homosexuality here so let me just posit that homosexuality is a sin. When you sin, do you automatically cease to be a follower of Christ?

 

[Rhamiel]

We are not permitted to debate homosexuality here so let me just posit that homosexuality is a sin. When you sin, do you automatically cease to be a follower of Christ?

yep
There is the concept of mortal sin, to commit serious sins means that you are not in communion with the Body of Christ and are meant to refrain from receiving the Eucharist, you are spiritually dead and need to repent of your sins and go to confession

most sins are private in nature, like who you sleep with, and the priest can not withhold communion from people even if he knows they are committing private sins

to declare yourself married is not a private act but rather a public act, so this is a public sin and the priest can and should withhold communion until she repents of her perverse actions