VIDEO: Priest at center of communion controversy explains his decision

This is worth your time: an interview with Father Scott Nolan, the priest who told a judge in a same-sex marriage that she could not receive communion.

This comes from WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids. And check out the analysis that follows the video, too

If you haven’t read it yet, here’s an excellent take from my blog neighbor Msgr. Eric Barr:

[Father Nolan] showed eminent pastoral care (mercy) in trying to deal with the problem in a private phone call with Judge Smolenski.  She forced his hand by publicly stating through her actions that she could be a practicing Catholic while violating one of the Church’s central tenets of the faith. Had he capitulated, he would have betrayed his own priestly and pastoral duties.  He didn’t shout at her; he didn’t hold her up to public derision; he did not shame her.  Her own actions brought about the barrier to the Eucharist she now faces.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where tolerance is the chief virtue of life.  But it is not a virtue, for it flattens the face of morality like a stroke wipes all expression from the face of its victim.  In a world where tolerance rules, all views are equal and all actions appropriate for any person doing them.  Religion does not work like that.  It has an objective truth it follows.  The world looks at Fr. Nolan and the Church he represents and sees an intractable, prejudiced person and an institution that is a hate group, intolerant and vastly out of step with the times.  The world hates Fr. Nolan and Catholicism.

However, neither he nor the Church can escape one fact that looms over this situation.  Marriage is marriage, is marriage and that means it is between a man and a woman.  The world may try to redefine it, just like it tries to redefine sexuality by saying humans have more than two genders, but attempting to fit another definition into marriage merely seeks to relieve marriage of any real content.

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