Bloc MP Fr. Raymond Gravel ordered by Vatican to choose between priesthood and politics
September 3, 2008 · By Charles Anthony
Forgive me Father, but you should have seen it coming! Ignore for a moment that Canon Law forbids priests from holding such public office — Canon 285 §3. Clerics are forbidden to assume public offices which entail a participation in the exercise of civil power. Father Gravel ticked off a lot of Catholics for what he calls “avant-garde” views. Some of those views included an opposition to bill C-484, a defense of Henry Morgentaler’s Order of Canada and sympathy to same-sex marriage.
Ordered by the Vatican to choose between his priesthood and parliament, Father Raymond Gravel has decided to renounce parliament. He will not run for re-election in the riding of Repentigny. The order came with a threat of being defrocked.
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Thanks SUZANNE for noting the typo. Correction made.
Not much of a parliamentarian, and an even worse Priest.
Just a small correction– it’s spelled “Gravel”.
And he specifically states that it’s Catholics from English Canada who didn’t like his views. Interesting ethnic/separatist spin on that.
Perhaps you could help Warren Kinsella out.
He’s currently in a feverish race with Nancy Pelosi to qualify as North America’s most clueless Catholic. He thinks that Catholic prelates who dare to tell their ordained priests what they can and can’t do under the Western world’s oldest juridical code (Canon Law) are launching a “Fatwah”.
Remember, don’t squeeze the Warman.