A Catholic priest in Rhode Island callously disregarded the severity of raping children. He claimed that voting pro-choice is significantly worse than sexually abusing children because “pedophilia doesn’t kill anyone.”
Father Richard Bucci, the Sacred Heart Catholic Church priest, sent a bulletin via Twitter to all lawmakers involved, banning them from taking communion. He denied all thosewho voted for the state’sReproductive Privacy Act, which officially adopted the 1973 US Supreme Court’s ruling that legalized abortion — the legislation also known as Roe v. Wade.
Here’s a photo of the notice received by lawmakers including @repmcentee33 pic.twitter.com/diBYuAVod9
— Ian Donnis (@IanDon) January 31, 2020
In addition to denying them communion, Father Bucci refuses to allow the pro-choice lawmakers to act as witnesses in a marriage, be godparents, read a eulogy at funerals, or any other church affair.
The priest added: “We are not talking about any other moral issue, where some may make it a comparison between pedophilia and abortion. Pedophilia doesn’t kill anyone, and this does.”
The catholic church that says abortion is worse than pedophilia? That says pedophilia doesn’t “kill anyone?” You’re a fool. It’s estimated that up to 59% of priests have been accused and over 40% of more than one offense
— Vajra (@vajra21) February 2, 2021
Rhode Island State Representative Carol Hagan McEntee, is one of the lawmakers banned from receiving communion. She commented on the matter, stating; “If he wants to weigh the heinous crime that his predecessor committed on my sister, compared to what he believes I did wrong by voting for what I believe is right for the people of the state of Rhode Island, I don’t think they even compare...”
It’s important to note that McEntee’s older sister was sexually abused as a child at the same Sacred Heart Catholic church where Bucci now serves.
Prior to Father Bucci’s bulletin publicly dismissing 44 lawmakers, State Representative Hagan McEntee (D) led lawmakers to pass a state law that extended the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases, according to CBS News.
Representative McEntee said Father Bucci’s campaign to pressure and humiliate lawmakers has little to do with abortion, or even the 47th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling, as the priest claims. Instead she says it’s about his retaliation against her for helping to pass the bill that extended the statute of limitations for bringing forth charges of child sex abuse, from seven years to 35 years — a legal ruling the Catholic Church continues fighting.
Rep McEntee’s sister, Ann Webbhas since become a psychologist. She said that roughly half of her patients were also victims of sexual abuse by priests. She said Father Bucci’s statements were not only hurtful but also oblivious to facts and “absolutely ludicrous.”
“The right to choose is not a heinous crime,” Webb advised. Untold numbers victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have died because of suicide and substance abuse. Other problems include emotional, physical, or mental complications that likely developed from their trauma.
“I think they’re trying to flex their political muscles and signal that they can sway the voters, so you better vote our way, or else you’ll be out of office,” Webb said. “That, to me, shouts that they don’t want there to be a separation between church and state. The Catholic Church should not dictate to Catholic legislators how they vote.”
