Catholics may be outraged to learn that Mormons have reportedly performed a ceremony they consider to be "baptism by proxy" in relation to the recently canonized Fr. Damien, a priest who cared for lepers in Hawaii. There are also reports that Mormons performed a ceremony they believe "seals" the canonized Catholic priest - who took a vow of celibacy - "for eternity to a wife named Marie Damien." Besides the fact that the priest already received a true baptism (which obviously can occur only when a person is alive), the Mormon sect continues its refusal to accept Jesus' teaching on the end of matrimony, which is illustrated by the following Scripture passages...
"At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven." (Our Lord Jesus Christ, Mt. 22:30)
"When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven." (Our Lord Jesus Christ, Mk. 12:25)
"The children of this age marry and remarry [i.e. after the death of a spouse]; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage." (Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lk. 20:34-35)
Thankfully, the ridiculous & offensive Mormon ceremonies which apparently occurred in the 1980's - unlike true Catholic sacraments - have no power to effect the canonized Catholic priest. However, the fact that these heretical ceremonies were conducted at all in relation to a Catholic priest is offensive. Fr. Damien, pray for us.
[Related Resources: Mormons (Non-Catholics Section, apologetics) | Sacraments Section | Heresy / Heretics (Reflections)]
[10/13]
Posts
