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U.S. Religion News in Brief
By Associated Press

July 24, 2003, 12:07 PM EDT

New Mexico Catholics sue over sermon at politician's funeral

CHAMA, N.M. (AP) -- The family of former Chama Councilman Ben Martinez
is suing a Roman Catholic priest and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe over
the sermon at Martinez' funeral.

The lawsuit says the Rev. Scott Mansfield used "graphic terms" to tell
the congregation that Martinez was going to hell. A spokeswoman said the
archdiocese and Mansfield "deny the allegations and are vigorously
defending themselves."

Nine Martinez family members allege that Mansfield, a former disc jockey
for a rock radio station, said "clearly, loudly and without hesitation
that the Lord vomited people like Ben out of his mouth to hell."

Their lawsuit also says Mansfield, while walking to the gravesite after
the funeral, swore and said that he didn't care "what the people of
Chama thought, that he had put the Martinez family in their place."

The church response said Mansfield "recited scriptural passages from the
Gospels of the Lord Jesus Christ and scriptural passages from the Book
of Revelations" at the funeral. In Revelation 3:15-16, God says "because
you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my
mouth."

The suit also claims Andy Rivas was dismissed as a candidate for
ordination as a deacon because he backed the family's account of the
sermon.

The suit suggests Mansfield was irked that Martinez didn't attend church
when he was terminally ill. Rivas said Mansfield may also have been
upset because Martinez married his second wife in a civil ceremony
instead of church.

* __

Felix Ossia

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