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Who would've thunk it -- suing a priest for preaching a sermon.  What's the
world coming to?

- Wilmot

----- Original Message -----
From: "Felix Ossia" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 7:12 PM
Subject: New Mexico Catholics sue over sermon at politician's funeral


> ** Visit AAM's new website! http://www.africanassociation.org **
>
> 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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