The Catholic Church is riven with debate, don’tcha know?
Well, that is what the New York Times would have you believe.
In a departure from previous elections, Democrats and liberal Catholic groups are waging a fight within the church, arguing that the Democratic Party better reflects the full spectrum of church teachings.
It is a contest for credibility among observant Catholics, with each faction describing itself as a defender of “life.” The two sides disagree over how to address the “intrinsic evil” of abortion.
Now I don’t have any census or polling data to back me up, but I suspect that among observant Catholics (meaning Catholics who observe all that the Church’s teachings) there isn’t too much debate. There are certainly a few loud voices in favor of Obama and the democrats and some faithful Catholics who feel compelled to sit the election out, but I think the majority is squarely opposed to Obama and the Democrat party.
The article trots out the same ol’ weak arguments of Kmiec and well Kmiec. If this was such a debate among observant Catholics, one might think they could find some other prominent voice other than Dougie. The article also makes reference to Bishop Martino for his letter in opposition to this evil.
In Scranton, Pa., every Catholic attending Mass this weekend will hear a special homily about the election next month: Bishop Joseph Martino has ordered every priest in the diocese to read a letter warning that voting for a supporter of abortion rights amounts to endorsing “homicide.”
“Being ‘right’ on taxes, education, health care, immigration and the economy fails to make up for the error of disregarding the value of a human life,” the bishop wrote. “It is a tragic irony that ‘pro-choice’ candidates have come to support homicide — the gravest injustice a society can tolerate — in the name of ‘social justice.’ ”
In response, a coalition of liberal lay Catholics is pushing back, criticizing the bishop’s message for neglecting other aspects of “life” talked about in Catholic social teachings, like concern for the poor.
Babies are poor, right? Anyway, enough with all that. Let’s have some fun with a liberal ol’ nun. The Times quotes Sister Margaret P. Gannon, a professor at Marywood University, without any concern that Sister has maligned the majority of observant Catholics as closet racists.
To underscore the point, a nun is collecting the signatures of prominent Catholic leaders there for a newspaper advertisement reminding those who may be wary of voting for Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, the Democratic nominee for president, that the church also considers racism a sin that threatens the dignity of life.
“Here in Scranton, racist attitudes often prevent us from seeing all of our fellow citizens and candidates for public office as God’s children,” says the petition, circulated by Sister Margaret P. Gannon, a professor at Marywood University.
I suppose the Times takes that assertion for granted and is not even the slightest bit embarrassed to publish it. When it comes to life issues among observant Catholics, there is very little debate. In fact, of the debate that does exist is whether the other guy is almost as bad and thus disqualified. Doug Kmiec may be riven, but observant Catholics are not.
October 5, 2008 at 2:52 am
In one of Agatha Christie’s delightful ‘teccy stories Hercule Poirot says something to the effect of “Me, I have a bourgeois attitude toward murder: I disapprove of it.”
— Mack
October 5, 2008 at 3:00 am
I have no idea of why after decades of distorted news, false reports, utter lies, inflammatory accusations, and utterly contrived stories, anyone takes the NYT seriously, except that it comes out of New York City. There are those who cling to their NYT as if it was the Gutenberg itself…when it is a financially failing rag with a plummeting circulation, and a stable of hack writers. Maybe the progressive element in the Church just mirrors what is happening at the NYT.
October 5, 2008 at 3:55 am
With 70 millin of us in the US, it is no surprise that you can find a Catholic somewhere who will say just about anything. Recently, NPR did a story on the very liberal, even Marxist Catholic blog, Vox Nova where Obama actually IS the new Messiah.
The press can always play this game of holding up bizarre exceptions as some kind of balanced counterpoint to the actual majority. NPR in finding Vox Nova seems somehow to have overlooked the literally tens of thousands of faithful Catholic blogs and websites. It is important to apply this principle of fundamental responsibility of the main stream media to just about everything it reports. It almost always gets the story wrong or distorted in some way that serves itself and not the common good.
Fox News and conservative talk radio have their own problems, I should add. But they wear their biases on their sleeves. At least they dont report their biases as the simple truth or fact.
October 5, 2008 at 6:27 am
Liberalism is a sin. The NYT is one of its main vehicles. It is the gospel of Satan published daily. I hope it’s not a sin to wish for the “Old Gray Lady” to die soon.
October 5, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I am not an observant Catholic, a lapsed Catholic to be exact. I am working through some issues at this time on my way back to the Church after sampling and experimenting with the competition. I just do not feel right being a hypocrite by regularly attending Mass -Yet.
I found myself constantly defending the Church, and Her teachings from the assault of the liberals and the misunderstandings of the other Christian sects and other belief systems.
Catholicism is the greatest danger to the liberal agenda, and they will spare no expense and tell any lie to try and discredit the faith. Destroy the truth and you can create a new truth of your liking. I have witnessed this happening since the 70s as the young radical Priests tried to equate Marxism and Christian Charity when I was a long-haired student in Catholic high school. I saw it again in the Army when serving in Central America as other radical Priests and Nuns backed the Communists in El Salvador, and tried to extend those regimes to Guatemala and Honduras.
The Church recovered from that and it seems that the cancer has been excised. But the damage will be long lasting since the doctrine of the Church did not evolve as the mores of the liberals did. Standards are scary when your morality is relative.
The Catholic Universities and colleges in my area are Catholic in name only, draining funds from the Diocese and giving back nothing worthwhile. They use Federal funding as the excuse for ignoring the Teachings of the Pope.
Consolidation and closures have straightened up most of the High school problems, along with a new bishop.
Keep the faith! Take it from me, there is nothing out there better than the true faith, and I am journeying back.
October 6, 2008 at 5:51 am
Blows my mind that Sr. Gannon would view those who vote against Sen Obama as racists. Such a convenient word. Seems that she’s forgetting that the unborn are Children of God as well, and that she should be defending the 48 million who need our voices to speak for them.
Kevin, I’m a “revert” as well, and understand what you mean. I felt the same way. Don’t let anything (even fear) keep you from finishing that journey — just stop by the wayside (confessional) for a few minutes, and then stay for Mass. You’re almost home!
Will keep you in prayer, for sure.
October 6, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I hope the catholic church of Scranton (and others like yours) are business savvy…that’s what you will need in order to survive this hard economic climate once your organization becomes a for-profit capitalist venture. The activities of Bishop Martino are illegal under your 501c3 status. You are not allowed to promote a political party and avoid paying taxes with your current agenda. Murder comes in many forms, but I won’t waste my time preaching to well trained sheep. Instead I will look forward to the end of the Scandals and Illegal Activites that plague your corrupt Fraternity. I will look forward to the end of a time where you convince people that breaking the law, and hurting many people along the way is Godlike and somehow okay simply because you said so.
October 7, 2008 at 1:45 am
Liberalism is a sin.
Yes, moral and doctrinal liberalism is a sin which is not the same as political liberalism (though they may have the same goals and share many of the same beliefs). For example, nuclear disarmament is politically “liberal” but is certainly not un-Catholic (and one could argue that the Church actually leans in that direction).
October 29, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I graduated from a Catholic College, Incarnate Word. It is Catholic in name only as are most liberal colleges. I have had several lib preaching professors just like Sr. Margaret P. Gannon. Their religeon is that of liberalism. They support socialism, feminism, and any ism and you are racist if you do not agree. Liberalism is a foundation of Satanism and is a lie. This lie is preached in 90% of our colleges. This is why an abortion loving candidate such as Obama can win the Presidency. It is in revelations. Read the bool “Liberalism Is A Sin” by Fr. Felix. It explains it in a far better way than I ever could. Also, Kevin-I am trying like you to be a true Catholic. I will pray for you and ask you to do the same for me. God Bless