Posted on 05/05/2004 5:38:52 PM PDT by ultima ratio
Kerry wooing Catholics Campaign has eye on bishops’ June meeting in Colo. By Alexander Bolton
In an effort to defend his political appeal among Catholics, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is to meet today with Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, who has strong ties to the Latino community.
The meeting follows another Kerry held last month with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, who is leading a bishops committee studying the possible sanctions against politicians who defend abortion rights.
Some Catholics say Mahony is one of most liberal of America’s 14 cardinals.
Kerry’s campaign has met with dozens of Catholic theologians, lay people and church leaders in recent weeks to familiarize them with what they say is Kerry’s strong faith. The campaign wants to learn how to defend Kerry against conservative attacks and appeal to Catholic voters better.
Kerry’s campaign added new staff last month to focus on constituent relations with religious leaders and members of the religious community. Their importance has been heightened by recent controversy over whether Kerry, a practicing Catholic with a strong pro-abortion-rights voting record in the Senate, should be allowed to receive Communion.
The Catholic Church regards abortion as a grave sin, and at least three American bishops, including Archbishop Sean O’Malley of Boston, have said politicians who defend abortion rights should not receive communion.
Kerry’s staff wants Catholics to know he has a strong record fighting for issues that the church has highlighted as important civic causes. But the staff is also acutely aware of a meeting of upwards of 250 American Catholic bishops and several cardinals scheduled for June in Colorado. The question of whether Kerry should take Communion is likely to be discussed, say sources familiar with Catholic affairs.
A former ambassador to the Vatican said whether a politician who supports abortion rights may receive communion is a top concern of the pope. The concern was likely mentioned to representatives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at a meeting last week. At next month’s bishops retreat, an advocate such as Mahony could be valuable for Kerry.
Catholic leaders, such as Father Robert Drinan, a Jesuit priest and former Democratic congressman from Massachusetts, who now teaches law at Georgetown University, say Kerry should sell the extensive parts of his legislative record that follow the teachings of the church.
“Kerry is a very good Catholic,” said Drinan, who said the candidate is strong on many important Catholic issues. Drinan, who has counseled Kerry’s campaign, said the senator fought for “refugees and immigrants, and he should make that known.”
Drinan said Kerry should talk “to groups in the church that sponsor social welfare programs. Lots of Catholic leaders and Catholic followers say that we believe in his priorities rather than Bush’s priorities.”
According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholics should work for the poor and vulnerable, work for the rights of workers, work for good stewardship of the earth, desire to avoid war and strive to achieve global solidarity.
Kerry has a strong record on those issues, his supporters say. In the Senate, he has consistently supported federal programs benefiting poor Americans, programs that many Republicans oppose for making the federal government bigger. Kerry has also consistently supported raising the minimum wage and siding with organized labor on worker-rights issues, often opposed by Republicans.
Ray Flynn, a Catholic activist who served as mayor of Boston from 1983 to 1993 and as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican from 1993 to 1997, said neither party is perfectly suited to Catholic teachings.
“We’re pro-life, pro-family, pro-poor and pro-human rights,” said Flynn, referring to American Catholics. “What party is that? Is it the Democratic Party? No. Is it the Republican Party?”
Flynn, who has known Pope John Paul II since 1969, said he “would be shocked” if the issue had not been discussed at a meeting that the pontiff held last week with representatives of the U.S. bishops’ conference.
Sister Joan Chittister, a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, said questions about Kerry’s Catholicism are “so far off the mark.”
“The question is what is the role of any politician in a pluralistic society, when it’s not a theocratic state, when you’re not the Taliban,” she said. “I can’t think of any time when a politician tried to introduce legislation to impose Catholic views on the country. You must make space for the consciences of all.”
Chittister said Kerry’s campaign called her yesterday morning and asked her for an unpublished op-ed she had written defending Catholic politicians who refrain from imposing their religious views on the electorate. Chittister said Kerry’s staff wanted to see her “argumentation.”
Liberal is not a strong enough word to describe Mahony.
Or is it his Pro-Abortion stand?
What in Gods name would the hateful, pro abortion Father Drinan know about "Catholic issues".
For another viewpoint
"Catholics are definitely a constituency we are courting," says a Kerry adviser in Washington. "Here we have a practicing Catholic, who is in line with the majority of American practicing Catholics. Rome may not be thrilled with the Senator's position on some of the social issues, but the pope doesn't have a vote in this election. But there are probably millions of pro-choice Catholics who do, and Kerry is their man."
“The question is what is the role of any politician in a pluralistic society, when it’s not a theocratic state, when you’re not the Taliban,” she said. “I can’t think of any time when a politician tried to introduce legislation to impose Catholic views on the country. You must make space for the consciences of all.”
I trust the good Sister will be attending confession soon to seek forgiveness for her sins.
She knows full well that the only folks conflating politics and religion are her and her fellow travelers.
Kerry's standing as a Catholic has nothing to do with politics. He can choose to be a anti-abortion Catholic in good standing or a pro abortion CINO politician.
Wake up Sister Joan.
"Thank goodness he wasn't armed"
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