Kerry Wooing Catholics

The Hill ^ | May 6, 2004 | Alexander Bolton

[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.”

[leprechaun9]

Sister Joan Chittister, a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, said, “You must make space for the consciences of all.”

Hey Sister, How much space do you leave for Jeffrey Dahmer or Willie Sutton?

Don't you realize that WE ARE ENDOWED BY OUR CREATOR?" Do you believe that our Creator accepts all points of view as justified and respectful of Him?

[dufekin]

Don't forget:

Kerry filibusters judicial nomination of Alabama Attorney General Pryor BECAUSE HE IS A CATHOLIC--and actually practices his faith! He doesn't think that women should kill their children while in the womb, even if it is their right. He thinks that's a radical position--but PRYOR GOT ELECTED in Alabama. Kerry will be lucky to get within 25 percentage-points.

[Petronski]

What's the point of my post?


Listen to his campaign lackey: "our guy's catholic, the pope might not like it, but he doesn't vote."


That's a sickening level of cynicism we haven't seen in presidential politics in, well, three and a half years. It makes my blood boil.

[jwalsh07]

And Robert Drinan is a carbuncle 1 psi away from exploding.

[Petronski]

I wasn't responding directly to you.

Drinan doesn't care what the Pope says either, and he seems to be one of the apostates tickling Lurch's ear.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Heretic, Apostate, Spawn of Satan.

Ok, the last one is purely humor.

[jwalsh07]

OK, I get it now.

[DoctorMichael]

Not THIS Catholic.

[ultima ratio]

Perhaps he's trying to corner the pedophile vote.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

And I am refering to Mahoney, not you, in case there was confusion.

[TankerKC]

Catholics Against Kerry

Isn't the group's title redundant?

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Sister Joan Chittister, ... “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.”

Sister Joan has completely misinterpreted the "separation of church and state", her assertion is exactly wrong. As William F. Buckley just noted about Kerry's abuse of the communion rail,

To upbraid a bishop for denying communion to a public figure who espouses permissive abortion laws is to upbraid him for upholding the doctrine of the separation of church and state. If the churchman allows himself to be governed by state practices, he violates that separation.

[Dark Knight]

Kerry is not a Catholic. If he was a Catholic, he would:

Leave Teresa, at least until his annulment was granted.

Believe the Pope's dictate that abortion is wrong.

Not fall on his @ss so much. Well, maybe that's more of a dufus thing. But he would not blame it on the Secret Service guys.


DK

[Bigg Red]

“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.”

_______

Sounds like Drinan is a low-life Jesuit sell-out. Stop pimpin' for the pro-abortion forces of darkness, Father Drinan.

[gripper]

Why is anyone suprised?Mahoney did everything but pass out "Gore?Lieberman"buttons with the Eucharist back in 2000.And lets not forget the way the Boston Archdioces blinked on the subject of refusing Communinon to "pro choice"nominally Catholic pols like Kerry.
Could be that some of the Demorat activist types like McAwful&Co. have some interesting video footage showing some Princes of the Church in an other than chaste activity.

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

Isn't the group's title redundant?

On May 5, no, sorry to say. I'm hoping for that to be true on November 2.

[bayourod]

"Sister Joan Chittister, ... “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.” "

She has the question back-wards. It's not whether catholic politicians should be pro-life or pro-abortion, it's whether catholic voters should vote pro-life or pro-abortion.

[Bigg Red]

McGreevey has bowed to the forthright stand of the NJ bishops and will not present himself for communion.


**
Good! Score one for the righteous side!

[Bigg Red]

Re you r picture

Hey! The Methodists still have Communion rails! I miss them!

[SuziQ]

“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 was one of the Jebbies who started all this by telling the Kennedys that it would be ok for them to be 'personally opposed' to abortion, but go ahead and support it any way they wanted legislatively.