Posted on 08/30/2009 3:08:04 AM PDT by nickcarraway
For those of us on the O’Malley beat, there were lots of interesting moments yesterday, but none more so than the lengthy greeting that Cardinal Sean O’Malley had with PresidentObama. O’Malley, of course, is the Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston and has been sharply critical of Obama’s support for abortion rights (“This man has a deplorable record when it comes to prolife issues,’’ O’Malley told me after the election).
I asked O’Malley’s spokesman, Terry Donilon, what the two men talked about, and he e-mailed back, “If he chooses to speak about it, he will in the blog, but it was a pleasant and gracious chat.’’ He said that the conversation lasted two to three minutes and that the cardinal welcomed the president to Boston and the basilica. He would not say whether there was a more substantive exchange.
O’Malley technically presided over the Mass, but he was not the principal celebrant or the homilist, and he was visible mostly at the end, as he said the final prayers of commendation over the late senator’s body. O’Malley’s tone, even on the happiest of occasions, is somber, and he added a funereal touch to the funeral’s close as he honored the body with incense, a sign of respect for the body and a sign of God’s blessing.
O’Malley’s participation in the Mass has been controversial in some particularly conservative corners of the antiabortion movement, but drew strong praise from the Rev. James Martin, associate editor of America magazine, who blogged: “Cardinal O’Malley’s decision to attend the funeral is large-hearted,compassionate, pastoral, sensitive and, above all, Christian. . . . CardinalO’Malley has been clear about his strong opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage, his simple presence at the funeral shows his support of forgiveness, compassion and that quality perhaps most missing in today’s church:mercy.’’
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
If we leave out abortion and “gay” marriage, will someone tell me where Catholics are in the political spectrum?
How they are supposed to be, or what?
For all Christians, aside from some issues, there is probably room for people to differ. I do know quite a few popes have condemned socialism and said it’s incompatible with Catholicism. Many Catholic theologians have written that taxation levels above 10% are immoral.
What I mean is that if the very public issues of abortion and gay marriage are left out of the equation, then where on the political spectrum do Catholics fall, are they even more left than they appear?
I think that one thing that goofs up a lot of Christians, including Catholics, is how one helps the less fortunate. There is Grace in personally giving or assisting another human being. Passing a law, taking money away from someone else to give to the less fortunate? Where is the Grace in that?
What makes you think that all Catholics are the same? Did you hone your brilliant discernment skills in a government run school?
What I mean is that if the very public issues of abortion and gay marriage are left out of the equation, then where on the political spectrum do Catholics fall
I doubt you can remove these issues, but just looking at the last election (I know it’s hard to remove J McCain from the equation, being such a lousy candidate) American Catholics pretty much let us know where they fall in the spectrum, left of center. But then looking at the East Coast it’s all liberal anyway.
You are like a child’s shadow, do you ever speak to anyone directly?
Catholicism is big and complex and complex but internally consistent - problems start when someone latches onto one little corner and thinks it’s the whole picture, ignoring the dignity of the individual and life as redeemed by the incarnation of Christ.
I say this as a man who was a kid in the 1970’s and saw “liberation theology” grow and fade due to goofballs latching onto one corner of the picture and thinking it was the be-all end-all. Christ always speaks to the individual or to the church. He said “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” He did not said “make others do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Individual charity and forgiveness, from a love of God and an imitation of Christ, are the transformative hopes of social change, I think.
As a conservative my question is how and when do we get Catholics to start voting republican?
I just caught that, why is it?
Yet O’Malley was there, giving the Roman church’s official blessing to its deceased member. Can you say “hypocrite”?
O’Malley should be ashamed of himself for adding to the Scandal with his presence at the “Mass” for this Murderer and Abortionist.
Adding to the Scandal was allowing the “Commander in Chief” Abortionist inside the Church.
Adding to the Scandal was allowing the “Commander in Chief” Abortionist inside the Church.
I agree completely. Nothing does more to destroy religion than for any church to honor someone literally went out of their way to break every single rule of the faith.
God is a great equalizer and I am sure upon death many people have found that out. When it comes to death; more people pray to God than to government or mere mortals.
I'd be curious to see how much $$$ has been donated to the RC Church by the Kennedy's especially in the last year or so since Ted got the news.
Money talks and bullsh*t walks. The Kennedy myth needed to be perpetuated, morals and standards (what are those) be damned.
Most, if they follow Catholic taaching, would be Libertarian. The life and marriage issues tend to push them towards conservatism. JMHO.
I could say worse. That there were three eulogies, which is not part of a Catholic funeral Mass really is the icing on the cake. Blccch.
FWIW, most of the "conservative" catholics I've met from that neck of the woods are so far left of Conservative Catholics in TX, it's like we reside on different planets.
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