Catholic Church asks Tom Daschle to stop calling himself a Catholic

Weekly Standard (via Matt Drudge) ^ | April 17, 2003 | SB00

[SB00]

TOM DASCHLE may no longer call himself a Catholic. The Senate minority leader and the highest ranking Democrat in Washington has been sent a letter by his home diocese of Sioux Falls, sources in South Dakota have told The Weekly Standard, directing him to remove from his congressional biography and campaign documents all references to his standing as a member of the Catholic Church.

This isn't exactly excommunication--which is unnecessary, in any case, since Daschle made himself ineligible for communion almost 20 years ago with his divorce and remarriage to a Washington lobbyist. The directive from Sioux Falls' Bishop Robert Carlson is rather something less than excommunication--and, at the same time, something more: a declaration that Tom Daschle's religious identification constitutes, in technical Catholic vocabulary, a grave public scandal. He was brought up as a Catholic, and he may still be in some sort of genuine mental and spiritual relation to the Church. Who besides his confessor could say? But Daschle's consistent political opposition to Catholic teachings on moral issues--abortion, in particular--has made him such a problem for ordinary churchgoers that the Church must deny him the use of the word "Catholic."

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Ping

[lawdave]

Something interesting is going on here. Didn't another Bishop recently take action against Governor Davis in California? I think this shows a major policy shift by Bishops who to date have been unwilling to address these so-called Catholics. All in all I am very encouraged by this developmeny.

[LibWhacker]

In further developments, Hell notified him that he's a Demon in good standing.

[patent]

Bumping. Let me know if you want on or off the list. Click my screen name for a description.

patent  +AMDG

[cyncooper]

Oh, my goodness!

Tiny Tommy taken to task.

[SoDak]

He is in Sioux Falls today and the whole town is buzzing big time about this. Awesome!!!

[SoDak]

When it's time to campaign he is. He plays up his church ties then, and only then.

[CFIIIMEIATP737]

How far can a person go with the word "but"?

I am a Catholic, but I am in favor of abortion?

I support the troops, but I will criticize the commander-in-chief during a time of war?

How many 'buts' does it take before hypocrisy is rampant and we can't believe anything that is being said?

[Howlin]

Oh, tell! What are they saying?

[MattinNJ]

Ping

[Spiff]

I'm sure that Tommy the Tiny Tyrant_(tm) is saddened, SADDENED by all of this.

[kylaka]

I think Feinswine is Jewish, no?

[SoDak]

For one, the story is being e-mailed around my company today. And our local radio talk shows are already promoting discussions of it this afternoon.

[Howlin]

Way cool. I hope nobody forgets!

[G Larry]

Only Bishop's with courage will follow suit.
As with all good men, we need more of them.
(see tag below)

[pbear8]

More empirical proof that there is a God !

[eastsider]

This isn't exactly excommunication--which is unnecessary, in any case, since Daschle made himself ineligible for communion almost 20 years ago with his divorce and remarriage to a Washington lobbyist.

I particularly like the way the author slips in, almost as an afterthought. the fact that divorced and remarried Catholics should not receive communion. That should ruffle a few feathers.

[MJM59]

Maybe his is Catholic-Light.

[southernbychoice]

Is it still the case that they should not receive communion? My father's marriage to my mother has never been annulled, yet he and his new wife joined a parish, and receive communion every week.

[mtbopfuyn]

I'm deeply saddened to hear little Tommy is a bigamist.