The Newt Evangelization: Gingrich to become Catholic

Deacon's Bench ^ | March 3, 2009 | Deacon Greg Kandra

[NYer]

Buried deep inside this long and wonkish profile of Newt Gingrich in Sunday's New York Times, was this little nugget that, I suspect, went largely unnoticed:

At a moment when the role of religious fundamentalism in the party is a central question for reformers, Gingrich, rather than making any kind of case for a new enlightenment, has in fact gone to great lengths to placate Christian conservatives. The family-values crowd has never completely embraced Newt, probably because he has been married three times, most recently to a former Hill staff member, Callista Bisek. In 2006, though, Gingrich wrote a book called “Rediscovering God in America” — part of a new canon of work he has done reaffirming the role of religion in public life. The following year, he went on radio with the evangelical minister James Dobson to apologize for having been unfaithful to his second wife. (A Baptist since graduate school, Gingrich said he will soon convert to Catholicism, his wife’s faith.)

PHOTO: by Nigel Parry for the New York Times.

[ml/nj]

You cannot refute my point

Stop living in the past. If you check out the other responses to me on this thread, you will see that most of your fellow FReepers have realized that that was then; and since then it has been pretty bumpy for the once great Speaker.

ML/NJ

[nina0113]

How does one prove they (or their spouse) were never really committed to begin with unless there are clear behaviors such as adultery or abuse?

Should my former co-worker (or his wife) ever desire one, they can pull out absolute GANGS of witnesses who'll testify that there was no 'openness to life' - in fact the first priest they approached refused to marry them as they both said they had no intention of having children. I have no idea why having a church wedding even mattered to them.

[Jacquerie]

As far as the rats are concerned, Newt had something in common with Bork, Clarence Thomas, Dick Armey, Bushx43, Samuel Roberts, Scooter Libby, Joe the Plumber.

That commonality was effectiveness. They were against rat initiatives, they believed in conservatism (well, not x43), and were seen as threats to rat dominance. The rats attempted to not defeat, but to destroy these fine men.

Newt took down the rat house. He then became rat enemy number one. They took months to find some clause in a several hundred page document that was used to get him to step down.

Oh, and he received no support from fellow pubbie congressmen. They knew what would happen to anyone who defended the rat killer newt.

So Tootsie, learn from the past. It is repeating itself right now with Rush.

[ml/nj]

As far as the rats are concerned, Newt had something in common with Bork, Clarence Thomas, Dick Armey, Bushx43, Samuel Roberts, Scooter Libby, Joe the Plumber.

Ar you really that dense? I don't care what the Lefties think. All of the folks you mention, and Newt too, did do somethings praiseworthy that angered the left. But some of those folks you mention have never, or nearly never angered those of us who believe in freedom. Newt is no longer among them.

ML/NJ

[Jacquerie]

Look up donatism to see who lives in the past.

BTW, I think for myself. You enjoy the herd.

[flaglady47]

Stop living in the past. If you check out the other responses to me on this thread, you will see that most of your fellow FReepers have realized that that was then; and since then it has been pretty bumpy for the once great Speaker.

That does not negate the revolution that Newt largely lead. He will always get kudo’s for that. We are all human and therefore subject to mistakes in life. The question is has that person gotten their act together, and it appears to me that Newt has in his personal life. Remember, the great Ronald Reagan was divorced, as was Rush, as many others have been. Life throws some curves, but if you can get your spiritual life together at any stage in life, then all the more power to you. Congrats Newt on getting it together.

[sitetest]

Dear annalex,

I imagine that it won't be too difficult, under current guidelines, for a marriage tribunal to declare null Mr. Gingrich's first marriage. Which will be all that is necessary to free him to marry in the Church.

Mr. Gingrich was 19 and his bride was 26, his former high school geometry teacher. A declaration of nullity arising from psychological defects on the part of one or both parties shouldn't be too tough to achieve, at least with current American tribunals.

In that Mr. Gingrich couldn't validly contract a second marriage while his first marriage was still putatively valid (even if it were to be later judged invalid), his second marriage is automatically a nullity.

Assuming no marital history on the part of his new “bride,” and there you go!

sitetest

[ml/nj]

Look up donatism to see who lives in the past.

It's a proper noun lady.

ML/NJ

[Jacquerie]

C’mon sweetie. There is no need to get snippy.

[jla]

post 27 - Excellent pt. If I recall, one or two apostles also had issues.

[Uri’el-2012]

j>Look up donatism to see who lives in the past.

It's a proper noun lady.

ML/NJ

ROTFLOL !!!

shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach Adonai

[annalex]

Mr. Gingrich was 19 and his bride was 26, his former high school geometry teacher.

Aha. That marriage, indeed, is likely to be null, and in turn collapse the second one.

[Cincinna]

For whatever reason, it is almost impossible for a Roman Catholic to become POTUS. That is why there has only been one in our history....JFK.

There is a large part of the electorate, especially in the South, who would never vote for a Catholic, period.

Agreed that the prejudice against Catholics is much less than previously in the population as a whole, there are core groups necessary to win an election, the Scots-Irish, for example, who would never for vote for a Catholic.

Read James Webb’s excellent book, “Born Fighting: The History of The Scots Irish in America “. He traces it back to ancient Rome, and it persists today.

[Antoninus]

Let’s pray for a sincere conversion for Newt Gingrich. It is none of our business how the Church handles his personal matters.

Agreed. Perhaps with the solid foundation of Catholic moral teaching, Newt will be better able to sort out his personal affairs in the future.

May God bless and lead you, Mr. Gingrich.

[NoDRodee]

“The following year, he went on radio with the evangelical minister James Dobson to apologize for having been unfaithful to his second wife.”

apology is great, but the sorrow need to lead to repentance, as I understand it he is still married to a different women. I may be totally wrong but I thought new was still married to 3rd wife.

[Philo-Junius]

The Scotch-Irish were Catholic themselves for a thousand years. Their anti-Catholicism is a product of English divide-and-rule propagandisation.

Having said that, those prejudices do run deep.

[Gumdrop]

I am not really surprised to hear this. Several years ago Newt mentioned his wife was a singer and she sang in the choir of her Catholic Church.

Last spring when Pope Benedict XVI was in Washington, D.C. he mentioned again taht Callista was going to be singing in a choir at one of PBXVI’s masses. Newt always has spoken highly of this Pope.

I have no knowledge of the circumstances of Newt’s first marriage, but I know the first wife was quite a bit older then Newt. Newt had a childhood that somewhat resembled Bill Clinton’s. He may have not been mature enough to ener into the first marriage. Does anyone know how old he was when he married wife #1?

As far as Marianne, wife #2, I was disappointed with Newt when that marriage broke up. His conduct was less than responsible. I hope, for his sake, his conversion is a true one and he has fully accepted the Christian message now.

[TradicalRC]

For whatever reason, it is almost impossible for a Roman Catholic to become POTUS. That is why there has only been one in our history....JFK.

Whatever reason? There is a plain and simple reason; this country was founded by Protestants. There is considerable antipathy between the groups historically. Yet in 1960 JFK became the first Catholic president. I find it hard to believe that in the half century since then, the US has gotten more religiously conservative. Folks were saying the same thing about an African-American President a year ago. I think between Blacks and Catholics, the former would suffer more from prejudice than the latter.

[MaggieCarta]

Let’s pray for a sincere conversion for Newt Gingrich. It is none of our business how the Church handles his personal matters.

Amen, NYer.

[firebrand]

Adultery is covered in the Gospel ("except it be for fornication"). So there you are on solid ground.

"Remarriage" is never mentioned, however.

Annulments experienced in the heart that is totally devoted to God, and with a meditative, prayerful, and finally totally clear conscience,and for totally unselfish reasons, I'm okay with that and He may be also. After all, he knows us completely and he judges us individually and with greater mercy than we can imagine.

It's the part about men deciding things for other men according to complex and rigidly codified rules that bugs me. Too subject to corruption and men making all the rules, besides being inherently hierarchical and unspiritual.

Also farcical people pontificating constantly about "God in the public square" when they're on marriage #3 bug me.