Posted on 08/01/2012 1:42:23 PM PDT by NYer
NEW YORK, July 31, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Although controversy dogged his first appearance at the charity’s annual fundraiser in 2008 alongside Sen. John McCain, Catholic Charities has again extended an invitation to President Obama to speak at this year’s event.
Meghan Myers, the Executive Director of the annual fundraiser, told LifeSiteNews today that U.S. President Barack Obama has accepted the invitation to speak at the charity’s Al Smith Dinner in October.
The annual fundraiser has traditionally featured the presidential candidates from each party during an election year. No word yet on whether Mitt Romney will attend.
While the event typically takes a lighter tone, with the presidential candidates roasting each other in humorous speeches, this year’s event comes at an especially awkward time, with the U.S. bishops having recently concluded their “Fortnight for Freedom” - a response to the Obama administration’s HHS mandate that will force employers, including many religious employers, to include contraception, sterilization and abortifacient drugs in their health plans. That mandate, as well as other attacks on religious freedom coming from the Obama administration, have been condemned in the strongest terms by many of the country’s bishops and religious leaders.
Another major conflict with Catholics and other Christians developed when the president began to actively oppose the Defense of Marriage Act last year; he has also just recently announced his support for same-sex “marriage.”
The Al Smith dinner also comes a little over three years after 83 U.S. bishops publicly opposed the invitation and award given to President Obama by Notre Dame because of the president’s pro-abortion record.
When asked if consideration was given to the Obama administration’s recent attacks on religious freedom, particularly Catholicism, in inviting the president, Myers replied that she could not comment on the invitation since she did not extend it. Obama was invited, she said, by New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
The White House did not return calls for comment by press time.
Joe Zwilling, Director of the Office of Communications at the archdiocese of New York, told LifeSiteNews that he had not heard that the invitation had gone out, nor that it had been accepted.
The appearance of Obama at the Al Smith Dinner in 2008 caused considerable controversy. At the time some pro-life leaders questioned the appearance in light of a 2004 policy of the U.S. bishops regarding politicians who “act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles.”
In ‘Catholics in Political Life’, the U.S. bishops said: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”
The idea of cancelling the traditional appearance of the presidential candidates is not without precedent. On two occasions since 1960 the presidential candidates were not invited by the Archdiocese of New York to the dinner - in 1996 (Cardinal John O’Connor), when strongly pro-abortion Bill Clinton was a candidate, and in 2004 (Cardinal Egan), during the candidacy of also strongly pro-abortion Democrat John Kerry.
Obama is often referred to as “the abortion president” because of his record that is viewed by pro-life leaders to be the most extreme in U.S. history.
Deal Hudson, a well-known Catholic political activist and author of “Onward, Christian Soldiers: The Growing Political Power of Catholics and Evangelicals” in the United States opined after Obama’s 2008 appearance:
What are we doing here? If abortion really is what we say it is—the gruesome murder of unborn children—do our actions reflect that belief? And if those who support abortion are guilty of facilitating such a horror, how should we respond to them?
If this were 1855, would we be inviting pro-slavery politicians to take a break from a hard fought race, and share a laugh and a meal? As one who finds courage and inspiration in the example of the Radical Republican abolitionists, I just can’t imagine it.
But isn’t that what we’re doing today? I know that wasn’t Cardinal Egan’s intention—of course not. (I also recognize that I’m raising these concerns after the fact.) However, in today’s media driven society, images matter. The sight of Obama and the cardinal palling around sends the message—whether intentional or not—that the pro-choice senator is fine in Egan’s eyes.
Obama’s appearance at this year’s fundraiser would be no less contentious. Michael Hichborn of American Life League told LifeSiteNews, “Regardless of what they’ve done in the past, it is unthinkable for a Catholic charity to invite the man seeking the destruction of religious freedom in America to a fund raising event.“Hichborn added: “This sends the wrong message to pew-sitting Catholics, who are anxiously looking to our bishops to stand up and fight against this clear enemy of the Church who will be joining them for dinner. The Apostle Paul said it best in his second letter to the Corinthians: ‘Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?’”
Contact info for respectful communications to the archdiocese:
archbishop.dolan@archny.org
Office of the Cardinal
Diocese of New York
1011 First Ave
NY, NY 10022
** IMPORTANT: See Composing Effective Communications in Response to LifeSiteNews Reports
His own Communications Office didn't know anything about it?
Both O'Connor and Egan cancelled such appearances in the past?
If this is a gambit by Abp Dolan to do just as I said --- to confront Obama --- why would the always-reliable John Henry Westen be putting his stick into the spokes, instead of sitting back and letting the confrontation happen??
Doesn't add up.
I agree!
Thank you for ping!
When asked if consideration was given to the Obama administration’s recent attacks on religious freedom, particularly Catholicism, in inviting the president, Myers replied that she could not comment on the invitation since she did not extend it. Obama was invited, she said, by New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
So who's obfuscating? Joe Zwilling, Director of the Office of Communications at the archdiocese of New York, or Meghan Myers, exec director of the benefit?
If true, NO CATHOLIC ANYWHERE should defend Dolan's actions. He should be called on the carpet and groveling for forgiveness.
Great comment!!
Far as I can see,the only possibilities are
(1) Timothy Dolan is a traitor and John-Henry Westen is blowing the whistle on him, or
(2) Timothy Dolan is crazy-like-a-fox and is luring Obama into a confrontation, but Westen is a fool, and doesn’t realize this.
Or there’s always
(3) Dolan is luring Obama into a confrontation, Westen knows this, and Westen is playing along with “Oh, Noes!” to add to the drama/controversy, which adds to the publicity and aids the success of the confrontation; but we-of-little-faith are not getting the wink-wink-nudge-nudge.
Or...?
I don't know Dolan to be a traitor, and I don't know Westen to be a fool, so as of now ---- still baffled, to be sure --- I'm betting on #3.
What’s your best guess?
I doubt that Dolan will allow this.
| Archdiocese of New York | ||
| 1011 First Avenue NewYork, NY 10022 . . . |
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan Archbishop of New |
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I will say that, aside from naming Sarah Palin, this event in 2008 was the high point of McCain’s campaign. His writers provided and he did a good job of delivering a good undressing of Obama that you could tell irritated The One. And Obama’s monologue was a narcissistic mess. Still both available on You Tube I believe.
| Archdiocese of New York | ||
| 1011 First Avenue NewYork, NY 10022 . . . |
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan Archbishop of New |
|
You doubt Dolan will allow... what?
He is the one who invited Obamalamadingdong.
Don’t stop going to Mass because of the heretics. You have a choice. Please seek out and attend a traditional Latin Mass in your area. Here in the DC area, we have an incredible chapel, St. Athanasius, which preserves Catholic tradition, and the pastor, Fr. Ringrose, tells it like it is every week (if not every day).
Go find a “Catechism of the Council of Trent”. The true faith is presented and explained within. Don’t listen to heretics.
sent
If this article is true,Iwould be very disappointed but not surprised by Cardinal Dolan.Cardinal Dolan is a long way from being like our hero Cardinal John O’Connor.Cardinal Dolan is too interested in his Legacy.This is a time when courage is needed.Sitting in the most powerful Catholic Seat,the Archdiocese of NY Cardinal Dolan has been conspicuously quiet and soft on religious freedom.
Let us all pray for courage in our religious leaders.Perhaps they could learn a thing or two from Bill Donohue of the Catholic League.
#3 without a doubt.
If Cardinal Dolan wanted to make a statement to Catholics everywhere, he wouldn’t show up unless obama was disinvited.
” And just like when he showed up at Notre Dame, these fools will line up and kiss his ass.”
Merely ALLOWING Obama to speak there renders tacit approval of him, and his policies, and that is exactly how it will be portrayed in the media. Do these jokers really think CONFRONTING this monster will do any good? Please!! Get a darn CLUE!!
Cardinal Dolan has just made a very clear statement. Obama is ok and the fight for religious freedom is a sham.
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