Cardinal Dolan in Charlotte: a looming disaster for Democrats

Catholic Culture ^ | August 31, 2012 | Phil Lawler

[NYer]

Say what you will about the prudence of Cardinal Dolan’s decision to offer a prayer at the Democratic convention. What about the tactical judgment of the Democratic Party leaders who will welcome him?

Jeff Mirus has questioned whether Cardinal Dolan should have made the offer to deliver closing prayers for the Democratic event. As usual, I find myself in agreement with Jeff. But there’s another side to the question: Should the Democrats have accepted his offer?

If I were a partisan Democrat, I would say No: the Democrats should not have invited Cardinal Dolan to Charlotte. Since I am not a partisan Democrat—quite the contrary—I’m delighted that they did. The cardinal’s appearance will hurt, not help, President Obama’s chances for re-election.

Sharon Otterman of the New York Times observes that Cardinal Dolan’s visit to Charlotte will “lead to one of the most intriguing tableaus of this convention season.” She explains:

Cardinal Dolan, an opponent of abortion and same-sex marriage who is among the Catholic bishops suing the Obama administration over its contraception health care mandates, will bless a gathering of thousands of delegates who passionately disagree with him.

The Democrats are apparently planning a convention that will appeal to the primal instincts of anti-Catholic bigots. Speakers from Planned Parenthood and NARRAL will whip up the crowd, warning that any hint of restriction on legal abortion would constitute a “war on women.” Homosexual activists will acclaim the President for advancing their drive toward legal recognition of same-sex marriage. Administration officials will remind the world that Obama introduced mandatory contraceptive coverage despite tough opposition. And then, after hours of shrill rhetoric, with the crowd in a frenzy of partisan fervor, the convention organizers will introduce the leading American representative of the institution that is most closely associated with opposition to legal abortion, to same-sex marriage, and to mandatory contraceptive coverage: the Catholic Church.

One of the most important purposes of a political convention is to fire up the troops: to rouse passions, to rally the party’s faithful as they prepare for battle with their political enemies. This year the main enemy will be Mitt Romney, of course. But looking toward the future, over a longer time horizon, many liberal activists see the Catholic Church as the enemy. So how will they feel, and how will they behave, when an agent of that “enemy” appears on the convention floor?

Yes, the cardinal’s appearance will present an interesting tableau, to say the least. Whether Cardinal Dolan acknowledges it or not, he will be addressing a largely hostile crowd. (There will be hundreds of Roman Catholics on the convention floor, no doubt, but not the sort of Catholics who bow to episcopal authority.) Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Michael McGough conveys the “us vs. them” mentality that will dominate the meeting in Charlotte in his headline: “Prayer for the godless party: Dems call Cardinal Dolan’s bluff.”

How will partisan Democratic activists respond to the cardinal’s presence. I see two likely possibilities.

1. Hard-core ideologues might make their contempt manifest. Cardinal Dolan could face demonstrations, interruptions, heckling, a chorus of boos.
2. Or cooler heads could prevail, Democratic leaders could impose discipline, the cardinal could hear nothing but respectful applause.

In all likelihood the actual event will see a bit of both reactions. The cardinal will be greeted politely. But there will be some grumbling when Cardinal Dolan prays—as surely he will—for a respectful attitude toward human life and a determination to support marriage and family. And even if the angriest demonstrators are kept outside the convention hall, TV viewers might notice that the rhetoric of those who oppose the cardinal’s appearance will sound very similar to the rhetoric of Democratic speakers who appeared earlier on the convention schedule.

One way or another—because he is treated rudely, as an enemy; or because he is treated politely, as a foreign dignitary—Cardinal Dolan’s appearance in Charlotte will help Catholic voters to notice that they are no longer “at home” in the Democratic Party. Like the cardinal they may be accepted as guests, but as long as the Democratic Party embraces the culture of Death, Catholic Democrats will be operating on alien territory.

Cardinal Dolan offered to attend the convention if his presence was wanted. The truth is that he is not wanted. But the Democratic Party has chosen to pretend, and that is a serious tactical error.

[NYer]

How will partisan Democratic activists respond to the cardinal’s presence.

Amidst the falling glitter and balloons, the GOP crowd silenced themselves, closed their eyes, bowed their heads and listened to Cardinal Dolan's prayer. Here is it in its entirety.

---

Following is the closing benediction which was offered by Cardinal Timothy Dolan at the RNC last night.

With firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, let us pray:

Almighty God, father of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus, we beg your continued blessings on this sanctuary of freedom, and on all of those who proudly call America home. We ask your benediction upon those yet to be born, and on those who are about to see you at the end of this life. Bless those families whose ancestors arrived on these shores generations ago, as well as those families that have come recently, to build a better future while weaving their lives into the rich tapestry of America.

We lift up to your loving care those afflicted by the recent storms and drought and fire. We ask for the grace to stand in solidarity with all those who suffer. May we strive to include your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, in the production and prosperity of a people so richly blessed.

Oh God of wisdom, justice, and might, we ask your guidance for those who govern us, and on those who would govern us: the president and vice-president, the Congress, the Supreme Court, and on all those who seek to serve the common good by seeking public office, especially Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan. Make them all worthy to serve you by serving our country. Help them remember that the only just government is the government that serves its citizens rather than itself.

Almighty God, who gives us the sacred and inalienable gift of life, we thank you as well for the singular gift of liberty. Renew in all of our people a respect for religious freedom in full, that first most cherished freedom. Make us truly free, by tethering freedom to truth and ordering freedom to goodness. Help us live our freedom in faith, hope, and love; prudently, and with justice; courageously, and in a spirit of moderation. Enkindle in our hearts a new sense of responsibility for freedom’s cause. And make us ever-grateful for all those who, for more than two centuries, have given their lives in freedom’s defense; we commend their noble souls to your eternal care, as even now we beg your mighty hand upon our beloved men and women in uniform.

May we know the truth of your creation, respecting the laws of nature and nature’s God, and not seek to replace it with idols of our own making. Give us the good sense not to cast aside the boundaries of righteous living you first inscribed in our hearts even before inscribing them on tablets of stone. May you mend our every flaw, confirming our soul in self-control, our liberty in law.

We pray for all those who seek honest labor, as we thank you for the spirit of generosity to those in need with which you so richly blessed this nation.

We beseech your blessing on all who depart from here this evening, and on all those, in every land, who seek to conduct their lives in freedom.

Most of all, Almighty God, we thank you for the great gift of our beloved country.

For we are indeed “one nation under God.”
And “in God we trust.”

Dear God bless America. You who live and reign, forever and ever,

Amen!

---

And that Amen was echoed by all present at last night's event.

[chuckee]

Wonder why Cardinal Dolan did not make the same offer to the RNC particularly when the Republican platform does not offend Catholic doctrine as the Democrat platform does.

[mware]

He says anything similar to this at the DNC convention, their heads will explode.

I also think the Dems will not be able to control their crowd. It may get nasty.

[gorush]

[RatRipper]

If you note the reaction of the demon-possessed to Jesus in the Bible, there was always an acknowledgement of his presence and and some sort of disturbance. Would not surprise me at all if the Cardinal struck a nerve that caused some sort of clear, antagonistic reaction.

[mware]

Wonder why Cardinal Dolan did not make the same offer to the RNC

Did you check to see where this prayer was offered at???

[chuckee]

Okay I just noticed I am mistaken and Cardinal Dolan did offer benediction at the Republican convention.

[Slump Tester]

He has no business there. Whether it bites the rats in ass or not doesn't matter.

He is supposed to be against abortion. Why sit down with folks who have no problem crushing the skulls of newborns?

[loveliberty2]

Thank you!

The Cardinal's prayer reminds all who have understood America's founding philosophy, as articulated by the generations of that period in our history. His was a Benediction and prayer for present and future generations of Americans.

"Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it; no constitution, no law, no court even can do much to help it." - Judge Learned Hand

"If I have learned anything from the reading of history, it is that the man who, in violation of great principles, toils for temporary fame, purchases for himself either total oblivion or eternal infamy, while he who temporarily goes down battling for right principles always deserves, and generally secures, the gratitude of succeeding ages, and will carry with him the sustaining solace of a clean conscience, more precious than all the offices and honors in the gift of man." - Sen. Zacharias Montgomery

After Thomas Jefferson, in his First Inaugural, had enumerated the principles which would guide his Administration in his First Inaugural, he added:

"These principles form the bright constellation which has gone before us and guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation. The wisdom of our sages and the blood of our heroes have been devoted to their attainment. They should be the creed of our political faith, the text of civic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services of those we trust; and should we wander from them in moments of error or of alarm, let us hasten to retrace our steps and to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty, and safety."

So-called "progressives" of the 20th and 21st Centuries, in their arrogance, have removed (censored) the Founders' ideas of liberty from America's textbooks, but technology has outstripped their efforts. Every American school child and adult now has potential access to almost every word the Founders spoke and wrote, and their ideas are being rediscovered and circulated in a manner unheard of even 10 years ago, as if by the hand of Divine Providence. How else can one account for the events of 2010?

Enduring principles, according to the Founders were just that--enduring and "self-evident."

The sacred Rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written as with a sunbeam in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself, and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power - Alexander Hamilton

"Kings or parliaments could not give the rights essential to happiness, as you confess those invaded by the Stamp Act to be. We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings, and Lord of all the earth. They are not annexed to us by parchments and seals. They are created in us by the decrees of Providence, which establish the laws of our nature. They are born with us, exist with us, and cannot be taken from us by any human power, without taking our lives. In short, they are founded on the immutable maxims of reason and justice." - John Dickinson (Signer of the Constitution of the U. S., as quoted in "Our Ageless Constitution," p. 286)

[mware]

Want to bet the Dems ask for a draft of the Cardinal’s prayer ahead of time?

[loveliberty2]

The One the Cardinal serves set the example. He simply follows it by his willingness to “sit down.”

[Jacquerie]

Perhaps the rats thought the “optics” (Katie Couric term?) of a Catholic Cardinal would be better received to an admittedly small nationwide audience than the Muslim Brotherhood call to jihad/prayer.

Just a guess.

[nickcarraway]

Yes, good point, because Jesus would never eat with tax collectors and sinners. (Mark 2:13-17)

[Mamzelle]

It may be that Dolan will yank the sheep’s clothing off these wolves, for all to see. Pray for Dolan’s safety.

[bimboeruption]

I’m thinkin’ he’s gonna do an exorcism.

[rwa265]

This was a beautiful closing prayer, and I hope he uses the same words at the DNC.

I didn’t notice until reading the prayer that he used the words from America the Beautiful - Confirm thy soul with self-control, thy liberty in law. I wonder if he knew that was going to be the closing song.

[oldbrowser]

‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’

[NYer]

Wonder why Cardinal Dolan did not make the same offer to the RNC particularly when the Republican platform does not offend Catholic doctrine as the Democrat platform does.

He did not offer because he was invited to say the concluding benediction. The DNC, on the other hand, did not extend an invitation. Instead, they invited a renegade nun to lead the delegates in prayer on day 3 of the convention. When Dem Catholics protested, the invitation was then extended to Cardinal Dolan. Last night, he delivered the closing night benediction at the RNC. Next week, he will be in Charlotte to deliver, one supposes, the same benediction at the DNC.

[omega4412]

And it came to pass that Cardinal Dolan said the prayers of exorcism, and Zero’s teleprompter failed.