Don't let a few rotten apples spoil the whole bunch.
Posted on 11/21/2007 5:56:01 PM PST by topher
Boston Cardinal Accused of Partisan Politics for Blasting Democrats over Abortion
Cardinal also said Catholics voting for pro-abortion politicians "borders on scandal"
By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman
BOSTON, November 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Most elected officials in the Massachusetts Democratic Party are ignoring Cardinal Sean O'Malley's recent denunciation of their pro-abortion position.
O'Malley, who is the Catholic Archbishop of Boston, said in an interview with the Boston Globe on November 15th that "the Democratic Party, which has been in many parts of the country traditionally the party which Catholics have supported, has been extremely insensitive to the church's position, on the gospel of life in particular, and on other moral issues."
"I think that, at times, it borders on scandal as far as I'm concerned," he said, when asked about Catholics who vote for pro-abortion politicians.
"However, when I challenge people about this, they say, 'Well, bishop, we're not supporting [abortion rights],' " he said. "I think there's a need for people to very actively dissociate themselves from those unacceptable positions, and I think if they did that, then the party would have to change."
O'Malley's comments followed the release of a new document by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which gives priority to abortion and other human life issues in politics, warning Catholics who ignore such issues that their souls may be in danger (see previous LifeSiteNews coverage at: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/nov/07111601.html).
The Cardinal's words went beyond the document, however, specifically identifying the Democratic Party's role in promoting legalized abortion. Philip Johnston, a Catholic former state Democratic Party chairman, admitted to the Boston Globe that "I don't recall in my lifetime any leader of the Catholic church making such a bold partisan statement. I think it's very regrettable."
However, prominent Democrats who support abortion and other anti-life policies in Massachusetts refused to comment on O'Malley's statement when asked by the Boston Globe. These included Senators John Kerry and Edward Kennedy, both nationally-known Catholic politicians who have uncompromisingly supported legal abortion for years. John Walsh, chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party also refused to respond.
Tommi Avicolli Mecca, who calls himself a "radical Italian queer performer," dismissed the Cardinal's words in an editorial on San Francisco's "alternative" news site, BeyondChron.com, noting that "apparently, the Democratic Party isn't worried about Catholic voters turning against its candidates over their liberal stance on abortion. The influence of the church has waned a lot since the days when Cardinals and Archbishops could change legislators' votes simply by speaking out against a piece of legislation."
"I remember those times, and not very fondly. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia was probably the number-one reason for the defeat of the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love's first gay rights bill in 1974. A church spokesman's testimony against the bill ensured that it would never make it out of the Rules Committee and onto the floor of City Council for a vote."
"Fortunately, the church doesn't have as much influence with legislators as it did back then, at least not in the area of abortion and gay rights. O'Malley's comments no doubt arise out of a sense of frustration with the diminishing political influence of his church," writes Mecca.
The Globe agrees. "As they have for years, most Catholic Democrats in Massachusetts are likely to continue to disagree with the church on abortion without worrying much about the consequences for them or their party," the newspaper's staff wrote on November 18th. "If Catholic voters punished their politicians for opposing church views on abortion - or gay marriage, or any other subject - the response might be quite different, political experts said last week. But they haven't."
Related Links:
Cardinal's criticism is met with silence by Democrats http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/11/18/cardina...
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007_docs/USCCBformingconscience...
Praise and Criticism for Lengthy US Bishops Statement on Catholics and Political Responsibility http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/nov/07111601.html
Boston Archbishop to Homosexuals: "Because we love you, we cannot accept your behavior." http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/nov/05112807.html
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What happens is that people may not receive Holy Communion.
For example, if one is divorced and re-marries, then one may not receive Holy Communion. If the previous marriage is annuled by the church, then the 2nd marriage is okay, and the person can receive Holy Communion.
The point of being a politician who supports laws that allow abortion is that the politician claim they are doing nothing wrong.
But the letter from Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) to then Cardinal McCarrick of Washington, DC, in 2004 made it clear that it was wrong to vote for politicians who supported abortion.
There was something that the media made a mess of in that letter, which was a clause that if there was something of equal evil as abortion was found in the other candidate, then the lesser of two evils could be voted for.
However, since abortions takes 1 million to 1.3 million lives a year in the United States, about the only equal thing would be a Nuclear War that would kill millions of people. Even what has been going on in Iraq is incidental compared to the about 5 million abortion lives lost since 2003.
There maybe a total of 200,000 lives lost in Iraq during that time (including the 3,000+ Americans).
But 200,000 is not close to 5 million, and considering that an evil leader (Sadaam Hussein) was deposed, this war would be a just war in the eyes of the Catholic Church.
Even more, the War in Iraq has prevented terrorism from coming to the United States and other parts of the world as the terrorists (Al Qaeda) are being killed in Iraq.
Thus, there are justifications for the deaths in Iraq from the effort to liberate it from the tyranny of Saddaam. Sadaam Hussein used poison gas on his own people, was responsible for countless executions of Kurds and Shiites, as well as Sunnis.
The supression of Al Qaeda in Iraq may have prevented terror bombing like September 11, 2001 in other parts of the world.
So a pro-abortion politician is responsible for genocide of millions of babies -- which is why it is such a dastardly sin.
Even Adolf Hitler did not target unborn babies. He chose instead to sterilize undesirables rather than kill babies.
So maybe the pro-abortion Republicans (such as Rudy Guiliani) and Democrats (such as Ted Kennedy) are one up on Adolf Hitler.
Don't let a few rotten apples spoil the whole bunch.
Since I am Roman Catholic, I am ashamed to have such a person in my Church.
Since the gates of heaven are narrow, I imagine she will have a tough time fitting through those gates...
Though this is getting a bit off topic (abortion), this was a political official (the mean ol' lady) who was appointed to office that did this dastardly act.
Boy, does Cardinal Sean O'Malley have his hands full with such corruption in Massachusetts politics...
Then why does the Church allow them to call themselves Catholic when they clearly are not?
Subject: One mean, cold-hearted ladyWe couldn't believe this despicable story when we first heard it and neither could the folks at television station WFXT in Boston, MA.
Local Boy Scouts in Boston were collecting care package items to send to the troops during this holiday season - that is until city officials stepped in, called law enforcement and shut down their care package collections for the troops.
The mean, cold-hearted woman who shut down the Boy Scouts efforts is a city official named Marsha Weinerman of Boston, Massachusetts who was appointed to her post July 1, 2006.
You can contact Ms. Weinerman at this email address: mWeinerman@cambridgema.gov
Or call her at: (617) 349-4363
Here are the media stories about Ms. Weinerman's atrocious conduct:
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/8125.html
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/blogs/boston/2007/11/14/dont-ever-change-cambridge/
And you can show up Ms. Weinerman and those opposed to our troops by sponsoring a Christmas/holiday care package for our troops - and we'll be more than happy to send it over to Iraq and Afghanistan with love and appreciation:
http://www.thecampaignstore.com/store/default.asp?parentid=378
- The Staff of Move America Forward http://www.MoveAmericaForward.org
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I think Democratic politicians are trying to do damage control on the Mean ol' Lady story by attacking Cardinal Sean O'Malley.
Maybe the mean ol' Lady wants Senator Ted Kennedy to give the Boy Scouts a ride in his submarine car -- to dispose of the evidence...
Oh, well, then. Mecca is the ultimate authority on these matters, so that closes the matter.
As the old question goes: How many [Army] Divisions does the Pope have?
Is Tommi a he or a she or an it? Or is it one of those where gender cannot be asked of the person?
Being an ardent sinner does not prevent one from being a Christian.
For example, I have heard [from mystics] that Jesus would have forgiven Judas the betrayer if he would have only asked Jesus. Not only did Judas betray Jesus, he despaired (which is a sin), and then he committed murder (he killed himself).
There is a very famous Saint Jean Vianney story where a woman goes to Saint Jean-Marie, and is so disheartened about her husband committing suicide.
Saint Jean-Marie Vianney replied to the woman that when her husband jumped off a bridge [which is how he committed suicide], he made a perfect act of contrition of being sorry for his sins before he hit the water.
According to the saint, her husband was in purgatory -- a place in which, according to Catholic teaching, souls are purged of any problems their sins have created.
The point being that a Catholic/Christian is that unless they renounce their religion.
On the other hand, Saint Padre Pio told of a person who went to hell, even though they dedicated their life to God (it was a nun or sister). The person thought that they would go to heaven because they dedicated their life to God -- which according to Saint Padre Pio was the sin of pride.
So all the work of this person was vain glory or work for the person, and not for God.
This latter case took me some time to accept, but unless one gives all glory to God and none to yourself, you are guilty of vain glory.
The point being there are many souls that consider themselves to be Catholics/Christians that are in hell.
And there are probably souls who did not consider themselves to be Catholics/Christians, but may have changed their mind at the last moment (like the Good Thief on Calvary).
There is yet another story of early Christians being put to death by being frozen in a pool of water -- they were forced to enter very cold water until they froze to death or give up their faith.
It was some number that were put to death this way -- so forty total, for example. A few of them could not take the cold, and left the freezing cold water.
They were replaced by an equal number of Roman soldiers who I guess were moved by the faith of the Christians. So Roman soldiers chose martyrdom at the last moment...
So God's mercy is boundless, and a discussion of who is really Catholic/Christian/saved is conditional...
I believe Jesus gave the parable of two sons. One son said he would do his father's will, but in reality did not. The other son told his father that he would not obey him, but in reality did what his father told him to do.
Jesus asked the question of which pleased their father.
[And this last story may have been about servants doing their master's will -- it is basically the same.]
The rat is a selfish and cunning creature. He has sold is soul for earthly power. When the light of truth is shined on him he gets his media buddies to attack the light.
The Church does.
“It is a sin to vote/support pro-abortion politicians...”
For those of you who believe in satan and hell (I don’t, but I don’t support abortion, either) - he would find people who profess to be Catholics voting for pro-abortion politicians sweet, indeed.
“Strange that liberals think that the 1st amendment somehow precludes the church from commenting on political issues. To them, religious freedom = religious restrictions.”
Unless you are the Reverends Jackson and Sharpton.
Or Obomba in a church, preaching about how Jesus would support the welfare state.
“The Cardinal ought to look to his own salvation. By failing to denounce and excommunicate those who cause grave scandal among the faithful, he is shirking his duty as the shepherd of Boston’s Catholics. It probably wouldn’t affect the views of the two servants of the Prince of Darkness who sit as Massachuset’s two senators. But the call to return to faith just might save a few of the flock who have strayed.”
Plus, the Cardinal could look out for self interest. More abortions... less little boys!
OK that was bad, sorry. ;)
True, but by supporting abortion these Catholic politicians have renounced Jesus by their acts. The Church has the responsibility of telling them they need to repent or face the eternal consequences. Cardinal O'Malley has sounded the watchman's warning. It won't be he who will be held accountable for their blood.
I don't think they're listening, though...they've stored up too much vainglory for themselves to care. Besides most of them are lawyers so they probably figure they can repent at the last minute and failing that, argue their way into Paradise.
God is merciful, but He's not stupid.
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