Posted on 04/15/2008 8:07:25 AM PDT by NYer
Daniel Burke at the Washington Post thinks that President Bush might be pulling a Tony Blair. Burke tells of the Catholic based culture that rules the west wing and some other lingering suspicions.
Shortly after Pope Benedict XVI's election in 2005, President Bush met with a small circle of advisers in the Oval Office. As some mentioned their own religious backgrounds, the president remarked that he had read one of the new pontiff's books about faith and culture in Western Europe.While this concept of a Catholic run White House may be humorous to some, Fr. Richard John Neuhaus says that it is not so far fetched.
Save for one other soul, Bush was the only non-Catholic in the room. But his interest in the pope's writings was no surprise to those around him. As the White House prepares to welcome Benedict on Tuesday, many in Bush's inner circle expect the pontiff to find a kindred spirit in the president. Because if Bill Clinton can be called America's first black president, some say, then George W. Bush could well be the nation's first Catholic president.
***
"I don't think there's any question about it," says Rick Santorum, former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania and a devout Catholic, who was the first to give Bush the "Catholic president" label. "He's certainly much more Catholic than Kennedy."
Bush has also placed Catholics in prominent roles in the federal government and relied on Catholic tradition to make a public case for everything from his faith-based initiative to antiabortion legislation. He has wedded Catholic intellectualism with evangelical political savvy to forge a powerful electoral coalition.Finally, Burke hints that some close to the President might not be suprised if he pulled a Tony Blair one day by converting after leaving office.
"There is an awareness in the White House that the rich Catholic intellectual tradition is a resource for making the links between Christian faith, religiously grounded moral judgments and public policy," says Richard John Neuhaus, a Catholic priest and editor of the journal First Things who has tutored Bush in the church's social doctrines for nearly a decade.
Moreover, people close to Bush say that he has professed a not-so-secret admiration for the church's discipline and is personally attracted to the breadth and unity of its teachings. A New York priest who has befriended the president said that Bush respects the way Catholicism starts at the foundation -- with the notion that the papacy is willed by God and that the pope is Peter's successor. "I think what fascinates him about Catholicism is its historical plausibility," says this priest. "He does appreciate the systematic theology of the church, its intellectual cogency and stability." The priest also says that Bush "is not unaware of how evangelicalism -- by comparison with Catholicism -- may seem more limited both theologically and historically."Color me skeptical, but I don't think so.
Former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson, another evangelical with an affinity for Catholic teaching, says that the key to understanding Bush's domestic policy is to view it through the lens of Rome. Others go a step further.
Paul Weyrich, an architect of the religious right, detects in Bush shades of former British prime minister Tony Blair, who converted to Catholicism last year. "I think he is a secret believer," Weyrich says of Bush. Similarly, John DiIulio, Bush's first director of faith-based initiatives, has called the president a "closet Catholic." And he was only half-kidding.
I did not realize that that information was banned here, so I do regret the posting thereof.
Do the same rules apply to Catholic Freepers who bash Prots?
Thank you.
that is what baffles me about the Protestants. i don’t get why they feel the need to worry about OUR problems. i certainly would never presume to stick my nose in to a Protestant scandal and opine, i would feel it wasn’t my place and that they would sort it out, with God’s help. maybe the FR Protestants might consider that God has this Catholic scandal firmly in hand and will deal with it, and so, stop belittling our FAITH.
"I don't think there's any question about it," says Rick Santorum, former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania and a devout Catholic, who was the first to give Bush the "Catholic president" label. "He's certainly much more Catholic than Kennedy."
I appreciate Sen. Santorum's vote of confidence, but he sets the bar pretty low. JFK was the original CINO ... and Fat Drunk Ted seems to go out of his way to flout not just Catholic Doctrine but the most fundamental principles of morality.
But discuss the issues only. Do not make it personal. Click on my profile page for more guidelines to the Religion Forum.
As to banning sources, it doesn't matter what theology is being promoted or attacked - but if we consider it to be "hate mongering" we will not allow it.
Mr. Moderator,
With all due respect...I do not agree, nor support hate speech...and I do regret posting the K of C oath if it was false...but, changing gears, is what you are saying, that Catholics & Protestants cannot challenge eachothers doctrines here, because such will be called “hate speech?”
Thank you.
Sexual predation is horrendous and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, as we now know today. However, back when the "cover-ups" occurred, the prevailing mindset was that with "treatment" and "prayerful consideration", a molester could be rehabilitiated. This is, again, as we know today, wrong, but back then no one "knew" that, in fact, because of the 60's and 70's and the blossoming of psychotherapy, it was believed there was no behavioral problem that couldn't be "fixed" by therapy.
Given this, we can see that there wasn't any nefarious intent behind the "coverups", reassignments, and personnel changes. It was a horrible mistake, don't get me wrong, but it certainly isn't evidence of any evil intent, on the part of the Church, to intentionally subject children to monsters. It wasn't intended, because again, back then we had no idea these "people" were so incorrigible.
good points.
IMO, he will become Catholic soon after leaving the White House.
That was my next question. I thought that Jeb was Catholic. That is the brother you are referring to, right?
Vivat Jesus indeed. Not only will I be attending the State convention this year, but I’ve been invited by my State Deputy to attend the Supreme convention in Quebec City. You bet I’m going! The priest who performed the ceremony in which my wife and I were wed, her cousin, is an Archbishop now and he’s going to be there too. I’m trying to surprise my wife with a renewal of vows ceremony with him.
SNAP, the support group for over 9,000 of the abuse, claims the Pope has not gone far enough to protect the children that are still vulnerable. Now, Catholics here seem to want to villify SNAP, but I tend to agree with them. IF they had proof to the contrary, I’m sure they would acknowledge it.
Regards.
Alas, we can’t mention them. They call “GOD”, “Allah” ya know.
It really is crazy to think people believe that crap! I remember when I first met a friend of mine and she asked me,since I had told her I was Catholic,what it was like to go to confession. At first I made up a bunch of wild and crazy things and laughed. And then I told her it was refreshing and I always felt closer to God after going through my thoughts and reflecting upon my sins and repenting. And that I appreciate the act of receiving a penance. And then I said WE DON’T WORSHIP MARY,just to get that out of the way! She is a baptist and we are very good friends now and have been for about eight years.
Appy, as a Baptist, I'm a little embarrassed at your rudeness toward Catholics, who -- if they confess Jesus Christ as their savior -- are our brothers and sisters in Christ (I'm assuming that you claim Christ as your savior). Your "apology" to two ladies whom I know to be very devout and sincere believers and who pointed out that your posts were offensive seems a little less sincere and a lot more condescending than slick willy's infamous mea culpa after his finger-wagging "i did not have sex with that woman" was proven to be a lie. I would hope that in the future you would, if for no other reason than to just be a decent person capable of common courtesy, hold yourself to a higher standard than not "creating an environment of fear".
I think you got off to a bad start on this thread with your "bowing and scraping before all those statues" comment. While some may have thought you were insulting the Pope with that comment, I'm pretty sure you actually intended it instead as an insult of Catholics in general. Perhaps your discussions on some other threads about religion might inspire others to follow your example, I sure hope you don't think your comments on this thread would be considered worthy of emulation.
There would not be priest scandals, if the Roman church
b'SHEM Yah'shua
followed the commandments of YHvh and promoted marriage.
“I don’t think President Bush shows any sign of being dissatisfied with his present religious beliefs and practices.”
It wouldn’t be a sign of dissatisfication, but building on his current beliefs.
If you knew what you were talking about you would know that the Pope is the Bishop of Rome.
irish,
re: confession - Were you ever taught that the priest, during your confession, is given the power, by either God or the Church, to forgive your confessed sins?
Thanks.
My most embarrassing moment with a Catholic around (which embarrassed them but not me) was when I took this girl to her Sr. Prom. which took place in the Secina highschool basement cafeteria/meeting room.
At some point in the prom everybody gathered over in front of a Mary statue and prayed.
I think every person there (couple of hundred of them) apologized to me for that event.
Struck me as absolutely enlightening ~ I had not realized before then that Catholics did group prayer (heh, heh).
“Vivat Jesus indeed. Not only will I be attending the State convention this year, but I’ve been invited by my State Deputy to attend the Supreme convention in Quebec City.”
Have fun!
“The priest who performed the ceremony in which my wife and I were wed, her cousin, is an Archbishop now and he’s going to be there too.”
Wow! Cool!
“I’m trying to surprise my wife with a renewal of vows ceremony with him.”
That's very nice of you.
Good luck on your trip to the Supreme Convention, and be safe!
sitetest
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