Posted on 06/25/2008 1:38:23 PM PDT by NYer
.- A new survey from Georgetown Universitys Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) indicates that Catholics may lean towards voting for the Democratic candidate for president in the 2008 election.
The CARA polling shows that only 21 percent of all Catholics are either strongly or weakly affiliated with the Republican Party in 2008, compared to 31 percent in 2004. Fewer Catholics identify themselves as Republicans than in any year since 2000.
Among all adult Catholics, 38 percent identify as a weak or strong Democrat, while 22 percent lean Democratic.
Republicans are found to be more numerous among the general electorate Catholic population, with 28 percent identifying themselves as Republicans and 17 percent saying they lean Republican. However, Catholics who attend Mass weekly are still more likely to be Democrats, with 37 percent self-identifying with the party and another 18 percent saying they lean Democrat.
Overall, these shifting Catholic attitude trends, less support for the use of U.S. military force, more support for higher taxes for wealthy Americans, and increasing acceptance of immigration, may favor the Democrats and Obama, said Mark Gray, the director of CARA Catholic polls.
Gray said that Democrats still must mobilize well to take advantage of their edge among Catholic voters. In the past two presidential elections the Republicans have been noted to be more effective at mobilizing voters using religion and religious organizationsoften using the issue of abortion, Gray said.
The CARA poll results suggest a shift in Catholics views on several major issues. In 2002, before the Iraq war, 63 percent of adult Catholics agreed somewhat or strongly with the statement that The U.S. should be willing to use military force to overthrow governments that support terrorism against the U.S., even if it mean losing lives of U.S. service members. In 2006, only 43 percent agreed.
Catholic support for a tax on the wealthiest Americans has increased from 52 percent in 2002 to 65 percent in 2006. Catholics are also less likely to agree that the number of immigrants permitted entry into the U.S. should be decreased, with agreement down from 65 percent in 2002 to 54 percent in 2006.
According to the study, pro-abortion sentiment has slightly increased among adult Catholics. In 2002, 55 percent somewhat or strongly agreed with the statement A woman should have the right to choose to abort an unwanted pregnancy. In 2006, the percentage in agreement increased to 58 percent.
Define Jew, Muslim, Evangelical, Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran .... et al. What’s your point?
Well, sadly, at least some Bishops and priests cite Vat II when openly acting in opposition to 'Rome', which, in my diocese, is viewed by some as a nice Diocese with it's own Bishop (the Holy Father) but not unlike and certainly not having any authority over other Diocese' like the Diocese of Erie (mine) or any other. I hear it all the time. There was tangible fear when Pope Benedict was chosen that he would clamp down on abuses done, rightly or wrongly, in the name of Vat II. So like it or not, many dissident clergy cling to Vat II as the new spring and seek to enact it in 'their' own image. It seems the two go hand in hand, leftie clergy and Vat II. I otherwise agree, that some Bishops have overstepped their authority and responsibilities. And now some cling to Vat II as a license to forge ahead. I can't go 2 weeks here without hearing Vat II cited in a sermon or homily or by Parish ministers (I am active in parish ministry) as a positive thing, an aim to fully bring it about. And those who disagree, well, they're looked at like they've just landed from another planet, and are reminded of obedience to the Bishop.
I’m with you pal!
So...Even if a parent can't homeschool, in Witchita these parents have a **good** chance that their kids will grow up to **be** real Catholics. Other diocese should being doing exactly the same for its kids. Geeze! ALL bishops should recognize that their first and **most** important mission field is their **own** kids!
The Nehemiah Institutes worldview testing shows that students in Christian schools reject moral relativism at a rate 500% higher than Christian children attending public schools.
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:kY4WNVux_NIJ:www.exodusmandate.org/20070503-resolution/2007-letter-to-committee-members.doc+Barna+Shortt+Christian+high+school+88%25+faith+homeschool&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us
But...Maybe the gospel is **not** the most important goal of some Catholic bishops.
It is possible that some bishops have been so thoroughly marinated in Liberation Theology that they have more of a testimony of Marxism than they do Catholicism. Hey! And, where better for kids ( the next generation of CINO voters) to learn Marxism than in the godless government schools?
“lefty clergy”
Translation: MARXIST clergy that have been thoroughly marinated in the Liberation Theology stew.
There were plenty of walking the halls of my Catholic University! Honestly! They have a greater testimony of Marx than they did of Christ.
Many of these women are are public assistance, or are underemployed, and can't afford the cost of home schooling.
What do you suggest that they do?
Here is the break down by race of the illegitimacy crisis we have in this country.
Also you need to keep in mind the USA is the only country in the world that offers public education to ALL its citizens.
Now you can either sit around and whine, or you can get elected to a school board and start making changes. How about getting a degree in education and starting your own charter school, or see if you can work your way up to an administrative position and make changes from the inside?
http://www.catholicculture.org/library/view.cfm?recnum=1446
Childbearing out-of-wedlock and absence of fathers varies greatly between racial/ethnic groups.
The highest rate was non-Hispanic Blacks, among whom 69.4 percent of births were out-of-wedlock. American Indians have the second highest rate at 58.7 percent, followed by Hispanics at 40.92 percent. Among non-Hispanic whites, 21.54 percent of births are out of wedlock, and Asians/Pacific islanders have the 1owest rate with 15.64 percent of births being out-of-wedlock.
http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/indicators/75UnmarriedBirths.cfm
Large racial/ethnic differences exist in the percentage of births to unmarried women, with non-Hispanic white women and Asian or Pacific Islander women being much less likely to have a nonmarital birth.
In 2005, 69.5 percent of all births to non-Hispanic black women, 63.3 percent of births of American Indian or Alaskan native woman, and 47.9 percent of births to Hispanic women occurred outside of marriage, compared with 25.4 percent for non-Hispanic white women and 16.2 percent for Asian or Pacific Islander women (preliminary estimates).
And where I live the Bishop closed down the only Catholic School for about 100 miles.
Are you going to say the Bishop isn't Catholic?
The area I live in is economically depressed, most families have both parents working just to make ends meet. By Count there are 2 Catholic Churches 14 miles apart in two towns and get read for this 47 Non-Catholic Christian churches.
One of the "Christian" schools refuses to accept Catholics because everyone knows that Catholics are not really Christian.
What should these parents do? Would you have them their Faith to attend this school?
Georgetown is a snakepit of leftist vermin.
Nothing they say is to be trusted.
I believe Christians not just Catholics,have a hardening of their hearts. The unborn doesn’t mean much to them but the environment does. All you hear is global warming,global warming, in school,TV,movies,the celebrity clowns. The cultural today is rotten and we now have the worship of the planet as the new religion. How can people not weep for 50 million dead children? As a Catholic I mourn for the lost souls who don’t care for the unborn children who have died and their lack of mercy they show by the continue support of the evil of abortion.How can anyone ask for mercy from God when they have hardened their hearts to those that are the most vulnerable,the unborn? We all will someday come before a just God,I pray hearts will change so that they can show mercy the same way they will ask for mercy!
I am a former homeschooling mom.
I **know** how little it takes in terms of money to educate a child.
If the Catholic children in you diocese are not getting a free Catholic education it is because the bishop lacks imagination on how to get it done. ( or prefers to see kids going to godless government school.)
My suggestion? He should get a bunch of homeschooling moms and dads together and they should do some brainstorming. They have the buildings at least, I know how much curriculum costs and how many kids can use it from year to year. All that is lacking is money to pay the teachers.
Gee!! Do you think some might consider it a calling and teach for gas money or even for free?
The cultural today is rotten and we now have the worship of the planet as the new religion. How can people not weep for 50 million dead children?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It is easy to explain. Too many are graduates of godless government schools!
Please read posts #32, #39, and #50.
I know I have read quite a few or your rants
If the Catholic children in you diocese are not getting a free Catholic education it is because the bishop lacks imagination on how to get it done. ( or prefers to see kids going to godless government school.)
His name is Bishop DeLorenzo of the the Richmond Diocese, give him a call, tell him exactly what you think, and get back to us.
My suggestion? He should get a bunch of homeschooling moms and dads together and they should do some brainstorming. They have the buildings at least, I know how much curriculum costs and how many kids can use it from year to year. All that is lacking is money to pay the teachers.
You must have missed the part where I said we live in an economically depressed area and that most families have both parents working JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET
Gee!! Do you think some might consider it a calling and teach for gas money or even for free?
I have always considered teaching a calling, are you going to pay my rent, utilities, food, car payment, etc....?
I noticed that you ignored the part about the Single parents in the urban areas, hmmm why is that?
It is very easy to spout off when you ignore the facts, try dealing with them.
You want to know what is really funny. I have 16 nieces and nephews. Two went through Catholic schools, the rest all went to public. Four of them are old enough to vote. Two of the four are Democrats and pro abortion. The other two are Republican and Independent and are anti abortion.
Care to take a guess as to which is which. That is right the ones that went to public school are pro-life, and get ready for this, the ones that went to Catholic school No longer attend Mass on a regular basis, and one is divorced after living with the guy for 2 years and four years of marriage.
Once again these polls mean nothing without finding out if these “Catholics” actually believe in the teachings of the Church. Most likely these are those who sit in a pew Sunday after Sunday but are pro abortion, think gay marriage should be legal in all States and that Jesus is just one way to heaven. In other words not Catholic.
They attend Mass because they believe that their conscience trumps Church teaching. They think that a long as they believe abortion is right they can receive communion. After all they thought about it and now are wiser, more compassionate, and more infallible than the Pope and the Magesterium. They get to be their own Pope. I bet they even put on the kewl hat when at home with family.
Why Christ Himself marvels at their intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Who has revealed that tearing babies limb from limb out of the womb can be a good thing. Mind you there is a spirit involved but it sure as HELL ain’t Holy.
These Catholics are the ones who would rather destroy the Church than leave for one that already teaches what they believe.
Definition of an optimist: Can!, Can!, Can!, Can!
Definition of a pessimist: Can't!, Can't!, Can't!, Can't!
Definition of an obstrustructionist: Won't!, Won't!
, Won't!, Won't!
It seems to me that Wichita, Kansas, has been blessed by a very optimistic bishop.
By the way, my tag-line reads: “Good ideas win! Why? Because people are NOT stupid”. Free Catholic tuition is a **GOOD** idea!
Is he going to reopen our school?
Are you going to live her and be one of the teachers?
Are you going to pay for the curriculum?
Don't offer platitudes, that is what liberals do?
Seriously. Let me/ us know exactly what the Bishop says after you contact him.
Such sage words! You are so right. On the day of their judgement, when they are groveling before the Lord, they will beg for mercy. Now is the time for them to show it.
Wichita Catholics are optimists.
I will e-mail him an article.
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