Pro-Life Group Raps 'Deadly Dozen' Catholic Politicians

Catholic World News ^ | 1/22/03

[marshmallow]

WASHINGTON, Jan 22, 03 (CWNews.com) -- Democratic Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, a presidential hopeful for 2004, leads a list of a "Deadly Dozen" Catholic politicians attacked today by the American Life League.

The American Life League (ALL), an activist group with 375,000 members, marked the 30th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision by opening a media campaign against prominent Catholics who reject Church teachings regarding the sanctity of human life.

Judie Brown, the president of ALL, accused Kerry of "flagrant disregard for and disrespectful attitude towards the sacred teachings of his own Church." She said that Kerry and his Massachusetts colleague, Senator Ted Kennedy-- another member of the "Deadly Dozen"-- were following a "deadly precedent" set by President John F. Kennedy "by failing to apply the moral teachings of the Church to his decision-making process while in public office. " The "Deadly Dozen" media campaign, ALL explained, was designed to put pressure on Catholic politicians, and to encourage their bishops to take disciplinary action against them. The campaign, Brown said, would push the Catholic politicians to "either recant their openly pro-abortion stance or cease claiming to be Catholic."

Along with Kerry and Kennedy, the "Deadly Dozen" included 10 other Democratic Senators: Tom Harkin of Iowa, Tom Daschle of South Dakota, Patty Murray of Washington, Barbara Mikulski and Joseph Biden of Maryland, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, Susan Collins of Maine, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, and Patrick Leahy of Vermont.

The ALL newspaper ads featuring the "Deadly Dozen" include the names and addresses of their diocesan bishops. ALL encourages Catholics to write the bishops, as well as the lawmakers, to press for a change in their positions.

[marshmallow]

A pox on the lot of them.

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[Mr. Thorne]

I fail to appreciate the desire of some to associate with a cause (in this case, the Church) in which they do not believe.

If you truly believe Catholic Doctrine, abortion is murder. By supporting abortion, you encourage it. By encouraging it, you are risking your immortal soul. If your soul is less important to you than temporal power, then you are not truly a Catholic Christian, and ought to find some other faith which suits you better.

[chiefqc]

Gee, Why don't you come right and say how you really feel.

Still, I agree with you 110%, and glad you said it.

[OldFriend]

Eleven dems and one lowly shameful Republican woman.

[KeyBored]

The words of Christ may be applicable here:

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
Gospel of St. Mark, Chapter 8 verse 36

[HumanaeVitae]

I fail to appreciate the desire of some to associate with a cause (in this case, the Church) in which they do not believe.

If you truly believe Catholic Doctrine, abortion is murder. By supporting abortion, you encourage it. By encouraging it, you are risking your immortal soul. If your soul is less important to you than temporal power, then you are not truly a Catholic Christian, and ought to find some other faith which suits you better.

Bingo. Right to the point.

[Desdemona]

All together now:

EXCOMMUNICATE THEM! EXCOMMUNICATE THEM!

These guys need serious censure from the pulpit. At the very least, no Eucharist until they repent.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

The sad thing is, they probably do not care. They probably rarely go to Mass, etc. So excommunication, the public act by the Prelate means nothing to them. It has been said well, they have chosen earthly power to heavenly reward. It is sad, to watch the fall of Man, but that same fall is in each of us. It is a conscious choice to rebel against our redeemer for earthly things or to submit ourselves in the knowledge of something higher. I say excommunicate them, only make official the apostasy that they represent. I pray they return to Christ, but that is not likely (I am not a betting person, but if I were, I wouldn't bet on their return). It is all in His hands. God Bless

Vocatus Atque Non Vocatus Deus Aderit

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

P.S. Thanks for the Archbishop, he is great, a big improvement over Weakland.

[Mr. Thorne]

The pro death crowd has me on the prod. I've been watching their smarmy faces on the news (it's Fox, so at least there's usually a pro-lifer to even it out, but still).

Ed Harris, who states that being a real man means being pro abortion.

The 'attorney' for Norma McCorvey (Roe in Roe v. Wade), fat and well clothed and happy from a studio, while 'Roe', who faced the moral consequences of her action, looks haggard and dejected.

On that note, read up on the stories of Roe v Wade and Doe v Dalton; 'Roe' was counseled into an abortion, and used as a political stalking horse for a lawyer who wanted to advance a cause, and the lady in Doe, whose name I forget, has stated that she NEVER WANTED and abortion, NEVER GOT an abortion, and WOULD NOT GET an abortion. Yet a lawyer used her as a vehicle to get abortion ok'd any time, no matter what.

These people nauseate me. They pi$$ the wife off something fierce, too. She had no patience with Clinton when she was a Baptist, and now that she's joined the RC, she has a commeasurate lack of patience with the so-called catholic politicians who would sacrifice the lives of children for political power.

Whew. IMHO, of course.

[jwalsh07]

Her name was Bolton. Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton. Doe v Bolton is the case which made it possible to kill'em on the way out. Both cases were based on lies so what we have is new law made up of whole lies because there sure as hell isn't any right to abortion in the constitution.

[Desdemona]

The sad thing is, they probably do not care. They probably rarely go to Mass, etc.

People I know in Washington say that Ted Kennedy does go to Mass, along with MANY name reporters in DC. Tim Russert, Cokie Roberts, etc. I don't know about the others.

I'm not sure about not caring. There's never any teeth in the statements from Rome and no bishops will call them on it, so they have nothing to fear. Until they do, nothing is going to change.

You are welcome for Dolan. We do miss him.

[Psalm 73]

"If you truly believe Catholic Doctrine, abortion is murder."

Yes, but bewilderingly, Roman Catholics, as a group, tend to vote for pro-abort Democrats.
Now, I'm not saying ALL of them, but certainly a large percentage of them do, when it SHOULD be closer to zero percent.
No flaming, please, as I do not have the demographics at hand - but you know what I'm talking about.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

That is true, they are never any teeth it seems. But would it really make a difference. We heard what Mssrs. Kerry and Kennedy have said on the issue. I wish they truly did care. But I fear that they are many Catholics of the Cultural fold. My parents were Catholic, so were theirs, so I am. They have no affinity towards the Faith itself, not connection with the Savior (just a theory of course). Besides, if I am not mistaken, they are technically excommunicated already, by some previous Vatican Document, not sure exactly but it was some latin, latae sapientae excommunication (probably butchering it, and I know Latin, just do not remember what I am referring to). The excommunication by action without the Church having to do anything, goes for Catholics who perform abortions as well. I do not think they care. It is all a show for them. They were it on their sleeve, but not on their heart, pharisees. God Bless

[Mr. Thorne]

I agree with you and Desdemona; strictly for the public aspect. It is (it seems to me) like a cancer upon the Church, no less so than the priest sex scandals. By failing to condemn, we give the impression that we condone.

Take Kennedy, for example. He manages to get a Catholic mass for his wedding. Now, as I understand the priest's charge, he can refuse to give the Eucharist, but he has to KNOW the person receiving it is in a state of mortal sin. Thus, he must err on the side of caution. So Kennedy gets mass, communion, etc., because, CONCEIVABLY, he could be repentant.

A public excommunication would do much, it seems to me, to make a necessary point. I should think that, with all these people, we have already, as the Bible states, dealt with them one to one and with a single witness; it may be time to deal with them in public.

And, going back to what you and I have both already stated, why should they care if they are honest in their beliefs? The Catholic Church does not condone abortion. If they do, then they should leave the church.

[Desdemona]

Take Kennedy, for example. He manages to get a Catholic mass for his wedding. Now, as I understand the priest's charge, he can refuse to give the Eucharist, but he has to KNOW the person receiving it is in a state of mortal sin.

As I understand it, Teddy's first marriage was annuled. I'm not sure how, but with a hefty enough contribution, anything is posible.

[Desdemona]

But I fear that they are many Catholics of the Cultural fold. My parents were Catholic, so were theirs, so I am. They have no affinity towards the Faith itself, not connection with the Savior

There are many out there. A good number are my relatives. Part of the problem is that the Catholic culture disinigrated. Another BIG problem, with a lot of my older cousins, is that so many saw the immediate aftermath of Vatican II and the nuttiness and literally could not justify following what priests had to say. I've heard them actually say it. So, the faith was not passed on - especially if it interfered with earthly desire. They think I'm crazy.

[Mr. Thorne]

Which merely begs the point, if they are ignorant of what the Church teaches, or do not believe it, why are they here?

A quibble though; it was revealed in 2000 that, as you say, Catholics are split down the middle, just like the rest of the country. This should not be so, but you would be surprised at the number of catholics who can convince themselves that a stated concern for 'social justice' outweighs a demonstrated tendency to support abortion. (This is the Martin Sheen example, as well as the example of a local Ohio priest I knew, who stated that we ought to vote for Clinton, since he couldn't be as pro-abortion as his detractors said, and his policies would do far more to help the poor.)

But, to continue, when you shift the demographic a bit, and qualify the respondants by asking the number of times they've been to church in the last year, the percentages reflect the 60/40 split of Evangelical protestants. Which tends to tell me that the more you really believe in Christ, the less likely you are to vote democrat.

Go figure.

[ArrogantBustard]

Barbara Mikulski and Joseph Biden of Maryland,

Ummm... If they mean Senator Joseph Biden, I believe he's from Delaware. The State of Maryland has many sins for which to atone, but electing Joe Biden to the Senate isn't one of them.

Electing Babs Mikulski, OTOH... Ewww.

I'm not sure if she falls under Cardinal McCarrick's or Cardinal Keeler's, but one or t'other really should have something to say about her.