Vatican Official Tells TIME: 'There's a Problem With John Kerry...'

Time.com ^ | 4-5-04 | KAREN TUMULTY AND PERRY BACON JR.

[truthandlife]

The last time a major political party put forward a Roman Catholic candidate for President, he had to confront bigotry and suspicion that he would be taking orders from Rome. Forty-four years later, the Democrats are poised to nominate another Catholic—another Senator from Massachusetts whose initials happen to be J.F.K.—and this time, the controversy over his religion may develop within the Catholic Church itself. Kerry's positions on some hot-button issues aren't sitting well with members of the church elite. Just listen to a Vatican official, who is an American: "People in Rome are becoming more and more aware that there's a problem with John Kerry, and a potential scandal with his apparent profession of his Catholic faith and some of his stances, particularly abortion."

But it's far from clear whether the greater political problem is Kerry's or the church's. "I don't think it complicates things at all," Kerry told TIME in an interview aboard his campaign plane on Saturday, the first in which he has discussed his faith extensively. "We have a separation of church and state in this country. As John Kennedy said very clearly, I will be a President who happens to be Catholic, not a Catholic President." Still, when Kennedy ran for President in 1960, a candidate could go through an entire campaign without ever having to declare his position on abortion—much less stem cells, cloning or gay marriage. It was before Roe v. Wade, bioethics, school vouchers, gay rights and a host of other social issues became the ideological fault lines that divide the two political parties and also divide some Catholics from their church....

If anything, the church is getting tougher. The Vatican issued last year a "doctrinal note" warning Catholic lawmakers that they have a "grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that attacks human life. For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them." When Kerry campaigned in Missouri in February, St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke publicly warned him "not to present himself for Communion"—an ostracism that Canon Law 915 reserves for "those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin." Kerry was scheduled to be in St. Louis last Sunday, and told TIME, "I certainly intend to take Communion and continue to go to Mass as a Catholic."

But, inevitably, his religion and his politics will clash. Already, one employee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington says he has lost his job as a result of his political activities on Kerry's behalf.

[Jim Noble]

John Kerry is NOT Catholic. He can lie about it, of course, but he is NOT Catholic.

Because the Catholic Church is hierarchical in nature, and because it asserts the power to teach, and to form the consciences of the faithful, you DO understand that when John Kerry receives holy communion out of the hands of priests, bishops, and archbishops of said church, that it MAY tend to create the impression among the ill-informed that he IS, IN FACT, a Catholic?

Don't you?

[KC Burke]

He is Catholic for political purposes only. That is true of most high-level elected Dem Catholics.

People attending church for social reasons alone goes back a few centuries, political affiliation aside. Enlightenment sentiment substitution for Christian virtue has just made it more spiritual for the socialists.

I think that the same forum that would have a majority of posters opposing ecclesiastical authority in almost any other context, is probably on shaky ground in its demands for denominational sanctions that they wouldn't expect elsewhere.

Instead, this issue is just one of many involving a general lack of character in the candidate. Beyond the lack of character, his positions on every national issue make him a candidate unworthy of anyone's support.

[Pontiac]

St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke publicly warned him "not to present himself for Communion"—an ostracism that Canon Law 915 reserves for "those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin." Kerry was scheduled to be in St. Louis last Sunday, and told TIME, "I certainly intend to take Communion and continue to go to Mass as a Catholic."

A rare bit of courage from a Catholic Arch Bishop and a typical display of hypocrisy from Kerry.

[Jalapeno]

ping

[Libertina]

"I certainly intend to take Communion and continue to go to Mass as a Catholic."
YOU can do anything you choose Mr. Kerry, but the real question is, what does Jesus think about what you do?

[ardara]

The prolem in Massachusetts goes deeper than Kerry.The Catholic Church there is a scandal.The people think the Democratic Party is their Church.

[ardara]

The prolem in Massachusetts goes deeper than Kerry.The Catholic Church there is a scandal.The people think the Democratic Party is their Church.

[GraceCoolidge]

I too was very impressed with the St. Louis Archibishop and his statement. I wish that more Catholic leaders would follow suit. As for this, "separation of church and state" argument... just as the Catholic church cannot tell the state authorities what to do, the state authorities (such as Senators Kerry, Kennedy, etc.) do not have the authority to suspend church teachings for their own benefit or what they perceive to be the benefit of their constituents or their campaigns. Senator Kerry is free to believe whatever he wants... but he cannot proclaim himself a Catholic in good standing. This "photo op Catholicism" turns my stomach... and I am angry not only at the Kerrys and Kennedys of the world, but at the Catholic church officials who do not take a stand. I wish we had more like Archbishop Raymond Burke.

[sockmonkey]

Kerry's positions on some hot-button issues aren't sitting well with members of the church elite.

I'm certainly not a member of the Church's elite, but most of what he does and says doesn't sit well with me, either. In fact just the sight of this guy makes me want to puke.

[Cobra64]

I thought Kerry was of Jewish extraction.

[arasina]

Tom Daschle too.

[Pontiac]

This "photo op Catholicism" turns my stomach…I wish we had more like Archbishop Raymond Burke.

My sentiments exactly. Amazingly moral relativism seems to have taken root in the Catholic hierarchy.

I expect hypocrisy from Dimocrat office seekers, but I expect religious leaders to hold those who profess the faith to the standards of that faith.

It is one thing to hold the confidentiality of the confessional, but when a elected official publicly flouts the teachings of the Church he must be rebuked.

[Pontiac]

Bishop O'Malley should have excommunicated Kerry and Kennedy as soon as he became bishop.

I agree. This hate the sin love the sinner philosophy can only go so far. Eventually you have to conclude that sinner is beyond redemption and is a danger to the congregation. Then you must sever the infection from the body of the Church.

It is then up to the sinner to repent and seek reunion with the Church.

[battousai]

The arrogance of Time is appalling

...aren't sitting well with members of the church elite.

So whats that make us lay Cathloics? the serfs, well this lowly Catholic peasant isn't too happy about John "F" Kerry either

and also divide some Catholics from their church....

If you don't like the rules go form your own club, buh bye and good riddance.

[Enterprise]

"I'd bet that if Kennedy and Kerry were told by the church to vote pro-life or be excommunicated, both of them would change their religion before they'd change their votes."

They crave power, not God.

[meatloaf]

I noticed in the Time article, it mentioned he had sought an annulment of his first marriage. Has anyone found out if he did?

[MissAmericanPie]

This is why the church has failed in every denomination, overt, unrepentant sinners were to be asked to leave. Being a Christian is suppose to mean something, an unbending stance on principles and honor. Liberals call it being rigid and intolerant, a foundation stone better be rigid and intolerant, and Christianity was to be the foundation of American society.

Christian membership was to be limited to those who adhere to pleasing God first, to those who, no matter how many times they might fail, would be ever dedicated to upholding it's principles without attempting to ignore, change, or deny those principles.

Now we have some Chruches allowing those who commit what God has called abomination, to flaunt their sin in God's face and call Him a liar by denying their sin is sin. Now we have some Chruches claiming that God winks at murder, adultry, fornication, lying, theft, in it's membership.

It's good to see the Catholic Church step up to the plate.

[Delphinium]

The Idaho news showed him going to the Catholic church in Sun Valley. I wish each time he got publicity from this the church would speak up.

[speedy]

I agree with what you say. I do think, though, that "social" churchgoing politicians of 50 or 100 or 200 years ago did at least pay lip service to the core values of the churches they were idling away in. I'm not sure Kerry (or Clinton, for that matter) is doing that. Certainly on the matter of abortion he makes no effort to even muddle the issue; he does try the old "personally opposed but not willing to outlaw it" dodge on homosexual marriage. You are absolutely right, it all highlights his general lack of character. But if he had character, he would never be the Democratic nominee for President. A Catch-22 for all ambitious Dems.

[upchuck]

John F'ing sKerry is about as much a Catholic as X42/rapist/perjurer is a Baptist.

Arrogant SOBs, both of them.

And them ain't sandals.