Church, State and Dinner (Barf!)

New York Times ^ | 5/10/04 | New York Times

[wagglebee]

Catholic leaders of the New York Archdiocese are considering whether Senator John Kerry should be barred from the Al Smith dinner, one of the city's grand political events, because Mr. Kerry, a Catholic, supports abortion rights and other views at odds with church teachings. This would be regrettable since the Al Smith dinner, at its best, exemplifies pluralism and tolerance. For more than 50 years, it has provided a venue for the main presidential contenders to make generous, witty speeches, not to be vetted and spurned for individual religious beliefs. Al Smith himself, the New York governor who was the first Catholic to run for president, epitomized this ideal.

The dinner set a precedent for rebuff in 1996 in choosing not to invite President Bill Clinton and his rival, Bob Dole, after Mr. Clinton vetoed a bill outlawing certain late-term abortions. The vice-presidential candidates were the honored guests instead, and the nation and its voters survived just as they will if Mr. Kerry is excluded. But without the presidential candidates, the event won't match up to its grand heritage, particularly the 1960 dinner featuring John Kennedy and Richard Nixon. That year, the dais seemed a beacon of brotherhood at the end of a rough campaign that finally delivered the country beyond anti-Catholic bias.

In his campaign speeches, Mr. Kennedy celebrated voters' "wide varieties of belief and disbelief." He envisioned an America where believers "at both the lay and pastoral level will refrain from those attitudes of disdain and division which have so often marred their works in the past." With what these days seems particular daring, he declared, "I believe in a president whose religious views are his own private affair."

[wagglebee]

Al Smith himself, the New York governor who was the first Catholic to run for president, epitomized this ideal.

Al Smith may have been a lot of things, but pro-abortion wasn't one of them. Besides, the Old Gray Whore hates the Catholic Church, I would think they would celebrate if Kerry wasn't invited.

[Cicero]

After he was nominated, Bob Dole disowned the Christian Coalition, who were chiefly responsible for his victory, and moved way to the left. I don't know why--it was truly stupid of him, and he paid the penalty. But I can understand why he and clinton were disinvited from the annual dinner.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

In his campaign speeches, Mr. Kennedy celebrated voters' "wide varieties of belief and disbelief." He envisioned an America where believers "at both the lay and pastoral level will refrain from those attitudes of disdain and division which have so often marred their works in the past." With what these days seems particular daring, he declared, "I believe in a president whose religious views are his own private affair."

A minor point - the Church's position on abortion isn't a "belief." It's a reasoned conclusion of natural law ethics and legal and medical philosophy shared by some non-Catholics as well, including the non-Christian Hippocratic Oath.

The question of Kerry's attendance of the Al Smith Dinner has something to do with how uncomfortable it will be for the other Catholics present to have to "honor" a slimeball creep like Kerry. In the case of Bill Clinton, they decided it was too much to stomach.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Life ping - JohnKerryWatch.

[Arthur McGowan]

If Kerry is invited, then the organizers should invite David Duke, and seat him right next to Kerry, just to make the point that NO political position is despicable enough to merit exclusion from the Al Smith Dinner.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Isn't it also the custom to invite other NY political figures which would seem to include Hellary?

[zebra 2]

The left keeps repeating the word "tolerance" with the implication that tolerance in itself is a virtue. It seems to me that "tolerate" is the opposite to "oppose". Is it therefore evil to oppose things?

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

With what these days seems particular daring, he declared, "I believe in a president whose religious views are his own private affair."

"I’m reminded of my old friend Phil Nicolaides’ quip about Ted Kennedy: 'His religion is so private, he won’t even impose it on himself.'" -- Joseph Sobran

[Arthur McGowan]

Dole collaborated with Clinton on the FACE Act, which crushed the rescue movement. Neither one of them belonged at the Al Smith Dinner.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

Good point.

[Polycarp IV]

Right on the money OP, thanks.

Catholic leaders of the New York Archdiocese are considering whether Senator John Kerry should be barred from the Al Smith dinner, one of the city's grand political events, because Mr. Kerry, a Catholic, supports abortion rights and other views at odds with church teachings...the Al Smith dinner...has provided a venue for the main presidential contenders to make generous, witty speeches, not to be vetted and spurned for individual religious beliefs.

What is there to consider?

__________________________________

"No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.'"

--St. Justin Martyr, 165 A.D.

[Coleus]

The Dinner may need Freeping.

[Coleus]

Good Question.

[Coleus]

Egan, Kerry: No love feast?

Cardinal Egan may not want John Kerry at Al Smith event.

Will Edward Cardinal Egan try to block Sen. John Kerry from the 59th Alfred E. Smith Dinner? The annual gathering, sponsored by the Archdiocese of New York, isn't until October, but organizers are already said to be worrying about whether Egan may take a hard-line against the Democratic candidate because he supports abortion rights.

Friday, the Vatican's Francis Cardinal Arinze said a Catholic politician who supports abortion rights "is not fit" to receive Holy Communion. Bishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis, for one, has said he would refuse Kerry Communion.

Last week, we hear, members of the Al Smith Foundation met to discuss what to do if Egan takes a similar position, or tries to bar Kerry from the dinner, named for New York Gov. Al Smith, who ran for President in 1928 against Herbert Hoover.

"They're concerned that Egan may do something to win favor with the Pope," says a source. "Some people were nervous that the Cardinal wouldn't recognize a Catholic who is pro-choice."

Archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said Egan was traveling in Europe but told us, "I haven't heard any discussion about John Kerry and the Al Smith dinner."

A message left with foundation member Alfred Smith 4th wasn't immediately returned.

While not quite a sacrament, the Smith dinner has become an important ritual for pols, who don white tie and tails in final weeks before the election. Candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore both attended it 2000.

[Coleus]

http://www.catholiccharitiesny.org/index.cfm

Looking at past articles on the web, I see that it's held in late October. I can't find anything on their web site.

[sauropod]

"...because Mr. Kerry, a Catholic, supports abortion rights and other views at odds with church teachings. This would be regrettable since the Al Smith dinner, at its best, exemplifies pluralism and tolerance."

And that is the problem, isn't it. The NYT has chosen the path of "pluralism and tolerance" instead of standing for what's right and against what's wrong.

Revelations talks about this. Churches and people that are "lukewarm" for God are worse than those that openly oppose Him. He'd rather that they be "hot or cold" because lukewarm water is to be spit out.

[Tax-chick]

What is the Archdiocese doing sponsoring hoity-toity political events, anyway? When Church people want to cuddle up to the rulers of this world, no good can result.

[Zack Nguyen]

With what these days seems particular daring, he declared, "I believe in a president whose religious views are his own private affair."

Translated: "We believe in a President who never let's his Christianity impact his job, unless of course his religion tells him to have more socialism."