Kerry raps Pope: Senator fuming over gay marriage order

Boston Herald | Saturday, August 2, 2003 | By David R. Guarino

[ninonitti]

Bluntly telling the Vatican to stay out of American politics, U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry yesterday said Pope John Paul II ``crossed the line'' by instructing pols to block legalization of gay marriage.

A fuming Kerry, taking on his own Catholic Church in the midst of a campaign for president, said Rome should have more respect for America's long-held separation of church and state.

``It is important not to have the church instructing politicians. That is an inappropriate crossing of the line in this country,'' Kerry said. ``President Kennedy drew that line very clearly in 1960 and I believe we need to stand up for that line today.''

The Democrat said political concerns are secondary to his moral outrage over Thursday's Vatican statement on gay marriage.

``Our founding fathers separated church and state in America. It is an important separation,'' he said. ``It is part of what makes America different and special, and we need to honor that as we go forward and I'm going to fight to do that.''

Catholics were stunned at the broadside from Kerry, saying he's sure to draw the ire of some 65 million voting Catholics.

``What one often calls separation of church and state guarantees the religion the right to express its convictions,'' said Monsignor Francis Maniscalco of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. ``To object to religious people's deep moral convictions . . . would also create a problem because it would also (fail to) recognize something the First Amendment guarantees.''

Former Vatican Ambassador Raymond Flynn said Kerry was just wrong. ``I don't see it as crossing any line at all,'' Flynn said. ``Too many Catholic politicians want to have it both ways, they want the Catholic vote but then they go ahead and ignore Catholic teaching.''

The Vatican injected itself into the simmering gay marriage debate Thursday, firing off a letter issuing instructions to Catholic politicians to oppose any legalization efforts.

``The Catholic lawmaker has a moral duty to express his opposition (to gay marriage laws) clearly and publicly and to vote against it,'' the directive read. ``To vote in favor of a law so harmful to the common good is gravely immoral.''

The statement followed by a day strong comments from President Bush denouncing gay marriage proposals.

Kerry, who supports civil unions but opposes the legalization of same-sex marriage, took pains to say, ``I believe in the church'' and ``care about it enormously'' but said church leaders went too far.

Alone among Democrats in criticizing the church, Kerry said he didn't weigh the political impact of his statement.

``This isn't a matter of political calculation, it's simply a matter of strong personal beliefs,'' Kerry said.

The Democratic senator also railed against Republicans who this week said Democratic efforts to block the judicial nomination of Alabama Attorney General William H. Pryor were anti-Catholic. One group, the Ave Maria List, ran print ads equating Democrats' opposition to Pryor as saying ``Catholics need not apply'' to the federal judiciary.

``That couldn't be further from the truth. This judge is not a good judge,'' Kerry said. ``He should not be appointed to the court, and many of us who are Catholic voted against him without regard to Catholicism.''

Kerry also continued his criticism of Bush's ``faith-based'' programs, saying he would end government funding to any religious group.

The White House and Kerry's opponents declined comment.

But the Republican National Committee blamed the sudden attack on the growing popularity of Kerry opponent, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.

``It seems like a very odd political strategy to attack the Catholic Church but Howard Dean is forcing Sen. Kerry to take a number of odd positions on a number of odd issues,'' said RNC spokeswoman Christine Iverson.

[doug from upland]

I guess the Pope isn't one of the foreign leaders who he telling Kerry he has to beat that guy.

Pontiff, excommunicate this slimeball!

[highlander_UW]

"Bluntly telling the Vatican to stay out of American politics..."

What a hypocrite! Isn't this the same guy that was telling of secret discussions he's had where foreign leaders want him to be president? Did he tell them to stay out of US politics at that time?

[ChadGore]

[Barnacle]

Ketchupboy is not really a Catholic. He just plays make believe in allegedly Catholic Massachusetts...

And, there’s a wee bit of Irish in everyone…
everyone but John Kerry that is.

[Qwinn]

Wow. This is pretty huge. Kerry just lost the election.

No, seriously.

Everyone talks about how 40% of the population is broken-glass Democrat, and 40% are broken-glass Republicans, and it's the middle 20% that decide the elections.

Ya know who they are? No, they're not just stupid as Coulter puts it (the one thing I've ever disagreed with her on). She doesn't even realize who they are. They're Catholics. In general (and we're not talking about CINO's here), they're liberal on economic issues and conservatives on social issues. It's not that they don't know what they believe in, it's that each party stands for half their platform.

There are now a hell of a lot of Catholics who won't even -think- of voting for Kerry. He just lost a big part of that middle 20%. He's history. Woohoo!

Qwinn

[NRA2BFree]

I just love it when RATS shoot themselves in the foot. I am over joyed. LOL! THIS cannot help him. ;-)

[Lancey Howard]

Where do you begin with this sick, lying scumbag John Kerry? "Our founding fathers separated church and state in America"??? I thought it was the liberal Burger Court of the '60s that did that?

[Chi-townChief]

bttt

[Barnacle]

I only wish I was an usher at Kerry's parish so that the nest time he showed up for a photo-op, I could show him the door and kick his ass!

[Desdemona]

If Kerry doesn't watch it, claiming Catholicism is no longer going to be a reality for him. Not that it is anyway.

[Sofa King]

"A fuming Kerry, taking on his own Catholic Church in the midst of a campaign for president, said Rome should have more respect for America's long-held separation of church and state."

How about you have some more respect for our long-held institution of marriage, ketchup boy.

[Vision]

A fuming Kerry, taking on his own Catholic Church in the midst of a campaign for president, said Rome should have more respect for America's long-held separation of church and state.

You mean the "seperation" you lib's created on the bench 40 years ago...

[OMalley]

Responding to the ping...

Why is kerry saying that the Pope is engaging in politics, homsexuality is a spiritual matter, its not like he is advising Catholics on the economy.

Has there been much on the news about this? In class many Catholics were trying hard to justify voting for kerry. stating that he was "personally opposed" to gay marriage and abortion therefore it was okay. that he was just doing the will of the ppl, which is what a politician should do. our priest, usually very liberal stated that thought is schizephrenic (sp?) you cannot divide yourself like that.

i wonder how much this will effect Catholics? and isnt this like saying that he, john kerry, is above the Pope or am i reading it wrong?

I agree he should be excommunicated, but not until after th election. to do so now would only feed into kerrys "victim status" and also possibly make him a martyr to some Catholics and the godless left.

now if the Vatican would come out and say the same thing about the prochoice/death camp, it would make my day:) kerry would show all his true colors!

Blessings,
omalley