An Appeal to Our Fellow Catholics (More National Review Trump bashing)

National Review ^ | March 7, 2016 | Robert P. George and George Weigel

[C19fan]

In recent decades, the Republican party has been a vehicle — imperfect, like all human institutions, but serviceable — for promoting causes at the center of Catholic social concern in the United States: (1) providing legal protection for unborn children, the physically disabled and cognitively handicapped, the frail elderly, and other victims of what Saint John Paul II branded “the culture of death”; (2) defending religious freedom in the face of unprecedented assaults by officials at every level of government who have made themselves the enemies of conscience; (3) rebuilding our marriage culture, based on a sound understanding of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife; and (4) re-establishing constitutional and limited government, according to the core Catholic social-ethical principle of subsidiarity. There have been frustrations along the way, to be sure; no political party perfectly embodies Catholic social doctrine. But there have also been successes, and at the beginning of the current presidential electoral cycle, it seemed possible that further progress in defending and advancing these noble causes was possible through the instrument of the Republican party.

[C19fan]

We understand that many good people, including Catholics, have been attracted to the Trump campaign because the candidate speaks to issues of legitimate and genuine concern: wage stagnation, grossly incompetent governance, profligate governmental spending, the breakdown of immigration law, inept foreign policy, stifling “political correctness” — for starters. There are indeed many reasons to be concerned about the future of our country, and to be angry at political leaders and other elites. We urge our fellow Catholics and all our fellow citizens to consider, however, that there are candidates for the Republican nomination who are far more likely than Mr. Trump to address these concerns, and who do not exhibit his vulgarity, oafishness, shocking ignorance, and — we do not hesitate to use the word — demagoguery.

Who would that be? The only reason these issues are being brought up is because of Trump.

[pgkdan]

If the Catholic hierarchy is against him my support for Trump is confirmed.

[donna]

In recent decades, the Republican party has been a vehicle — imperfect, like all human institutions, but serviceable — for promoting causes at the center of Catholic social concern in the United States<;p>

What does 'promoting causes' mean?

It means fund raising. We all get rich in DC attending parties that raise money for the next party. Then, we tell those strange Christians in flyover country how moral and charitable we all are so we get reelected.

[BlackAdderess]

Something about this reminds me of the Rove approach to Protestants, which seems to mercifully have stopped working. Talk is cheap, y’know?!

[altura]

That’s a really pathetic reason to be for someone.

I think Catholics, who are genuinely concerned about abortion, realize that Trump is not dependable on this issue.

He praised PP and said he would support it ...if they would stop doing abortions. Hello, Donald, they would not exist without abortions.

[irishjuggler]

If the Catholic hierarchy is against him my support for Trump is confirmed.

This letter isn't from the hierarchy. It's from prominent Catholic conservatives who don't take political marching orders from the hierarchy.

[pgkdan]

That’s a really pathetic reason to be for someone.

You need to work on your reading comprehension skills. I did not say that was why I was for Trump. I said their opposition 'confirmed' my support for Trump. Got that?

[pgkdan]

This letter isn't from the hierarchy. It's from prominent Catholic conservatives who don't take political marching orders from the hierarchy.

So you say. In that case I'll amend my comment to read hierarchy and what passes for Catholic intelligentsia.

[Nifster]

What a joke the Roman church has voted democrat consistently for generations

[campaignPete R-CT]

this is a bit offensive.

I would never sign on to it, even though I am Cruz ‘16.
The organizations are non-profit and most are salaried people ... using their affiliations for campaign purposes.

“Titles and affiliations of each individual are provided for identification purposes only.” Yeah, right. An abuse of their affiliations.

So Notre Dame and Georgetown are campaigning against Trump. Drop_Dead.edu

[Mrs. Don-o]

This isn't the Catholic hierarchy. These are Catholic laypeople who operate in an honorable away to promote sanctity of life, faith and family --- sometimes with, sometimes without, and sometimes despite the hierarchy.

But you knew that.

[TheStickman]

As a thankful Catholic these writers do not speak for me.

Go Trump!

[Gerish]

I believe many Catholics are attracted to the Trump campaign because Trump has a spine, something that has been lacking by many Catholic bishops for a very long time. These same Bishops have failed to openly disavow Catholic politicians who proudly defy from Catholic teaching (Pelosi, Cuomo, Biden).

[sockmonkey]

***This letter isn’t from the hierarchy. It’s from prominent Catholic conservatives who don’t take political marching orders from the hierarchy.***

I saw Michael Voris on Church Militant. He’s not Anti-Trump. Isn’t Voris a conservative Catholic?

[Chainmail]

Dear National Review: pound sand.

Dear Church: love you and I’ll be there at Mass but don’t ask me for any more money for “migrants”. We need you to take on the evils the current government is forcing on our country, so get started.

Go Trump!

[Arthur McGowan]

Sad to see Weigel and George spreading this year’s BIG LIE: That Trump is a fascist who will abolish the Constitution.

There’s nothing in Trump’s history that suggests that this is true.

[Flintlock]

They wanna kiss up to all the Muslims, too......
....Lotsa luck with that, guys.

[mlizzy]

Excellent article! I spend every weekday praying with Roman Catholics at Mass and the adoration chapel, that we elect a godly man to the White House.

Unless he repents, Trump is not that man:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3405806/posts

[irishjuggler]

Isn’t Voris a conservative Catholic?

Yes, so is Trump-supporter Pat Buchanan. But where did the authors/signers of the piece ever claim that they constitute an exhaustive list of conservative Catholics? They speak for themselves. And that's fine.

[VitacoreVision]

Yes. I’m Catholic. Yes. I’m still voting Donald Trump.