[Young Rhino]

Kerry is free to believe whatever he wishes. On the other hand, the Church is free to excommunicate him because of those beliefs. Kerry is intentionally being a putz by pretending separation of church and state is relevant to this issue.

[Qwinn]

"Said Kerry, "I don't tell church officials what to do, and church officials shouldn't tell American politicians what to do in the context of our public life."

He's not telling you you can't vote for abortion, Kerry. He's telling you that if you do, you can't go to a Catholic Church and demand Communion, and they will make sure that everyone knows that when you claim to be a Catholic, that the Church's position is that you are -not-. They have the right to do that. You do not get to dictate who is and who isn't Catholic. If you could, well, you'd be the Pope.

Qwinn

[KangarooJacqui]

Vatican Worries About Kerry

Ah, for once the Pope and I see eye-to-eye on something.

[zbigreddogz]

Any chance that he's gonna get excommunicated?

I don't actually think that would be good from a religious standpoint, I believe it's more important to be inclusive and let God sort out the rest, but it would be great from an election point of view.

[APFel]

Interesting. He claims to be a Catholic but doesn't follow the Church's teachings, principles, or ethical code. When questioned, he claims that there is a seperation of church and state. An excommunication would be hysterical.

APf

[AdmSmith]

Is this good or bad?
Since the Vatican not exactly has the highest ethical standards (treatment of priests involved with boys)I am not sure if this will increase or reduce the support of Kerry.

Any PR consultant around that can comment?

[kitkat]

"We have a separation of church and state in this country." WHAT does that have to do with the issue at hand???? The issue is that Kerry is either a Catholic or he isn't. And obviously, he isn't.

And Kennedy was actually saying that he wouldn't let the Church rule this country. If abortion had been an issue at that time, Kennedy would have had to make a statement as to his beliefs. Lucky for him it was not an issue.

[Northern Yankee]

Kerry's arrogance is mind-boggling!

"I don't tell church officials what to do, and church officials shouldn't tell American politicians what to do in the context of our public life."

Oh really... I guess John then it means you don't have to suscribe to the doctrine of the church, or the teachings of Christ, or the Ten Commandments. It crimps your style, John?

What an absolute smug attitude.

No wonder you're so lost.

Tell me John, just when did you decide to sell your soul?

Satan must be howling with delight!

[NYer]

Last year, for example the Vatican issued 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."

Faith in Jesus Christ, who is «the way, the truth, and the life»(Jn 14:6), calls Christians to exert a greater effort in building a culture which, inspired by the Gospel, will reclaim the values and contents of the Catholic Tradition. 
The Participation of Catholics in Political Life

In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is a moral obligation.

Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[LadyDoc]

Being banned from receiving the Eucharist is excommunication.

Actually, it's not.

Being banned from communion means that you are in a state of mortal sin. Indeed, since Kerry's first marriage has not been annulled, he shouldn't be receiving communion, since he is living in sin...there is a line from Paul that says you shouldn't receive the bread and wine "unworthily"...

For all that is written about JFK, I remember back then he never went to communion, although he usually went to church...so when I heard about his girlfriends, I figured that was the reason why...Kerry doesn't have that problem. He obviously doesn't think receiving the bread and wine is receiving the body and blood of Christ...imagine meeting Christ and saying: Yes, I am your follower, but I will help people murder babies if they chose to do so....

[xsmommy]

ping.

[Desdemona]

I hate to see this happen, but somebody, either O'Malley or the Vatican, is going to have to publicly excommunicate Kerry. We haven't had a good public bull in a long time.

I don't particularly care about the annulment thing. I know enough people who's marriages were annulled or annulments rejected to know that they are granted for reasons that most people would not consider, i.e., one partner is unfit for it, there was never any intention on one side or another to remain married or faithful, refusal of children, etc. The grounds have never been exposed. They rarely are.

What bothers me is the posturing and using the label "Catholic" for political purposes. We are not to do that. We are to live our lives by a code stemming from he faith and at this point Kerry has demonstrated publicly that he has not and will not do that. I hope that O'Malley publicly rebukes him for that.

[uncbob]

Well if they had done something about Teddy or the rest of the hypocritical Kennedy clan back when they may have some credibility

But they have been silent too long

[TrueBeliever9]

"...a picture of Kerry going up to the Communion rail and being denied, and you've got a story that'll last for weeks," Father Thomas Reese, editor of the Jesuit magazine America, told Time."

From his mouth to God's ears!

[1903A3]

Well Al Querry just kissed some catholic votes good bye

[reed_inthe_wind]

The Vatican is a witness to the withering of faith in Europe while socialist politicians and their public schools rose in triumph. Now shall the Vatican stand by while the same pukes repeat their sins in the United States where 60 million Catholics reside. The Vatican has everything to gain by denouncing Kerry.

[Savage Beast]

I hate to have to tell the folks at the Vatican, but Kerry's support for abortion and gay marriage is not the biggest concern they should have about him.

[eastsider]

As early as 1975, the bishops described the right to life as "among basic human rights."

Among? Considering that life is the sine qua non of all other rights, I'm surprised the bishops didn't call the right to life the basic human right.

[douglas1]

I would have to ask if kerry is allowed to recieve the host then why cant I, why cant a lot of people who have married outside the church recieve the host, I could never go to the alter and accept the body of CHRIST ,where does kerry get off doing this ,once I married outside the church I was no longer a CATHOLIC ,I tried to rectify the problem and it did not work out ,so maybe the church is worried thata lot of people out there like myself will follow kerrys lead ,I cannot believe that anyone would knowingly try to decieve CHRIST.

[Ciexyz]

Kerry gets upset when his staff doesn't leave time in his schedule for him to go to mass? Yeah, right. Excuse me while I go puke. He came to mass a week ago ten minutes late and wearing a ski suit.