Catholic Church 'will refuse Kerry communion' -

The Telegraph - UK ^ | April 4, 2004 | Julian Coman

[martin_fierro]

Kerry can go to the Episcopalians.

They're up for just about anything.

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[RKB-AFG]

WOW! What a story!

[anniegetyourgun]

However, a senior Democrat official not affiliated to the Kerry campaign discounted the "martyr option". "Frankly, going out and picking a fight with the Holy See in election year would be one of the silliest things any presidential candidate could do," he said

Well....Kerry is the king of silly. I'd count on it.

[MegaSilver]

Aides are gambling that Mr Kerry's pro-choice stance is quietly supported by many lay Catholics.

You cannot be Catholic and pro-choice.

The Church teaches that the fetus is a human from conception. If you believe this, then you believe that the unwarranted taking of the fetus' life by anyone but God is MURDER.

Therefore, if you believe the Catholic Church's teaching on abortion, either you believe that abortion should be illegal, or you believe that murder should be legal.

[livius]

That headline got my hopes up...

[anniegetyourgun]

Ah, but Mr. Kerry believes in separation of church and politics, remember? He doesn't let his faith inform his decision-making as a pol. Or maybe he actually does.....

[TrueBeliever9]

"Rome may not be thrilled with the Senator's position on some social issues [pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage]," said an adviser, "but the Pope doesn't have a vote in this election."

Let us sit and observe if the Pope has any influence over those who profess to be Catholic and pray that he does!

[Esther Ruth]

I almost fell out of my chair!! Praise the Lord!!!

[Cicero]

As statistics published in Crisis Magazine a few years ago clearly prove, more and more Catholics have been moving into the Republican camp every year.

In the old days, most American Catholics were ethnics: Irish, Italian, Polish, etc., and most of them were working class. They had long been discriminated against by the WASP ruling class, they formed the majority of most labor unions, and they had a strong interest in voting Democrat.

But the Democrat party changed. Catholics are now divided roughly 50-50 between the parties. But Crisis also found that the great majority of committed, church-going Catholics are now inclined to vote Republican. The Democrat party, once the party of the worker and the underdog, is now chiefly the party of abortion and perversion.

The Democrat party, in other words, mainly has the lukewarm cafeteria Catholics, and the Republican party has mostly the committed Church-going Catholics. That bodes well for the future, because lukewarm Catholics will gradually fall away from the Church, or else change and repent. Lukewarm pro-abort Catholics are less likely to have children. The future is therefore with the pro-life contingent.

[freeangel]

If kerry thinks the church should not interfere with politics, then perhaps kerry has no right to interfere with decisions by the church. He has obiously made the personal decision not to be a Catholic and should not try and bully the Pope. What an arrogant sob!

[conservativehistorian]

I doubt that Kerry will pick a fight with the Catholic Church, since he has little to gain if he does. Presently the Catholic vote is split between practicing Catholics (those who attend Mass on a regular basis)and holiday Catholics who may attend Church only on Easter and Christmas, or never. The former vote mainly Republican, and the latter mainly Democrat. A row with the bishops may enlighten that minority of traditional Catholics who continue to reflexively vote Democrat. Kerry would risk the loss of a few of these by tanglng with the bishops.

[OpusatFR]

"A team of advisers has been installed at Mr Kerry's campaign headquarters to formulate a "Catholic response" to the Vatican's concerns."

There is no spin possible for Kerry's advisors. One either remains faithful to the teachings of the Magisterium, or one is not faithful.

People have views of Catholicism that are pretty ugly. But, one thing remains. The basic dogma of the Church does not change. No spin doctor in the world can put a positive light on Kerry's votes on infanticide, abortion, fetal cell research, or his backing on homosexual unions that have all the governmental recognition of marriage.

[An Old Man]

"Rome may not be thrilled with the Senator's position on some social issues," said an adviser, "but the Pope doesn't have a vote in this election."

The Pope does not have a vote because he is not a citizen of our country, but I am! His advisor can tell John Kerry for me, that I have every intention of casting my vote for George Bush.

Semper Fi

[Mears]

As a former Catholic,who cares what the Church thinks.

The Catholic Church here in Boston has fawned all over the Kennedys since the fifties and we all know the Kennedy track record.

[livius]

formulate a "Catholic response" to the Vatican's concerns.

So doctrine and morality are now just "concerns"?

I agree, there's no spin doctor in the universe who could make Kerry's votes look even remotely acceptable in the light of traditional Catholic doctrine and even current teaching.

I think the gator just emerged from the swamp and grabbed JFnK by the throat. And all the while he thought he was out there feeding it breadcrumbs.

[codyjacksmom]

Excellent read. Way to go Pope!!! I'm sure a lot more catholics will follow the Pope then they will Kerry. He is really dense if he thinks otherwise. (Wait! Never mind...look who I'm talking about!)

[CharlotteVRWC]

Something I came across once was along the lines of
"you cannot really believe in God, if you believe abortion is okay"

[Mark]

First AlGore, now Kerry-- they both "flunked God".