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Kerry Wooing Catholics
The Hill ^ | May 6, 2004 | Alexander Bolton

Posted on 05/05/2004 5:38:52 PM PDT by ultima ratio

Kerry wooing Catholics Campaign has eye on bishops’ June meeting in Colo. By Alexander Bolton

In an effort to defend his political appeal among Catholics, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is to meet today with Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, who has strong ties to the Latino community.

The meeting follows another Kerry held last month with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, who is leading a bishops committee studying the possible sanctions against politicians who defend abortion rights.

Some Catholics say Mahony is one of most liberal of America’s 14 cardinals.

Kerry’s campaign has met with dozens of Catholic theologians, lay people and church leaders in recent weeks to familiarize them with what they say is Kerry’s strong faith. The campaign wants to learn how to defend Kerry against conservative attacks and appeal to Catholic voters better.

Kerry’s campaign added new staff last month to focus on constituent relations with religious leaders and members of the religious community. Their importance has been heightened by recent controversy over whether Kerry, a practicing Catholic with a strong pro-abortion-rights voting record in the Senate, should be allowed to receive Communion.

The Catholic Church regards abortion as a grave sin, and at least three American bishops, including Archbishop Sean O’Malley of Boston, have said politicians who defend abortion rights should not receive communion.

Kerry’s staff wants Catholics to know he has a strong record fighting for issues that the church has highlighted as important civic causes. But the staff is also acutely aware of a meeting of upwards of 250 American Catholic bishops and several cardinals scheduled for June in Colorado. The question of whether Kerry should take Communion is likely to be discussed, say sources familiar with Catholic affairs.

A former ambassador to the Vatican said whether a politician who supports abortion rights may receive communion is a top concern of the pope. The concern was likely mentioned to representatives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at a meeting last week. At next month’s bishops retreat, an advocate such as Mahony could be valuable for Kerry.

Catholic leaders, such as Father Robert Drinan, a Jesuit priest and former Democratic congressman from Massachusetts, who now teaches law at Georgetown University, say Kerry should sell the extensive parts of his legislative record that follow the teachings of the church.

“Kerry is a very good Catholic,” said Drinan, who said the candidate is strong on many important Catholic issues. Drinan, who has counseled Kerry’s campaign, said the senator fought for “refugees and immigrants, and he should make that known.”

Drinan said Kerry should talk “to groups in the church that sponsor social welfare programs. Lots of Catholic leaders and Catholic followers say that we believe in his priorities rather than Bush’s priorities.”

According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholics should work for the poor and vulnerable, work for the rights of workers, work for good stewardship of the earth, desire to avoid war and strive to achieve global solidarity.

Kerry has a strong record on those issues, his supporters say. In the Senate, he has consistently supported federal programs benefiting poor Americans, programs that many Republicans oppose for making the federal government bigger. Kerry has also consistently supported raising the minimum wage and siding with organized labor on worker-rights issues, often opposed by Republicans.

Ray Flynn, a Catholic activist who served as mayor of Boston from 1983 to 1993 and as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican from 1993 to 1997, said neither party is perfectly suited to Catholic teachings.

“We’re pro-life, pro-family, pro-poor and pro-human rights,” said Flynn, referring to American Catholics. “What party is that? Is it the Democratic Party? No. Is it the Republican Party?”

Flynn, who has known Pope John Paul II since 1969, said he “would be shocked” if the issue had not been discussed at a meeting that the pontiff held last week with representatives of the U.S. bishops’ conference.

Sister Joan Chittister, a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, said questions about Kerry’s Catholicism are “so far off the mark.”

“The question is what is the role of any politician in a pluralistic society, when it’s not a theocratic state, when you’re not the Taliban,” she said. “I can’t think of any time when a politician tried to introduce legislation to impose Catholic views on the country. You must make space for the consciences of all.”

Chittister said Kerry’s campaign called her yesterday morning and asked her for an unpublished op-ed she had written defending Catholic politicians who refrain from imposing their religious views on the electorate. Chittister said Kerry’s staff wanted to see her “argumentation.”


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abortion; catholiclist; catholicvote; communion; kerry; mahony
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1 posted on 05/05/2004 5:38:52 PM PDT by ultima ratio
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To: ultima ratio
Some Catholics say Mahony is one of most liberal of America’s 14 cardinals

Liberal is not a strong enough word to describe Mahony.

2 posted on 05/05/2004 5:41:43 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan
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To: ultima ratio
Wooing Catholics? How? By denying that he asked for an annulment after 15+ years of marriage in which children were born out of that marriage?

Or is it his Pro-Abortion stand?

3 posted on 05/05/2004 5:42:54 PM PDT by MJY1288 (John Kerry Was a Blue Ribbon Finalist in the 1st. Annual V.V.A.W. Medals Toss in Wash. D.C. 1971)
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To: ultima ratio
Just for the record, this Catholic is underwooed.
4 posted on 05/05/2004 5:45:49 PM PDT by mc5cents
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To: onyx; Romulus; BlackElk; Polycarp IV; fortunecookie; Unam Sanctam
Barf.
5 posted on 05/05/2004 5:47:55 PM PDT by Petronski (Hubris knows no editor.)
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To: MJY1288
He denies asking for his annulment? I hope you have documentation, I'd love to see it.
6 posted on 05/05/2004 5:48:40 PM PDT by Petronski (Hubris knows no editor.)
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To: ultima ratio
“Kerry is a very good Catholic,” said Drinan, who said the candidate is strong on many important Catholic issues. Drinan, who has counseled Kerry’s campaign, said the senator fought for “refugees and immigrants, and he should make that known.”

What in Gods name would the hateful, pro abortion Father Drinan know about "Catholic issues".

7 posted on 05/05/2004 5:48:57 PM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: ultima ratio
Catholics Against Kerry

For another viewpoint

8 posted on 05/05/2004 5:48:58 PM PDT by Land_of_Lincoln_John
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To: MJY1288
If he were serious at attracting Catholics, he at least would mention his Catholicism when he visits Louisiana. Instead, he concentrated on the major issue in the national campaign, Vietnam. The hydro-geological similarity between the Mekong Delta and the Bayou State, according to Kerry, make the ultra-liberal Senator uniquely qualified to capture the State's electoral votes.

If Kerry's Catholicism meant anything to the good people of Louisiana, he'd be leading in the state. He also speaks French in the most heavily French-speaking state. Too bad Louisiana is full of conservatives who see through his faux religion and constant hyping of his Vietnam service.

Louisianians prefer a candidate who fully and unequivocally supports both our troops and their mission--every hour of the day, every day of the week, every week of the month, and every month of the year. That wouldn't be Kerry. (Why doesn't he try to eat some Cajun food in Lafayette, Houma, Lake Charles, Monroe, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, or New Orleans?)

Kerry's also losing heavily Catholic New Mexico. So it seems that Bush can attract more of the Catholic votes than the Catholic candidate.
9 posted on 05/05/2004 5:50:28 PM PDT by dufekin (Eliminate genocidal terrorist military dictator Kim Jong Il ASAP)
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To: ultima ratio
Kerry can kiss my Catholic grits.

Baby killing PIG!
10 posted on 05/05/2004 5:50:34 PM PDT by Judith Anne (HOW ARE WE EVER GOING TO CLEAN UP ALL THIS MESS?)
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To: mc5cents
Anybody notice the huge smudge Kerry sported on Ash Wednesday? Couldn't miss it. Wore it the whole day, just in case anybody might miss the point of what a "strong Catholic" he was--days before he received communion at a Methodist service.
11 posted on 05/05/2004 5:52:09 PM PDT by ultima ratio
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To: jwalsh07
From Catholics Against Kerry:

"Catholics are definitely a constituency we are courting," says a Kerry adviser in Washington. "Here we have a practicing Catholic, who is in line with the majority of American practicing Catholics. Rome may not be thrilled with the Senator's position on some of the social issues, but the pope doesn't have a vote in this election. But there are probably millions of pro-choice Catholics who do, and Kerry is their man."

12 posted on 05/05/2004 5:52:52 PM PDT by Petronski (Hubris knows no editor.)
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To: ElkGroveDan
Hello! How can Fr. Drinan and Sister Chittister be called "Catholic leaders?" Next Francis Kissling (sp) will be anointed as yet another influential Catholic leader. The press continues its erroneous and slanted reporting of Catholicism.

As for Cardinal Mahoney, perhaps he should cooperate with local police authorities investigating homosexual sexual abuse by his own clergy before he tries to act as a political kingmaker.

A bit of good news - NJ Governor McGreevey has bowed to the forthright stand of the NJ bishops and will not present himself for communion.
13 posted on 05/05/2004 5:53:00 PM PDT by conservativehistorian
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To: ultima ratio
Sister Joan Chittister, a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, said questions about Kerry’s Catholicism are “so far off the mark.”

“The question is what is the role of any politician in a pluralistic society, when it’s not a theocratic state, when you’re not the Taliban,” she said. “I can’t think of any time when a politician tried to introduce legislation to impose Catholic views on the country. You must make space for the consciences of all.”

I trust the good Sister will be attending confession soon to seek forgiveness for her sins.

She knows full well that the only folks conflating politics and religion are her and her fellow travelers.

Kerry's standing as a Catholic has nothing to do with politics. He can choose to be a anti-abortion Catholic in good standing or a pro abortion CINO politician.

Wake up Sister Joan.

14 posted on 05/05/2004 5:53:00 PM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: ElkGroveDan
The only reason Mahoney is still around is because he hasn't given the Pope a good enough excuse to "retire" him. This whole thing is a joke, Kerry would try to "woo" the NRA or the KKK if he thought they might vote for him, the only difference is that Catholics are polite enough to listen to his crap.
15 posted on 05/05/2004 5:53:45 PM PDT by wagglebee
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To: Judith Anne

16 posted on 05/05/2004 5:54:00 PM PDT by Petronski (Hubris knows no editor.)
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To: Petronski
What's the point?
17 posted on 05/05/2004 5:54:12 PM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: dufekin
As Rush Limbaugh said about Kerry's remarks in Louisiana when Kerry said the shore line reminded him of when he was in Vietnam on the Mekong Delta,

"Thank goodness he wasn't armed"

18 posted on 05/05/2004 5:54:35 PM PDT by MJY1288 (John Kerry Was a Blue Ribbon Finalist in the 1st. Annual V.V.A.W. Medals Toss in Wash. D.C. 1971)
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To: ultima ratio
two peas in a pod...

All I want to know is whether Cardinal Mahoney will give Ketchup Holy Communion...
19 posted on 05/05/2004 5:55:05 PM PDT by kellynla (U.S.M.C. 1/5 1st Mar Div. Nam 69&70 Semper Fi http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnkerry.com)
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To: jwalsh07
Joan Chittester is a seeping boil on the face of Roman Catholicism. I hate to soft-peddle it like that, but more accurate descriptions would get me banned.
20 posted on 05/05/2004 5:55:28 PM PDT by Petronski (Hubris knows no editor.)
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