Posted on 03/31/2009 12:01:32 PM PDT by NYer
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich converted to Roman Catholicism over the weekend at St. Joseph's Church in Washington, D.C. So far, Gingrich has been conspicuously quiet about his conversion. He didn't mention it in an interview with me earlier this month that focused on his stepped-up efforts to organize religious conservatives and promote religious liberty issues.
An enthusiastic Twitterer, the former speaker has gone tweetless since Saturday. Best I can tell, Newt's one recent mention of Catholicism was a tweet last Tuesday about President Obama's forthcoming appearance at Notre Dame: "It is sad to see notre dame invite president obama to give the commencement address Since his policies are so anti catholic values."
I checked with his media team, which says that Newt is declining interview requests about his conversion for now but that he may open up later in the year.
Unless you’re a charletan, converting is generally a quiet private affair. There was this guy before named Stephen Dubner who tried to make his career writing about his conversion but I saw the entire affair as rather tasteless.
Wouldn’t it be Easter?
Who? ..some old washed up has-been global warming believing ex-conservartive Speaker, currently a Sean Hannity Butt-Boy!
You can be received at any time. In recent years, it has become customary to receive converts in a group after an RCIA program at the Easter Vigil, but converts who have had private instruction or for some reason aren’t part of an RCIA program are received whenever they’re ready.
Gary Cooper
Jeb Bush
Frances Shand Kydd - Mother of Princess Diana
That he doesn’t want to talk about it is natural; it is however unusual not to wait till Easter, only a few weeks away. Perhaps that, too, was done to reduce the media noise.
Good for Newt.
Religion isn’t (or shouldn’t be, anyway), a public relations opportunity.
Normally it would be at the Easter Vigil Mass but it is not uncommon for well known personalities to make this a private affair.
He’s a human being who became a Catholic. And he’s a heck of a lot more conservative and intelligent than many, even though I don’t agree with all of his positions.
It’s a private matter. Why should he comment?
Can one be “conspicuously quiet” in a normal civilized setting? (I'm excluding rallies for the Fuhrer of any era.). I think it absurd to describe someone as “conspicuously quiet” on a personal matter.
Thank you for that. I didn’t know about Cooper. Nice to know.
Well I certainly hope that he is better behaved as a Roman Catholic than he was as a Baptist. As a Baptist I always was embarrassed by his adultury and divorces - especially his repeat performance while President Clinton was doing his Monica thing. BTW - Mr. Clinton is an example of a BINO. Kinda like some of the Kennedys that are CINOs.
I want to hear from some of our Freshmen Conservatives like Pete Olson (R-TX), Tom Delay's old seat taken back from Rat Nick Lampson.
I want to hear from from Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal.
Got write a book Newt, just go away.
Princess Di dove in and swam the Tibur also! It wasn’t widely known but she had a funeral in a Catholic Church before her public state funeral.
Newt probably converted as an individual - you’re right that Easter is the time to celebrate your first Eucharist but not always.
I think it absurd to describe someone as “conspicuously quiet” on a personal matter.”
I think the conspicuous aspect has to do with who this convert is, namely Newt, ie, anytime Newt is quiet, that is noteworthy. Seems to be apt, really.
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