Catholic Church asks Tom Daschle to stop calling himself a Catholic

Weekly Standard (via Matt Drudge) ^ | April 17, 2003 | SB00

[SB00]

TOM DASCHLE may no longer call himself a Catholic. The Senate minority leader and the highest ranking Democrat in Washington has been sent a letter by his home diocese of Sioux Falls, sources in South Dakota have told The Weekly Standard, directing him to remove from his congressional biography and campaign documents all references to his standing as a member of the Catholic Church.

This isn't exactly excommunication--which is unnecessary, in any case, since Daschle made himself ineligible for communion almost 20 years ago with his divorce and remarriage to a Washington lobbyist. The directive from Sioux Falls' Bishop Robert Carlson is rather something less than excommunication--and, at the same time, something more: a declaration that Tom Daschle's religious identification constitutes, in technical Catholic vocabulary, a grave public scandal. He was brought up as a Catholic, and he may still be in some sort of genuine mental and spiritual relation to the Church. Who besides his confessor could say? But Daschle's consistent political opposition to Catholic teachings on moral issues--abortion, in particular--has made him such a problem for ordinary churchgoers that the Church must deny him the use of the word "Catholic."

[SuziQ]

Unfortunately, it did not seem to make a dent in the scandal of annulment-on-demand in the American Catholic Church.

This problem came about as many others did in the "Spirit of Vatican II" push during the 70s. Priests started thinking in terms of 'compassion' and not in terms of taking people to task for their behavior. That has begun to change, and you'll see some folks leaving the Church because it has gotten too 'conservative', when the rules were always there, they just were not always enforced.

As far as the 'legitimacy of children' question goes, it helps to understand what an annulment is. It is not a statement that the couple was never legally married, that is a civil matter and one which determines legitimacy of the children. Annulment just says that the SACRAMENT was never valid, so if that wasn't valid, then that couple is able to marry in the Church as long as they are counselled to understand the meaning and seriousness of the Sacrament.

[Stay the course]

I wonder why they left Cantwell and Durbin off the list. Both consistently vote pro-abortion.

[Bigg Red]

Ah, yes, I knew I could count on you to chime in. Any chances for anti-Catholic or anti-Jewish comments seem to draw you to a thread.

[tiki]

I think this may give bishops more courage to speak up instead of cowering in the face of controversy. I hate that the priest scandals happened but it is like cleaning house when one room is clean you can se how dirty the rest of the house is and tackle it room by room.

[Illbay]

Ah. And can you point to any of those here from me?

Or is it possible that you project your own religious bigotry on others?

[Bigg Red]

It is an empty exercise.


No, it puts Daschole on the spot. The bishop certainly cannot legally force Daschole to do anything, but he has definitely made a strike in the eyes of many Catholics.

[plain talk]

I suggest you study this further. I will do likewise.

[Protagoras]

Your opinion on the matter is noted, and discarded.

I support our troops in their mission. I pray they will be as safe as possible and that they will defend our constitution and carry out their legal orders.

I support them even when they are ordered to attack countries like Yugoslavia by criminal Presidents like Billy boy Clintoon.

My prayer;
God speed, our brave protectors, I pray you will be safe as you carry out your mission and that you will only be called upon to do what is necessary to defend our rights. My freedom is in your hands, I pray they will not be squandered on adventures.

[Bigg Red]

Roman Catholicism is a denomination of a religion. Christianity is the religion.



That's ~#5 of your incorrect statements on this thread so far.

[Bigg Red]

I'm disappointed that Daschle has failed miserably at practicing his religion.

LOL!

[capitan_refugio]

You might want to do some reading regarding the "modern" Jewish Diaspora from Spain in the 1490's. It is a very unhappy story and speaks volumes about intra-Church politics at that time.

By the way, the large Jewish population in Spain in the 15th century was due to the fact that Jews thrived under the Moorish (Moslem) rule in southern Spain. The Moors were finally defeated by the combined armies of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile.

After the last Moorish stronghold fell (Granada, 1492), the Monarchs instituted a plan to "christianize" the remains Moors and Jews, and to re-christianize wayward Catholics. This was the beginning of the Spanish Inquisition. The Catholic Church in Spain was particularly intolerant, and thousands of Jews and Moors paid the price of resistance. Many more fled to North Africa and, in the case of the Jews, other parts of Europe.

[sorroworechoes]

So glad I saw this thread, this is great news!

[Campion]

My study is the sin is still there but the Father sees Christ rather than our sin and treats us as if it had been removed.

Nope. John the Baptist saw Christ and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world".

[capitan_refugio]

We live in a Constitutional Republic wherein certain rights are guaranteed. The right of free political speech is one of those. Unlike ancient Rome, we do not appoint dictators in times of crisis. We do not declare martial law. We do not forfeit our rights.

The people who are criticizing the President, the military, and the government now are within their rights. From my perspective, they are wrong-minded. Ultimately, I believe they will lose the "battle of ideas" and will pay, socially and politically, for their statements.

Give the criticizers enough rope, and they will eventually hang themselves.

[nicmarlo]

I'm disappointed that Daschle has failed miserably at practicing his religion.

Too funny, Bigg Red!! : )

[wideawake]

Then you realize that the situation in Spain was a bit of a special case.

Jews who lived in the zone of Muslim occupation were perceived to be collaborators by the liberated Spaniards and were treated as such.

It was an ugly and unjust situation, but also uncharacteristic of all Catholics.

There was a similar experience of liberation in southeastern Italy and in Croatia, but no one talks about the Calabrian Inquisition or the Dalmatian Inquisition today because there was none.

[Protagoras]

Let me guess, a Roman Catholic perspective.

[CFIIIMEIATP737]

I see an infantryman ready to go into battle. I pat him on the back, ask for God's protection, and wish him success in carrying out his mission. While he is still within earshot, if he hears me ridicule his commander for sending him on the mission, does that not negate whatever good will I attempted to convey and lower his morale?

[Protagoras]

While he is still within earshot, if he hears me ridicule his commander for sending him on the mission, does that not negate whatever good will I attempted to convey and lower his morale?

No. Most soldiers are smarter than that. Many regularly ridicule the President themselves. In almost every war. Certainly they ridiculed Billy Boy Clintoon.

I guess you supported his wars. Or didn't support our troops. One or the other according to your opinion.

[votelife]

maybe Daschle could make amends and stop blocking the Catholic Hispanic Estrada? Doubt it!

Freepers, rather than waiting to see what happens with Estrada and Owen, we need to take the lead. That means presuring Senators, special interest groups, media organizations, etc. This thread is meant to be an ongoing effort to get this man confirmed. For too many years liberals have had their way on the courts. Now, President Bush is in a position to move the courts to the right. The election of '02 showed that the country is with the President. I think it's time to let Daschle, Hillary, and Pelosi know this is Bush country. Are you with me! Let's FREEP these people.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/847037/posts