Brownback's silence on religion speaks volumes

The Hutchinson News ^ | June 15, 2003 | Mary Rintoul

[axel f]

Brownback's silence on religion speaks volumes

By Mary Rintoul

Sam Brownback says his religious affiliation is his private business.

The U.S. senator from Kansas has flatly refused to address the issue of his conversion a year ago to the Roman Catholic faith and his association with Opus Dei, an ultra-conservative offshoot of the church.

Brownback's silence speaks volumes.

The senior senator from Kansas should take a page from the book of a fellow Catholic politician, who came out swinging instead of ducking when the issue of religion was raised.

"I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish - where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source - where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials . . ."

Sen. Sam likely wishes for such eloquence. President John F. Kennedy was blessed with it.

Kennedy was the first Catholic ever elected president. And the issue of his religion came up time and again in the 1960 campaign. He was elected by the slimmest of margins, but he never fled the questions.

Unlike Kennedy, Brownback was not born into the Catholic faith. The senator's conversion - his wife and children remain Methodists - has raised questions and eyebrows. Not because of the faith he chose but because of the friends he keeps.

Brownback was lured to Catholicism by Opus Dei guru Father C. John McCloskey III. And since then, nearly every story about Opus Dei, whether written by the Catholic press or mainstream media, links Brownback and McCloskey.

Brownback, of course, won't comment on why he keeps getting mentioned with Opus Dei, which promotes self-flagellation - a practice more politicians should engage in, if you ask me.

Brian Finnerty, Opus Dei's director of communications in the United States, claims Brownback is not a member of Opus Dei. And that likely is true - membership requires a definite time commitment. Members are expected to attend Mass daily, pray the rosary daily, read the gospels daily and make a weekly confession.

Not exactly a schedule a busy senator like Brownback can keep.

Literally, Opus Dei means "work of God." It is a Catholic lay organization recognized by the Vatican, and it exhorts members to find holiness in daily living.

Not a bad idea. Until one digs a little deeper.

In addition to the daily and weekly chores and the self-whippings, Opus Dei numerates - members committed to celibacy and who typically live in an Opus Dei center or residence - embrace cult-like activities. Personal mail is read by an Opus Dei official; permission is needed to leave the residence; single women are not allowed any physical contact with men; members wear a tight band around their thigh for several hours each day as a reminder of Jesus' suffering on the cross.

Those are the activities that have been uncovered; other practices remain secret.

This is not normal.

Yet Brownback offers a telling no comment when asked to explain his new faith and why, even though he is not a member of Opus Dei, he is associated with the movement.

As a U.S. senator, he decides how to spend taxpayers' money. He helps craft laws for this country and participates in shaping foreign and domestic policies. The job calls for clear thinking and level-headedness. And it demands accountability.

The senator's association, whether by guilt or choice, with a secret society that practices cult-like activities under the auspices of the Vatican, should be exposed.

Brownback's life needs to be an open book. He cannot afford to operate in the dark, nor allow his personal life to be questioned or shrouded in Opus Dei mumbo-jumbo. Nor should his constituents condone such behavior.

Brownback chose a public life and public service. That means the light shines a bit brighter on his activities.

The senator from Kansas can stand in the shadows and whisper religious persecution. Or he can step up to the podium, as JFK did time and time again in 1960, and explain his faith and disassociate himself from Opus Dei.

A politician's religion doesn't matter. But a constituency's faith in that politician to conduct himself in the open - both privately and professionally - is critical to that politician's career and credibility.

Brownback's silence about his ties to Opus Dei begs the question: What does he have to hide?

Copyright 2003 The Hutchinson News

[axel f]

Nice hitpiece on Brownback. He's up for re-election next year, and I have a feeling the left will go out to defeat him. This stupid article is only the beginning.

[sinkspur]

Brownback's silence about his ties to Opus Dei begs the question: What does he have to hide?

Nothing. Opus Dei's not everybody's cup of tea, but hanging out with McCloskey doesn't mean Brownback's in the group. In fact, there's no evidence he is.

Is Brownback running for anything? What's the Hutchinson News got it's panties in a wad over?

Ya just can't win with these clowns: practice your Faith overtly and get criticized for shoving it in people's faces; remain quiet and discreet, and get accused of hiding something.

[goldstategop]

Yep. And why should his being a Roman Catholic disturb the Left? Only reason this kind of article would be put out is to imply if you're pro-life you're unfit for public office. Anti-Catholicism from liberals is quite a change from the 1960s when they celebrated the election of the first Catholic as President.

[goldstategop]

Its damned if you damned if you don't with liberals these days. And why the sinister tone? Could someone please explain to me exactly what Sam Brownback's guilty of? I would love to know since he hasn't done anything unethical, immoral, or illegal. All he has done is to practice his faith. Which I guess puts off the folks who celebrate Hillary's lack of character.

[DPB101]

The left is terrified of Opus Dei. It is Richard Melon Scaife,Newt Gingrich,Wayne LaPierre, Ken Starr and Bob Jones all rolled up into one and cloned ten thousand times over.

No members have bothered me yet but I bought double locks for my door just in case. I got enough trouble with Neo-Nazis, Klansman, militia members and right wing extremists in my neighborhood. They make so much noise, it is hard to sleep at night.

[goldstategop]

I know. Those lovers of God are a danger to society. This from the folks who love to tout their "tolerance" vis a vis the narrow mindedness and bigotry ascribed to conservatives. Now who is kidding whom?

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

"I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish - where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source - where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials . . ."

Of course, Hennedy took his Catholicism about as seriously as he took his marriage vows.

I'm not a Catholic, but I prefer Hillaire Belloc's statement to the mainly Protestant electorate of his constituency when he ran for Parliament:

"Gentlemen, I am a Catholic. As far as possible I go to Mass every day. This is a rosary. As far as possible I kneel down and tell these beads every day. If you reject me on account of my religion, I shall thank God that He has spared me the indignity of being your representative."

Belloc won the election without debasing himself before bigots.

[axel f]

I think I know what's driving this article.

In the November election for governor of Kansas, the Democrats were very successful in persuading the "moderate" Republicans to vote for the Democrat over the Republican, who was a conservative. Sam Brownback is conservative, and I think the left is hoping they can do it again and elect a Democrat to replace Brownback.

I am positive of this, and I'm dreading that this is only foreshadowing what will happen between now and 2004. The Kansas media are 95 percent far left.

[rwfromkansas]

If Brownback can lose an election, pigs can fly.

There is no chance he will be defeated.

[axel f]

I'm not Catholic, but I would have voted for Belloc in a heartbeat. We need more people like him in office.

[rwfromkansas]

The Lyons Daily News is big-time conservative.

But the Hutch News......I want to puke on them. They are awful.

The left will try, but they won't succeed with Brownback. They tried it before and it only made him more popular. He is such an icon and popular enough there is no way the left will succeed in defeating him like they did the governor's race.

Luckily, mostly the RINOS only get elected at the state level. Real Republicans get sent to Washington.

[goldstategop]

The media is left everywhere. But its influence counts for less than you think what with the voice we have right here. And I can express my opinion unfiltered and uncensored. That is a refreshing change from the old days when I could expect to get only half a letter published in my local newspaper.

[axel f]

Hope you're right. But I'm sure they'll go all out to defeat him anyway.

Hey, you're a media guy. What's your vote for most biased newspaper in Kansas? My vote is the Salina Journal.

[LadyDoc]

Members are expected to attend Mass daily, pray the rosary daily, read the gospels daily and make a weekly confession. Not exactly a schedule a busy senator like Brownback can keep.

Typical hit piece.

There are a lot of Catholics who attend daily mass and read the bible and pray the rosary or a similar prayer every day...

Even some famous people who are busier than the average Senator manage to do it...

As for the priest that converted this Senator, wasn't he the same one who converted Robert Novak?

As for the crap about "self flaggelation" and "reading the mail" ...this was part of most convents and men's orders before Vatican II. The "flaggelation" is a limited thing, done during the recitation of psalm 101...once a week, and more symbolic than real. This is discussed in the novel "the Nun's story", by the way.

What people don't realize is that many Catholic "orders" have first, second and third orders. The first order is cloistered/full time people who pray a lot and take very strict, very formal vows that can only be released by the Pope.

The second are usually priests who preach or teach.

The third order is two types: People with simple vows (most American sisters are third order, who use a simplified version of the cloistered order, live in common, and whose vows are easily released by the bishop.

Then you have the lay third orders: Lay people who follow a limited rule of prayer, such as the "daily mass and daily rosary" (nowadays they usually say the psalms instead), and live simply.

Most Catholic parished have third orders, usually Franciscan, but there are also Carmelites and Dominicans.

These groups have different "charisms". This is the style or way you follow the Lord. Franciscans tend to stress living poorly and working with the poor. They also are pacifists in their tradition. Carmelites tend to emphasize prayer and the duties of one's daily life as a prayer, copying the way Jesus prayed a lot but lived simply as a carpenter for 30 years. Etc.

I have no idea of Opus Dei, but their fruits tend to be good, and their enemies a bit liberal. Personally, they are too rule oriented for me. If this senator wants to join Opus dei, he'd be this "third order" type and would have to study a year or so before he could join, and could leave without any big deal.

[rwfromkansas]

I am co-editor of my college paper; I don't know if that makes me a media guy. But, I would go with the Hutch NEws since that is what I see usually; I don't read the Salina Journal. Some KC Freepers think the KC Star takes the top spot. I haven't really read that one much.

I think the Wichita Eagle is pretty middle-of-the-road.

[SouthCarolinaKit]

I've never understood how Catholics can call themselves
Democrats when as a group that party is so hateful to
religious people. As a believing Catholic, I couldn't
honestly abide by my faith and support the anti-life
party as the same time. I don't know if Democrat Catholics are hypocrites or really 'fallen away' Catholics.
. . . or just stupid.

[goldstategop]

The Church is the enemy of all the single issue interest groups in the Democratic Party. Never mind its bent for collectivist economics that seems to place it on their side; its the fact it still advocates traditional moral teachings that happens to be intolerable and must be countenanced for all the Democratic Party factions to feel at home.

[LadyDoc]

Most people who go to daily mass don't mention it.

I derived my strength from daily mass and communion.

Vince Lombardi, Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers http://www.catholicnoles.net/imsports/

Another is Peggy Noonan (mentions it in one of her books).

Another is Thomas Burnett, one of the Flight 93 heroes:http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/20020927.html

And Father McCloskey has a web page, in case you want to read what this priest actually believes.http://www.frmccloskey.com/

[OpusatFR]

Yup. Very.

Interesting that this editor does not differentiate between the Catholic laity being asked by the Catholic Bishops and faithful to adhere to Catholic teaching, but is imposing a religious test on Brownback though a secular newspaper.

I don't remember Kennedy discussing his faith in terms of abortion or euthanasia or contraception. These are relatively new issues.

That she asks Brownback to discuss matters of conscience and faith seems to be a violation and imposition of a religious test and unacceptable intolerance. Opus Dei is not ~normal~ according to this editor? I not only have a problem with her description of the community, but also with her judgment based upon limited knowledge and religious background, especially from a secular news source. Has she asked Sen. Lieberman, albeit he is not her Senator, to discuss his views as an Orthodox Jew, or has she asked Senator Daschle to discuss his views as a CINO? Would she ask them to describe their religious practices and editorialize whether they are acceptable?