Posted on 07/30/2004 6:26:39 PM PDT by Salvation
CRISIS Magazine - e-Letter
July 30, 2004
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Dear Friend,
I was afraid of this.
You'll probably remember that a few weeks ago, I told you that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was working on its presidential questionnaire. If you recall, the form asks the two candidates where they stand on a number of issues important to Catholics.
I had noted that the Left-leaning USCCB might try to bury the pro-life questions in with a bunch of irrelevant issues... thereby hiding Senator John Kerry's extreme pro-abortion voting record. They did something similar with the 2000 presidential questionnaire (wherein, they actually let Al Gore get away with claiming to be "pro-life"!).
Unfortunately, it seems that the same thing is happening again this election. The questionnaires are with the candidates right now, but CRISIS has been able to get an early look at the document.
Here's what we discovered...
First, the questionnaire makes no distinction between life issues -- clearly of primary importance to Catholics -- and particular policies that the conference supports on issues as wide-ranging (and non-binding) as rural development, housing, and immigration.
The document has 41 questions, broken down into sections by topic. The largest single section of the questionnaire is on... immigration. Yes, immigration. That category gets a full six questions.
The next-largest section is education (five questions). Abortion gets a total of three questions (tied with aid to low income families).
In fact, in the entire questionnaire, only eight questions deal with life issues -- including abortion, capital punishment, physician-assisted suicide, cloning, and embryo research. Amazingly enough, the section on broadcast communication had more questions than any of the life sections except abortion and capital punishment.
But there's more.
The structure of the questions is such that they only ask for a "support/oppose" response, which says nothing about the particular details of a candidate's position. Nowhere is there room for the candidate to explain, say, why he voted for partial-birth abortion (as Kerry did) or voted against the Defense of Marriage Act (another Kerry vote). In fact, neither are mentioned at all!
Of course, the conference did include this vital question:
"Will you support or oppose legislation to strengthen the reputation of broadcasters to ensure that they meet their public service broadcast license obligations?"
Look, it's not that I object to the questions per se. The problem is that they ignore the hierarchy in Catholic values and issues. Furthermore, this sweeping approach keeps the candidates -- particularly Kerry, who is almost always on the wrong side of the life issues -- from having to defend themselves or explain any of their choices.
Once again, the bishops conference has mixed up prudential issues (like the particular points of broadcast law) with hard moral absolutes (like the ban on abortion). In doing so, they've given ardently pro-abortion candidates political cover.
Hopefully, when they eventually release the results of the questionnaire, the conference will include some kind of commentary that assigns real weight to the life issues. Without that, this document is simply deceptive.
I'll talk to you again early next week,
Deal
**Nowhere is there room for the candidate to explain, say, why he voted for partial-birth abortion (as Kerry did) or voted against the Defense of Marriage Act (another Kerry vote). In fact, neither are mentioned at all!**
I didn't know that Kerry voted AGAINST the Denfense of Marriage Act!
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Why am I not surprised? Their Lordships do only what their masters in the Lodge tell them to do. What is of the mind of Christ means nothing to them. Giving a brave example for the faithful means even less!
I'm not surprised about the immigration stuff at all, because last year I attended a NO mass at a neighboring parish in which a document was distributed representing some Catholic group that called on parishoners to reject America's hogging (my word, not their's) of natural resourses, and encouraged collectivization (sp?, word?) of the farming communities and/or migrant workers. It was a Manifesto, in veggie-smoothie, smiley-wiley pamphlet fashion. I couldn't believe it, and I never went back to that Church.
I suppose it will come to that before it's over.
This will make you feel good. When Jacquelyn found out about her leukemia returning the second thing she was concerned with was First Communion. In our diocese we do first Confession in 2nd grade and 1st Communion in 3rd grade. She was very upset that she would miss 1st Communion classes and Communion. I told her mother to call the priest and tell him how important this was to her and that he would probably ask her a few questions to make sure she understood the meaning of Communion and she could probably have her 1st Communion before she had to report to the hospital. They called today to make sure that I am going to be at 10:00 Mass Sunday because she is going to have her 1st Communion.
And the largest systemic problem is that people want the right to sin, and not be told not to. And the Priests don't seem to have the stature and/or will to lead them out of that pit. I don't know how you solve that.
Maybe by earning our respect back.
I don't happen to see the crisis as dire as some of the rest of you. There is still vitality in the church. There is a shortage of priests, but not of people. People will be less inclined to want to sin if they have good role models. I see a lot of hope in some ways.
We may be having a bumpy ride, but the church is still a powerful moral force for good in the world. If it weren't, the enemies wouldn't be raging a they are.
**They called today to make sure that I am going to be at 10:00 Mass Sunday because she is going to have her 1st Communion.**
wonderful!
Hey Salvation,
I was wondering if it is not too much trouble to post his e-letters on Free Republic?
My emails from him end up in the bulk mail folder... and I don't have time to search 150 bad emails to find his.. I just delete all my bulk folder including his email.
I miss reading them...
JMJ
I agree... if you think the Church is having a rough time now, you should see it its early history...
I am reading books from Warren Carroll on the history of Christendom... and we had some rough times...
They usually do get posted. I think you can also access Crisis Mag on the net.
Sounds like you have a little saint in your parish. I'll be praying for Jacquelyn and her mom. I think 10 a.m. in New Mexico is 9 in Phoenix,I am going to try real hard to remember to be there in spirit with prayers at her First Communion. She will be so beautiful,see iif you can get a picture for us. Thanks.
Ping.
"I was afraid of this."
I was fully expecting another sly, unsubtle attempt to support the savage slaughter of the innocents. With rare exception, they've brought dishonor on our beloved Church - and yet they still expect blind obedience to their modernist arch-liberal dictates. Our bishops have no shame.
This is not Cuba or communist China, Girl.
Have you ever heard of the US Constitution?
Is there some way to get a hold of the questions and perhaps respond to the UCCB directly ?
They should be concentrating on trying to get rid of the Homosexual clerical scourge in the church, treat the victims with care,and bring the church to it's once postition of Holiness.
The Bishops should keep their snouts out of Politics.
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