Posted on 10/19/2008 2:24:04 PM PDT by NYer
Ironically enough, in the city where the "Communion Wars" that've roiled American Catholicism for the last four years saw their birth, the Democratic nominee was greeted by his largest domestic crowd of this campaign yesterday -- 100,000, according to police estimates, under St Louis' Gateway Arch.
It being the "Rome of the West" -- where Catholics make up over a quarter of the metro-area population... and the faithful await a successor to the Holy See's new "chief justice" Archbishop Raymond Burke -- it's worth noting that reports of mass sanctions have yet to emerge. But the gathering came just a day after two Missouri prelates joined the critical mass of US prelates reminding their flocks of the imperatives of church teaching at the ballot box as the polls in the key state continue their recent swing in the Democrat's favor.
In the state's northwestern corner, adding to a joint pastoral issued last month, Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City-St Joseph all but named Barack Obama in a column stating that "despite hardship, beyond partisanship, for the sake of our eternal salvation," a Catholic voter "should never" throw their support behind a pro-choice candidate, while in St Louis itself, the interim head of the 560,000-member archdiocese Bishop Robert Hermann cited the catechism, John Paul II and Benedict XVI in writing that "that the issue of life is the most basic issue and must be given priority over the issue of the economy, the issue of war or any other issue.
"These same teachings inform us that when both candidates permit the right to abortion, but unequally so, we must chose to mitigate the evil by choosing the candidate who is less permissive of abortion," Hermann added.
From his new perch in Rome, Burke wasn't so circumspect late last month, telling the Italian church's daily newspaper that "the Democratic Party risks transforming itself definitely into a 'party of death' because of its choices on bioethical questions."
Given the history, the new prefect's return as lead-off hitter would've been more surprising by its absence... but far beyond the Gateway City, the talk, teaching and tensions among the churchfolk keep escalating at a dramatic clip with 17 days to go 'til 4 November.
Rather than post texts, here are links to some of the latest:
Catholic bishops have spoken up but where are the voices of the Orthodox, Protestant and Jewish leaders? I hear nothing but silence in the media.
Mondale got 100,000 in 1984 and then went on to become the LOSINGEST CANDIDATE EVER. When factoring in population inflation, that would be about 125-150 tousand today.
Bussing in street hacks and or forceing union members from out of state does not win elections. President Mondale can attest to that.
> Catholic bishops have spoken up but where are the voices
> of the Orthodox, Protestant and Jewish leaders? I hear
> nothing but silence in the media.
I don’t think the Orthodox Jewish community opposes abortion. I remember having that discussion with an Orthodox Jew once, and he explained to me why they don’t believe that chopping babies up or burning them alive in their mothers’ wombs is not murder.
In any event, the fundamentalist Christian churches preach against abortion steadily. However, they have to be real careful about mentioning names, since a number of them lost their tax-exempt status during the Clinton years. Some churches had to pay back taxes retroactively to the very day that they handed out a voter information card listing names that were pro-abortion. Many of them closed their doors.
The Catholic Church, being monolithic and HUGE by orders of magnitude beyond the size of any Independent Evangelical Church, and even larger than most Evangelical “Conferances” is a different matter.
I PRAISE GOD that the Catholic Church is speaking out on this issue, naming names, and threatening excommunication.
GOOD FOR THEM!!
Back during WW II the Russians had pictures of mass surrendering Germans and dropped behind the front lines so the Germans find them. Someone caught on after they found the same group of faces re appearing in several places in the picture. When I see a press photo like this it always reminds me of the Russian PW pix. I know the MSM would never do a thing like that. ;^)
Live in GA. Heading to OH through Nov. 5th. Ground reports in OH show major activity. PUMAs may move out next week and let GOP take it from there. PUMAs reportedly heading to PA.
Kerry had huge crowds near the end too
This is an excellent point. In a recent election, Dems handed homeless men cartons of cigarettes to go in and pull the lever for their candidate.
After more than a year of political discussion, what drives me absolutely nuts is to hear someone say they are voting for Obama because he is black and it's time we had a black president. That is the single driving impetus behind their vote - a black president. And, these folks are white.
This is true for the Catholic Church as well. If you have read any of the addresses made by the bishops, not one of them names a particular candidate but it is obvious from their statements that a vote for Obama is tantamount to a mortal sin.
As for the Jews, I read recently that if elected, Obama plans to sever US ties with the State of Israel. Where's the outrage?
I wasn’t aware of Obamanation paying campaign workers.
I’ve always volunteered.
Guess he has to spend his swelling millions somewhere.
I have wondered that very same thing.
Trying to make St Louis “Rome” so it can fit prophecy was really silly, I stopped reading right there, rediculous
Prophecy? Rocco is referring to Archbishop Burke who, up until recently, has been the most outspoken Catholic prelate on Catholic politicians and the election. In June, the pope appointed him as Prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature. The position is at the Vatican which entailed Archbishop Burke moving to Rome.
What are the PUMAs doing as far as a ground game? Is this a concentrated effort?
Sorry, Catholism overload. Archbishop? Catholic prelate? Prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature? wow man, honestly, I am a former Catholic and so glad I left that organization ...
bump
What's the trouble, don't like titles? Don't have them in your country or in your workplace? :)
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