So I take a picture of my priest talking to some politico or another. I did take lots of pictures and videos, mainly for a Blog post I plan to do.
Everybody was taking pictures and videos, let me make this clear. You couldn’t move without bumping into someone holding a camera/video recorder high so my innocent picture wasn’t unusual or anything.
When I introduced my priest, who I will call Father Sam, to some of the politicos (and there were a bunch, dear Lord, and don’t forget I am campaign finance treasurer for two of the guys so I wanted to give them a push) he was quite jovial. “I’m thinking that most of these politicians are not here for the real issue but are looking for votes,” he said to me and I joshed back in some fashion. Understanding that it was a fun, innocent kind of thing.
I chance to be taking some pictures of the church or some thing and Father Sam shouts to me, clear out of nowhere...”Pat, don’t you dare make this meeting a political function. Don’t you dare.”
He was not kidding when he shouted this to me and once again my head began to spin. As I stated on my earlier post, I had no idea all those politicos would be there though in hindsight I guess it makes sense. Those against Obamacare and its horrific attack on faith would vote for those mostly conservative types. And this was not a function limited to church parishioners; it had been advertised on the local radio (there were TWO reporters there from the local talk show and it was reported on extensively, the whole thing being a big deal in our burg except for the tourists maybe.)
So how on earth, just how on this earth could I possibly turn this huge rally into some kind of political event? I was just so confused that, in shock, I walked away and went up to the edge of Route 1, upset and wondering what I could have possibly done “wrong”.
to be continued, maybe.
Father Sam did climb up to the street’s edge and he did apologize profusely. He said, to the effect, that he must be careful not to look political in this thing and some such. I nodded and was nice and asked what I should not do. He said I should not take pics of him with a politician and I told him I would not.
Later, during that meeting in the Parish Life Center, the married priest went over the matter of Catholicism, religion and politics. He said that churches and politics mixing is not against any law but is part of the IRS code. He then mentioned Al Sharpton and the like.
I bring this up because right now, folks, the Catholic church is a idealogical mess. We’ve got parishioners walking out of masses when the officiating priest speaks of this mess with Obamacare.
Catholics, I dunno, some of them are verbal and loud and some want to just go to church, get communion, and go home, Obamacare be damned. Father Sam, intriguingly enough, is one of the loudest, shouting from that pulpit about our gubmint and its intent to walk all over our faith.
I think he’s great but again, parishioners get up and walk out, fooey on them, cowards.
So I dunno what got into my priest but I will conclude, in a fashion, that Catholics have schizophrenia, the whole concept of coalescing and fighting for its rights being knew.
Father Sam....I think he’s just as confused and somehow, as is often the case, I am in the wrong place at the right time.
Or some such.
Frankly, Pat, you need to tell him what you told us.
Say it matter of factly, without emotion, and it will be up to him to decide if you’re being truthful or not. I could see how he’d be mistaken by the idea some of the pols are there because you asked them to, but tell him you knew nothing of that. If he decides you aren’t being honest after that, then he’s just not being fair.
I'd hand him some De Tocqueville quotes and tell him to get with the program and drop the communism crap. (political my @$$)
Alexis de Tocqueville on Americans and Churches
"Not until I went into the churches in America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power."
"America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."
"...the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention....I do not know whether all Americans have a sincere faith in their religion - for who can search the human heart? But I am cerain they hold it to be indispensable to the maintenance of republican institutions."
"In the United States the sovereign authority is religious, and consequently hypocrisy must be common; but there is no country in the world where the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America; and there can be no greater proof of its utility...than that its influence is powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation on earth."
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Of course they're looking for votes, and they'd represent the Catholic conservative positions. The RAT, so-called "catholic" politicians have stolen the Catholic vote and are betraying the parishioners by supporting "gay rights" and baby-killing legislation etc...(as if I had to tell you that)