Tuesday, June 3, 2008

From Today's Washington Post

N.B. As I mentioned before, I find this whole matter so distasteful that I am reluctant to post anything on it. The vast majority of Catholics for McCain are people with far too much integrity and decency as well as wariness to use the sacraments as political weapons to ever condone denying faithful Catholics like Professor Kmiec the Eucharist.

While it is not difficult to at least narrow down the priest in question to about four or five suspects, Professor Kmiec has desired his name not be made public and I will honor his preference.


For an 'Obamacon,' Communion Denied

By E. J. Dionne Jr.
June 3, 2008

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/02/AR2008060202591.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Word spread like wildfire in Catholic circles: Douglas Kmiec, a staunch Republican, firm foe of abortion and veteran of the Reagan Justice Department, had been denied Communion.
His sin? Kmiec, a Catholic who can cite papal pronouncements with the facility of a theological scholar, shocked old friends and adversaries alike earlier this year by endorsing Barack Obama for president. For at least one priest, Kmiec's support for a pro-choice politician made him a willing participant in a grave moral evil.

Kmiec was denied Communion in April at a Mass for a group of Catholic business people he later addressed at dinner. The episode has not received wide attention outside the Catholic world, but it is the opening shot in an argument that could have a large impact on this year's presidential campaign: Is it legitimate for bishops and priests to deny Communion to those supporting candidates who favor abortion rights?

A version of this argument roiled the 2004 campaign when some, though not most, Catholic bishops suggested that John Kerry and other pro-choice Catholic politicians should be denied Communion because of their views on abortion.

The Kmiec incident poses the question in an extreme form: He is not a public official but a voter expressing a preference. Moreover, Kmiec -- a law professor at Pepperdine University and once dean of Catholic University's law school -- is a long-standing critic of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision.

Kmiec, who was head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel in the late 1980s, is supporting Obama despite the candidate's position on abortion, not because of it, partly in the hope that Obama's emphasis on personal responsibility in sexual matters might change the nature of the nation's argument on life issues.

Kmiec has drawn attention because he is one of the nation's leading "Obamacons," conservatives who find Obama's call for a new approach to politics appealing. Kmiec started life as a Democrat. His father was a soldier in the late Mayor Richard J. Daley's Chicago political machine, and Kmiec's earliest political energies were devoted to Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 campaign.
But like many Catholic Democrats, Kmiec was profoundly attracted to Ronald Reagan. For him, five words in Reagan's 1980 acceptance speech summarized the essence of a Catholic view of politics: "family, work, neighborhood, peace and freedom."

In an interview over the weekend, Kmiec argued that 35 years after Roe, opponents of abortion need to contemplate whether "a legal prohibition" of abortion "is the only way to promote a culture of life."

"To think you have done a generous thing for your neighbor or that you have built up a culture of life just because you voted for a candidate who says in his brochure that he wants to overturn Roe v. Wade is far too thin an understanding of the Catholic faith," he said. Kmiec, a critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policy, added that Catholics should heed "the broad social teaching of the church," including its views on war.

Kmiec shared with me the name of the priest who denied him Communion and a letter of apology from the organizers of the event, but he requested that I not name the priest to protect the cleric from public attack.

The priest's actions are almost certainly out of line with the policy of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In their statement"Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," issued last November, the bishops said: "A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism, if the voter's intent is to support that position."

The "if" phrase in that carefully negotiated sentence suggests that Catholics can support pro-choice candidates, provided the purpose of their vote is not to promote abortion.
Already, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City has played an indirect role in the 2008 campaign by calling on Kathleen Sebelius, the popular Democratic governor of Kansas who has been mentioned as a possible Obama running mate, to stop taking Communion because of her "actions in support of legalized abortion."

But because Kmiec is a private citizen and has such a long history of embracing Catholic teaching on abortion, denying him Communion for political reasons may spark an even greater outcry inside the church.

Kmiec says he is grateful because the episode reminded him of the importance of the Eucharist in his spiritual life, and because he hopes it will alert others to the dangers of "using Communion as a weapon."

27 comments:

Rustler45 said...

"A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism, if the voter's intent is to support that position."

How utterly stupid!!! By that we would be justified in voting for Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin if we weren't voting to support their mass murders!

And that statement justifies voting for OBAMA???? Get real!

Here is the correct way that the statement should read.

"A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism."

End of story. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know right from wrong in this matter.

Anonymous said...

How utterly stupid!!!

Well, that is a quote from the Catholic bishops. Sorry you feel they are stupid. Of course, some people think it is stupid pondering on how to vote on the election of dictators like Stalin. Earth to Russy: STALIN DIDN'T RUN FOR ELECTION. Go back to pontificating about masturbation.

Anonymous said...

Actually Betty, Stalin did run for election and got about 99.999999% of the "vote" every time he "ran".

My guess is you would have been very comfortable with his economic policies.

Anonymous said...

max,

My guess is that you would be very uncomfortable in a history class. Stalin was General Secretaty of the Communist Party. He never had to run in a Soviet election, which were about as phoney as russy.

Anonymous said...

No kidding Betty, they were phoney elections? Wow I never knew!

He was even General Secretary of the party, does that mean he kept the minutes of all their meetings?

I'm quite comfortable with histroy Betty , I,ve watched the democrat party over the decades turn into a pro abortion, pro homosexual, anti Catholic party. On this site I,ve read justifications from Catholics supporting a man who voted against legislation that woud provide medical attention for aborted babies that survived that butchery. A man that considers as friends and spiritual advisors the race baiters Rev Wright and the now suspended Fr. Pfleger.

You should be ashamed.

Anonymous said...

I'm quite comfortable with histroy Betty...

Just not spelling.

Anonymous said...

Jeesh, nice reponse Betty. Who died and made you the official spell checker of this blog?

I realize you can't debate , but at least make an attempt.

Anonymous said...

max,

Suggesting Obama supporters are Stalinists (and the same for anyone who would suggest McCain supporters are fascists) is hardly appropriate debate as the world's largest democracy chooses its next leader.

Anonymous said...

...and no way to talk about our next president! WHOO HOOOO!!

Anonymous said...

big ole gay, I never said a negative word about John McCain. WHOO HOOOO!

Jon, I don't believe Betty is a Stalinist, just misguided. But a darn good speller!

Katherine said...

Jon, I don't believe Betty is a Stalinist, just misguided. But a darn good speller!

hehe. luv ya, Max.

Anonymous said...

Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone... Oh, how we forget!

Oops... I forgot... religion is not spirituality... I'm a Catholic convert (10 years now), I tried to be "faithful" to the Church, but as I've gone along I've come to realize that the Church is like the Pharisees. Do we really believe that the world (laws) can change us? Change comes from the heart. Jesus talked long about this, cleaning the inside, that we aren't defiled by what goes in, but by what comes out.

A thought is just as strong as the action, as when he refers to the guy who wanted to get with his neighbors wife.

Most of us who proclaim to be Christian would try to kill Jesus today, if He showed up. Which, by the way, He shows up every day, as out neighbor, wife, husband, political leader, mailman, etc etc.

Thanks for letting me share... Go Obama!

Anonymous said...

hehe. luv ya, Max.

Yea sure Katherine, bet you say that to all the conservative Catholics.

Anonymous,

What? Please get off the meds before you post.

Rustler45 said...

"Jon, I don't believe Betty is a Stalinist, just misguided. But a darn good speller!"

There's also something Betty is quite good at. She keeps bringing up the subject every chance she gets. She is obsessed with it. Guess what that is?

Betty, your self-loathing is quite obvious. You need to get back on your meds.

BTW Betty, it is bad bad internet ettiquete to point out someone's spelling. Especially when it was an obvious typo problem rather than spelling. I bet you're as rude in real life as you are in here.

Anonymous said...

Betty, I noticed you keep bringing up masturbation over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. I'll bet you're from the 60s. That's where all the whankers come from.

Thanks,

Tami the Slammer

Rustler45 said...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAaaa!!!

Hey Tami, you picked right up on that one!!!!

Anonymous said...

When she isn't playing her own cello, she's a clam smacker.

Rustler45 said...

BWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAaaaaa!!!!

I AM FALLING OUT OF MY CHAIR!!!

I AM ROLLING ON THE FLOOR!!!!

MY SIDES ARE SPLITTING!!!!

I CAN'T QUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anonymous you get an emmy for that one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

How DARE you invoke the name of The Virgin for your comments rules in this ABOMINATION of a website! MAY GOD REBUKE YOU FOR THAT BLASPHEMY!!!!! NO doubt He will. For that and for the evil you do by having such a LIE for a website. Catholics do NOT vote for Abortionists. But then again you are outside the Church and therefore not Catholic except as a deserter from the army, subject to Her punishments. And punished you will be and already are, for He has withdrawn His Grace from you and you are in Darkness.

Anathema! You are wicked! Be converted and live!

Anonymous said...

That's because this is a sham. This is not run by Catholics, pseudos, quasis or otherwise. It is a fraud to try to fool the stupid. There are no Catholics behind "Catholics (sic) for Obama".

Anonymous said...

Oh, and I forgot to say, Catholics (sic) for Obama are all a bunch of dick-wackers.

Rustler45 said...

Anonymous said...
Oh, and I forgot to say, Catholics (sic) for Obama are all a bunch of $^#&^#%&#%....

Hey Anonymous, apparently you have talked to Batty Betty lately.

hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa

Anonymous said...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAaaa, Rustler.

You got it right. That's why I never shake hands with an Obama supporter. hahahhaha

Unknown said...

I am a catholic and I have been looking for Catholics position on Obama. I came upon this site and forgive me in advance if I am mistaken. I have read the meanest and most hurtful comments on this site. It does not seem like we are adding anything to the discussion. We are name calling each other without intelligent debate. Once again, forgive me if this is a game and I don’t understand.

Anonymous said...

A vote for Obama or a vote for Hillary is a vote for the Anti-Christ.
You people need to wake up and realize who and what you are helping to place in office over all of us.

Obviously,you have every intention of facilitating the Rise of the Beast and his False Prophet.
You are NOT TRUE Catholics.




Dominic.

Rustler45 said...

MARIE SAID: I am a catholic and I have been looking for Catholics position on Obama.

RUSTLER ASKS: Ok Marie, tell us what position do you think a Catholic should have on Obama?

Anonymous said...

http://youthforobama.darkbb.com/b-hussein-obama-f1/