David Ancell / Saturday April 03, 2004
The New York Times continues to not get it. No matter what anyone says, John Kerry is NOT Catholic. One cannot be pro-abort and be Catholic, regardless of his/her position on “other” issues.
I remember talking about the liturgical norms of the Church. Someone interrupted me saying ” . . . . but they are not enforced.” Others may mention to me that few have enforced their statements against Kerry’s support for abortion rights. However, keep in mind that laws banning child sexual abuse were not enforced by some bishops either. Does this mean that they were not important?
Statements have come from the Vatican and the U.S. Bishops that clearly state that “Catholic” politicians who support abortion rights are endangering their salvation. However, some “Catholic Official” said this about Archbishop Burke’s decision to deny Communion to Kerry “Notice the resounding silence. I think many people would not consider that a pastoral way to approach somebody.”
So, is letting someone endanger their salvation and desecrate the Body of Christ “pastoral”? Is scandalizing the faithful by allowing such public nose-thumbing at Church teaching “pastoral”? Let’s not forget that by being “pastoral,” not only are they standing by and letting Kerry endanger their salvation, but the bishops are also endangering their own salvation and the salvation of many of their faithful. They can cry all they want about a “backlash,” but it will be nothing compared to the backlash they will see when they stand in judgement before Almighty God. They had better take heed.
Further, let’s look at the Kerry side of the issue:
“Senator Kerry is a person of faith, he’s a practicing Catholic, and his religion is an important part of his life and of Teresa Heinz Kerry’s life,” Mr. Wade said. “And they’ve always recognized that separation between the public and the private.”
It sounds as though “religion” is some activity that we do on the side. It is not something that should be taken seriously in daily life. Sorry, but this isn’t “practicing” the faith. Unfortunately, these politicians are not the only people who “practice” the faith in this manner.
I’ve wondered why the media seems to think that the Catholic Church is the only organization that is not allowed to have requirements for her members. They would have no problem with a politician who said he supported the Ku Klux Klan getting thrown out of the NAACP. However, for some reason, the Catholic Church is required to be “tolerant” of every kind of “viewpoint.” If people disagree with their notion, they are not faithful Catholics but mere “conservatives.”
This scandal has to stop, and it has to stop now. Kerry is endangering his eternal salvation. The Body of Christ is being desecrated. The faithful are being scandalized into thinking that “religion” is something that can be separated from “public life” when the fear of being perceived as “intolerant” is present. The faithful are also being scandalized into forgetting that there is a God before whom we will stand in judgement one day. There will be a backlash when and if our bishops do decide to take action, but it will be nothing compared to the alternative when judgement day arrives.
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