Catholic Support For Kerry

[M.SIGGA]

from http://www.guardian.co.uk/

President's test of faith

Signs of strong support for John Kerry among Catholic voters could mean big trouble ahead for George Bush, say Albert Scardino and John Scardino

Tuesday February 3, 2004

The religious war that is of most concern to George Bush these days has nothing to do with Wahabi, Shia or Sunni Muslims.

It involves Roman Catholics, and particularly those in the five swing states of Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Judging by the enthusiasm that Catholics are showing for Senator John Kerry, Mr Bush may be in greater jeopardy than he ever expected.

Where his father lost the Catholic vote to Bill Clinton by 16 percentage points, Mr Bush won it against Al Gore by three points, according to exit polls on election day 2000. That gave him enough states for Florida to make a difference.

So long as the Democrats were tainted with the sex scandals of the Clinton White House, the Republicans could provide comfort and sustenance in a party led by a Sunday school teacher given to daily prayer breakfasts. It would be tougher to woo Catholics away from a war hero with an Irish name married to a Latin widow born in Africa.

It may be too early to gauge the scale of the challenge facing Mr Bush. So far, the Democrats have counted the votes in only two small states, with only a handful of the delegates needed to choose their candidate.

Seven more make their choice today and, even if Mr Kerry sweeps all seven, he will still have a long way to go before he collects enough delegates to secure the nomination.

Yet the exit polls in New Hampshire threw up some startling results. There was the turnout - a record for a New Hampshire primary.

These voters were both Democrats and self-identified independents. Independents are welcome to vote in New Hampshire's Democratic primary, and their heavy participation helped give the vote more national significance than its small scale would otherwise indicate.

One surprise was that many more men voted in the primary than had been the case four years ago, while the number of women hardly rose at all. One bigger surprise - a lot of them were Catholics.

Around one third of the New Hampshire population identifies itself as Catholic, and they identified strongly with Mr Kerry. He won nearly as many Catholic votes as the seven other candidates combined. The more people attended church, the more strongly they preferred him.

Men - particularly Catholic men - carried enough states for Mr Bush in 2000 to make the Florida decision decisive. Without their help, the Republicans would have lost at least Missouri, so even the Supreme Court's intervention would not have plucked the presidency out of Democratic hands.

In the years that have followed, Mr Bush has carefully cultivated the Catholic vote. His speeches have been tested on Catholic focus groups, enabling him to develop the vocabulary that would appeal to them without offending the evangelical Protestants who control the Republican ideological base.

When the vice-president, Johnsonville brat Cheney, embarked on only the second foreign trip of his term last month, he stopped off at the World Economic Forum in Davos to pay his respects to the poohbahs of business before flying down to call on the Pope in Vatican City - only the second foreign leader he has visited.

The US's Catholic population ranges from the migrant Hispanic farm workers of California and the south-west to the old British Catholic families of the New England establishment.

Catholicism is the only established religion to have grown during the past decade, rising from 22% to 25% of the population (or 25 to 28%, depending on who's counting), partly because of the boom in the Latino population.

Making generalisations about US Catholics can be difficult. The descendants of 19th Century immigrants include the Irish and Italians of San Francisco, Boston, New York and other port cities, and the Germans of Missouri, Illinois and the rest of the Midwest. By the third generation, many of them had moved to the suburbs and left their parents' politics behind.

The fast-growing Hispanic population includes Mexicans across the south-west, Puerto Ricans in New York, central and south Americans in Florida, and many other southern and north-eastern states. This last group has voted Democratic in national elections by three to one.

Unlike evangelical Christians, Catholics, in recent years, have rarely organised politically to seize control of school boards or other local offices. They do not operate radio and television ministries whose "parishioners" number in the millions. Their most visible activity has been anti-abortion campaigns.

But - particularly in big cities - Catholics run vast social service and educational complexes: schools, universities, hospitals, orphanages and nursing facilities.

During the past four years, the Catholic church has been shaken by child abuse scandals that have threatened the financial and spiritual base of many parishes. But unlike the Anglican church in the US, there has been relatively little internal warfare regarding gay bishops or same-sex marriages.

For clues about the November election, watch today's results from Arizona, New Mexico and, particularly, Missouri. The heavier the vote, the more disturbing the results for the Bush-Cheney campaign.

If the German Catholics of Missouri towns such as Hermann are angry enough to go to the polls, and if they cast a ballot for Mr Kerry, Mr Bush could be on his way to becoming the second one-term president in his family.

It may prove to be as close an election as the last one involving a Massachusetts Democrat with an Irish name - the 1960 vote that put John F Kennedy in the White House. But, in those days, the Catholic vote was smaller.

· Albert Scardino is an executive editor of the Guardian. John Scardino, a public relations executive, was a candidate for Congress in Georgia in 1992

[dUSt]

"Catholicism is the only established religion to have grown during the past decade, rising from 22% to 25% of the population (or 25 to 28%, depending on who's counting), partly because of the boom in the Latino population."

That's interesting.

Is Kerry pro-choice? If so, how do "Catholics" justify voting for him?

[Carrie]

I think he is pro-choice. If I'm wrong, someone correct me.

And if he is, voting for him cannot be justified.

Edited February 3, 2004 by Carrie

[Norseman82]

"Catholicism is the only established religion to have grown during the past decade, rising from 22% to 25% of the population (or 25 to 28%, depending on who's counting), partly because of the boom in the Latino population."

That's interesting.

Is Kerry pro-choice? If so, how do "Catholics" justify voting for him?

The last I heard, he is pro-choice. How do Catholics justify voting for him? Well, being out of work or health insurance is a higher priority for some people, even Catholics.

[Kilroy the Ninja]

The last I heard, he is pro-choice. How do Catholics justify voting for him? Well, being out of work or health insurance is a higher priority for some people, even Catholics.

How sad for them.

[jmjtina]

How sad for them.

very :(

[JP2Iloveyou]

John Kerrey is very pro-choice. He has openly stated that he will only appoint judges to the federal bench who will uphold Roe. He has fundraised for NARAL and Planned Parenthood. He has received campaign donations from these groups and others such as NOW. There can be no doubt which side of the aisle Joh Kerrey is on when it comes to abortion.

[M.SIGGA]

He is extremely pro-choice and I heard this week that Archbishop Burke in StLouis said he has barred him from communion in his archdiocese. Seeing that it's a lot of Northeastern support, I think this article is referring to the old-Catholic voting block of immigrants' children, WWII and Korean War vets, factory and mining workers, from the Babyboomer generation - basically the same people that support Kennedy and Biden.

[cmotherofpirl]

As Kerry Emerges, So Does Concern That As President He May Be Denied Communion

By Michael H. Brown

The emergence of Senator John Kerry as a presidential candidate raises crucial questions as he presents himself as a staunchly pro-choice politician at the same time he describes himself as a practicing Catholic.

The issue is of immediate moment, for it is a time when bishops across the United States -- including on Kerry's home turf of Boston -- have been issuing statements or even canonical declarations warning those who favor abortion to abstain from the Eucharist.

Kerry represents Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate and hales from Boston. He has seized control of the Democratic primaries -- at least for the moment -- and professes to paid heed to his religion. "I am a believing and practicing Catholic, married to another believing and practicing Catholic," he has been quoted as saying.

But only a week ago, newly-installed Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley struck out against pro-choicers, telling a Catholic website called LifeSiteNews.com, "These politicians should know that if they're not voting correctly on these life issues that they shouldn't dare come to Communion."

Those words appear at great odds with Kerry's voting record and may put him on a collision course with the Church, should he ever assume control of the White House. In fact Kerry has solid pro-choice credentials and even opposed a ban on partial-birth abortion. According to his campaign website: "John Kerry believes that women have the right to control their own bodies, their own lives, and their own destinies. He believes that the Constitution protects their right to choose and to make their own decisions in consultation with their doctor, their conscience, and their God. He will defend this right as President. He recently announced he will support only pro-choice judges to the Supreme Court. Kerry also believes that we should promote family planning and health plans should assure women contraceptive coverage.

These positions are the perfect opposite of the Church's, and if elected his standing as a "practicing" Catholic could generate significant -- and perhaps even monumental controversy -- leaving open the possibility that America's second Catholic President would be prohibited from receiving Holy Communion, the Church's defining sacrament.

Just last November Archbishop Raymond L. Burke -- now in St. Louis but at the time bishop of LaCrosse, Wisconsin -- issued a canonical notification prohibiting the Eucharist for pro-choice lawmakers.

"Catholic legislators who are members of the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse and who continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia may not present themselves to receive Holy Communion," said the notification. "They are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, should they present themselves, until such time as they publicly renounce their support of these most unjust practices." The document repeated the Vatican's teaching that Catholics involved in lawmaking have a "grave and clear obligation to oppose" any measure that is an attack on human life. "For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them," it says.

This was followed by a statement by New Orleans Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes -- who less than two weeks ago said that "the Louisiana bishops are sending a copy of this document to each of our elected Catholic public officials in Baton Rouge and Washington. When Catholic officials openly support the taking of human life in abortion, euthanasia or the destruction of human embryos, they are no longer faithful members in the Church and should not partake of Holy Communion. Moreover, citizens who promote this unjust taking of human life by their vote or support of such candidates share in responsibility for this grave evil."

January 2004

[cmotherofpirl]

Archbishop would refuse Communion to Kerry

Catholic presidential candidate's abortion stance at odds with church

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Posted: February 3, 2004

1:00 a.m. Eastern

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© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Polls show Missouri voters embracing John Kerry ahead of today's primary, but if the Catholic senator wanted to receive the church's Holy Communion sacrament in St. Louis, he would be rejected.

The new archbishop of St. Louis, Raymond L. Burke, said if the Massachusetts Democrat stood in line for Communion, he would give a blessing but not serve Communion, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Sen. John Kerry

Kerry's support of abortion rights puts him at odds with the Catholic Church's teaching.

The archbishop of Kerry's Boston diocese, Sean O'Malley, has urged Catholic elected officials to voluntarily not receive Communion, but he has not banned priests from giving it.

Burke said he agreed with O'Malley, but he would take the issue a step further.

"I would have to admonish him not to present himself for Communion," he said, according to the St. Louis paper. "I might give him a blessing or something."

As WorldNetDaily reported last month, as bishop of La Crosse, Wis., Burke issued a formal decree barring any Catholic lawmaker in his diocese who favors abortion from participating in Communion.

Kim Molstre, a Kerry campaign spokeswoman, responded to the St. Louis paper Friday.

"The archbishop has the right to deny Communion to whoever he wants, but Senator Kerry respectfully disagrees with him on the issue of choice," Molstre said.

In an interview Wednesday in St. Louis, Kerry said "what I believe personally as a Catholic as an article of faith is an article of faith." But as a public official, he said, it was not "appropriate in the United States for a legislator to legislate personal religious beliefs for the rest of the country."

Burke has said he would ask a meeting with any St. Louis lawmaker who disagreed with church teaching on abortion or capital punishment.

"On life issues, this is a serious issue for bishops, a grave problem for the church, which has to be addressed," Burke told the Dispatch.

Worldnetdaily

[dUSt]

If Clinton can find a priest to give him communion, I'm sure Kerry would be able to find one too.

[Kilroy the Ninja]

Again I say, how sad for them.

[PaxChristi7]

The last I heard, he is pro-choice. How do Catholics justify voting for him? Well, being out of work or health insurance is a higher priority for some people, even Catholics.

Even so, I think that's terrible.

Suppose there was a candidate who had the greatest educational plan, the best economic plan to cause tremendous growth in the amount of jobs available, a superb plan to aid the homeless and renew the inner-city, the best health care plan..............and he was a Nazi. Would you be justified in voting him into office?

Of course not, because he also believes in the mass extermination of the Jews.

The mass extermination of our children at the hands of abortion is a far greater evil then having proper health care or a good economy. What good does it a man to have the whole world and forfeit his soul? If we really were "pro-life" we would readily live in third-world conditions if it meant that our children would not be murdered.

At this moment in time, there is no legitimate reason for any Catholic to support a candidate who supports abortion, and the Pope has made this clear. So much so that any Catholic who does support abortion is excommunicated. Now, there are degrees of excommunication (this isn't a Martin Luther form of excommunication), but by supporting abortion you have seperated yourself from the universal Church and God.

[socalscout]

I am truly happy that our Church is taking a stand and holding ground on politicians who vote pro-choice. They must weigh their positions in office against that of God. Kind of a shocker that the decision would be a struggle.

[PaxChristi7]

John Kerrey is very pro-choice. He has openly stated that he will only appoint judges to the federal bench who will uphold Roe. He has fundraised for NARAL and Planned Parenthood. He has received campaign donations from these groups and others such as NOW. There can be no doubt which side of the aisle Joh Kerrey is on when it comes to abortion.

And yet he was absent for every vote on the partial birth abortion ban for the past several years. John Kerry's voting record is horrible and is almost entirely contrary to what he's preaching now. The man is a phony and I can't believe so many people are supporting him! Doesn't anyone listen to Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh?!

I can't understand Catholic voters at all anymore. In fact, I can't say I understand American Catholics anymore. 50% of them vote pro-choice, more than half use contraception, and they blame the clergy for being the source of the Church's problems. *sigh* When will we listen to Authority?