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Pope John Paul II
Novo Millennio Ineunte, no. 50

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· ActNow!: Life After Capitalism
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On the Pastoral Letter

Comment added by WilliamSB on Sun 1 Aug 2004 - 08:29 h

I am so glad you found this website supportive. There are others like it on the web, and public communication of Catholic support for John Kerry continues to grow.

I am curious what Pastoral Letter you are talking about from the USCCB. I suspect you are discussing the Pastoral Letter, Catholics in Political Life. If so, I do not have a problem with the substance of that Pastoral Letter.

The statement does not address whether or not a Catholic can vote for Kerry. In fact, the statement issues a strong warning that... "The polarizing tendencies of election-year politics can lead to circumstances in which Catholic teaching and sacramental practice can be misused for political ends."

This Pastoral Letter unquestionably affirms the dignity of the human person and the obligation of government towards the common good in upholding the right to life for everyone, including the pre-born. It also reminds the faithful of the sacredness of the Sacrament, and the need to receive the Sacrament worthily. I have no problem with either of those affirmations.

Essentially, this Pastoral Letter makes a strong statement about moral teaching and the sacredness of the Sacrament without issueing any public condemnation of persons. That is a prudent response to the controversy that has been brewing this year.

I think the right-wing Busholics actually have more to be angry about in this document than we do. Busholics were anticipating that the USCCB, in this document, would unequivocally and unanimously issue a public condemnation of Senator John Kerry and bar him from the Sacrament. Guess what... it aint goin' to happen. Such an action would be neither pastoral nor prudent. And it would involve the Bishops claiming for themselves the responsibility, that rightfully belongs to the lay-Faithful, of engaging in the realm of civil affairs.

As it stands now, Busholics are left spinning this document to make it proclaim the kind of condemnation they anticipated from it. That makes me wonder, though. If we cannot count on honesty and credibility from those who work at the grassroots, how could we ever expect it from our government?

Theodore Roosevelt

"To announce that there should be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American people."

CfD News

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· RNC Displace NYC's Homeless
· Pro-Life Democrats Are Not So Naive
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· UN human rights expert urges Peru, US to protect health trade deal
· John Kerry Picks Running Mate
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· Vatican Status Raised at UN
· Changes Afoot
· Changes Afoot at CfD

Blogs

· When Will They Ever Learn?
· Deal Hudson -- Conservative Catholic Publisher Who Cost Administrator of KerryCatholics.com His Job At USCCB
· Bush: Flip-flopper
· Speaking of Catholics for Bush...
· Catholics for Bush Got A Troll!
· Wisdom of Saint Benedict & the Founding Fathers
· Christian Law
· Education: Bush v. Kerry and vice versa
· Catholic(?) League Is At It Again!
· Action Alert: New "Pax Christi, USA" Statement

hugetim's Blog

· Bush: Flip-flopper
· Education: Bush v. Kerry and vice versa
· Is it possible?
· Why Catholics Should Vote Against Bush
· Voter's Guide Seriously Flawed
· FactCheck.org is Essential
· Ratzinger: Catholics can vote Democrat!
· Forced Abortions in America: an Epidemic?
· Minimum Wage
· 4th of July Minute Meditation

WilliamSB's Blog

· When Will They Ever Learn?
· Deal Hudson -- Conservative Catholic Publisher Who Cost Administrator of KerryCatholics.com His Job At USCCB
· Deal Hudson -- Conservative Catholic Publisher Who Cost Administrator of KerryCatholics.com His Job At USCCB
· Speaking of Catholics for Bush...
· Catholics for Bush Got A Troll!
· Wisdom of Saint Benedict & the Founding Fathers
· Christian Law
· Catholic(?) League Is At It Again!
· Action Alert: New "Pax Christi, USA" Statement
· Consistent Ethic of Life Means... Consistent Ethic of Life

CfD -- NYC

· Catholics for Democracy -- NYC