Sometimes, the Village Voice hits a home run. The cover story in this week's edition analyzes Rudy Giuliani's professed Catholic credentials. Rudy's credentials collapse on several fronts in this article; and his effort at embracing the label, "Catholic," is shown to be the politically cynical maneuver it is.

On abortion, the article goes point-by-point in Giuliani's public career to demonstrate a man embracing the so-called right to abortion much more than politically necessary to get elected into office. In fact, as a matter of policy, Giuliani continued Mayor Ed Koch's practice of having the city fund abortions at city hospitals for women who could not afford it -- no questions asked. According to the article...

One of [Giuliani's] prime claims to the presidency, emphasized on the stump, is his slashing of the city's welfare rolls. But even as he found brutal new ways to cut the poor off the dole, he was using millions in city funds to subsidize abortions for women whose incomes were too high to meet [Federal subsidy] eligibility standards.

There are a lot more juicy bits about Rudy in this article. You should take time to read it. Warning, though, it's a relatively long article; so you might want to brew a pot of tea and be ready for a sit down.

Of course, many of the issues Village Voice trashes Rudy over are experiences shared by very many Catholics in this country. So the article seems a little over-kill in that sense; and, in most cases, would probably be glossed over. However, it is Rudy who's trying to wear his Catholicism on his sleeve in order to achieve support from some among the religious right; so he should take what's slung at him. Besides, with Rudy's cold, calculating and opportunistic approach to executive government -- one that creates a disconnect between government and the people government is supposed to serve -- I don't feel sorry for him in the least.

Whatever you think about Giuliani -- if you're like me, you don't think very highly -- he cannot publicly proclaim himself as the Catholic candidate.

By the way, I'm currently looking for a frame large enough for a tabloid page. The cover of the print edition -- Rudy, in cassock and surplice and his tongue stuck out -- is just too hilarious. I'm hanging this one in my room.

There's another side to the story, though. Remember that letter from Cardinal Ratzinger, during the last Presidential elections, where he gave pastoral guidance on how Catholic politicians promoting abortion should be treated? It seems our bishops are taking that guidance seriously this year. You can read about it in the article.