Bishop Thomas Tobin has come to recognize what I hope many Catholic Democrats will come to realize: the Democrat party is now the anti-Catholic party.
Go here to read the rest. I hope he starts a trend but I am not holding my breath. For far too many Catholic Democrats their religion is their political party and Catholicism, at most, is a cultural affinity for bells and smells when they bother to show up for mass. Judging the send off that Ted Kennedy got in 2009, read about it here, with a Cardinal presiding at his funeral mass, I must say that a large portion of the institutional Church in this country has been happy to accommodate this betrayal of Christ.
The Democrats have Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Patrick Leahy, etc. The Republicans have Chris Christie, Rudy Giuliani, George Pataki, etc. The difference is ???????????????????????????
John 18:33-38
33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” 35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”
“The difference is ???????????????????????????”
You can find that Paul in the horde of pro-life legislation passed in the States since the Republicans took control of a majority of state legislatures in 2010. Even Christie has led efforts in New Jersey to defund Planned Parenthood. As for Pataki and Giuliani, they help explain how New York, in effect, became a one party state.
I know you are correct, Donald, for which reason I vote Republican when given a choice between only Democrat and Republican. In fact, I always encourage everyone to vote against the Democrats. But Psalms 146:3 comes to mind: “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.”
That is correct Paul. Politicians are almost always, at best, the lesser of two evils. The only exceptions that come to mind readily for me during my lifetime are Ronald Reagan and Henry Hyde.
Politics are essentially coersion and deceit.
The so-called blue model promotes abortion and feeds on class envy/hatred.
Is the bishop signalling that one cannot be a good Catholic and a democrat?
Next on the bishop’s to-go list should be: shame the despicable democrats.
The CNS article links to more extended excerpts from WPRI. They’re definitely worth reading. To Paul’s comment, the bishop held up his baptismal certificate and Republican registration and said that he believed that they were complementary, but he knew which one he would want on-hand at the Judgement.
I do not know that it is necessary for Bishops to announce their party registration (or register in the first place).
I had somehow missed it that Cdl. O’Malley had dirtied himself with the Kennedy requiem. Clerics generally have a talent for evasion and passive-aggressive behavior; you wonder why they could not put some of that to work to avoid appearing at another ceremony of the Kennedy cargo cult. (Mary Jo Kopechne could not be reached for comment…).
[…] Stat’n to the Stars! LCWR Calls Relationship w/Church: Delicate Weaving – Tanya Goodman Bp. Th. Tobin Recognizes the Democrats are Anti-Catholic – D. McClarey Another Stuntsuit Against Vatican Dismissed, Media Mute – The Mdia Rep […]
“Catholicism, at most, is a cultural affinity for bells and smells when they bother to show up for mass.”
When was the last time you were at a Catholic religious service that featured bells and incense?
One year ago.
“The only exceptions that come to mind readily for me during my lifetime are Ronald Reagan and Henry Hyde. ”
Christopher Henry Smith (RNJ) changed to Republican some 40 years ago. Andy Harris (RMD). Paul Ryan.
I think that Catholic bishops should not be registered in any political party. I remember the late Cardinal O’Connor of New York stated that he had always been registered as a “blank” (a term of art in New York).
I too, don’t think it is prudent for a bishop to reveal his political affiliation. But now that His Excellency has let the cat out of the bag, I have to ask, what the hell took him so long.
I mean the Democrats have supported abortion and other moral decay for more than forty years. If it took until 2012 for Bp. Tobin to have an “a ha”, he’s in serious need of a brain cell implant. And he is supposed to be one of the “better bishops” in the American Hierarchy.
Knowing the Church belongs to the Lord and not these guys fills me with confidence.
I haven’t seen any Dems at Traditional Masses (bells and smells). They are typically fully of deeply conservative people (both religiously and politically). Not sure why anyone shows up for Mass where there are no bells or incense because where they are lacking both reverence and devout worship appear to be lacking as well. Maybe Bishop Tobin will note the same thing many other Bishops are noticing…that for every Modernist seminarian there are four Traditionals.
The real question is how any Catholic, especially a priest, could have ever supported the Democratic (sic) Party. But it’s better late than never that the bishop saw the light. The Democratic (sic) Party has, for decades, served the agenda of the devil. Its members have worked against every Christian value, principle and tenet. It’s ideology has served to enslave more people to an ever greater tyrannical state which has taken over the rights and responsibilities of the individual and parent and has served to keep minorities in perpetual poverty. It continues to instigate class, sex, econmical and generational warfare and considers its members a class of self-appointed aristocrats who demand allegiance to their ideology of hypocrisy, double standards, hatred of truth, virtue, and responsibility.
It’s a tough road to walk, being a devout Catholic in the Democratic Party. I’ve known some. You have to believe in the party’s approach to caring for the poor, and be willing to speak up against abortion. As the years go by – check that, as the generation who were adults in the 1970’s (when Roe was decided, and both parties were feeling their way around the issue) leaves the limelight and a younger generation who has seen D=abortion and R=life all of their lives come of age – the pro-life Democrat vanishes from the conversation. Also, as happened with this bishop, whatever personal pro/con list you’ve come up with to remain a Catholic Democrat has got to have had a few additions in the con column in the last few years.
Media Headlines if Romney Were President: “Hunger and Poverty Continue To Expand To Unprecedented Levels”
From Drudge: More Catholic than . . .
“In a video featuring Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson, the TV star – in what appears to be a religious sermon – declares his pro-life stance on the issue of abortion. When discussing the ethics of, and that there’s even a debate on, the issue, he asks, ‘What in the world happened to us?’
“‘Listen, from the time you started inside your mother’s womb, Thomas Jefferson had it right, you have the God-given right to life for crying out loud. You’re this long (pointing to his finger). You’re a week old inside your mother. They suck you out of there when you’re about like that (point to finger again). You wouldn’t be here tonight!'”
How can one be a democrat and a Catholic?
PS: Voting for charlatons that promise to confiscate more money from people whom you envy and hate is not a corporal work of mercy. Matt. 25 (it’s nowehere else, and misinterpreted: least of My brothers – Christ defines his brothers = he who does my Father’s will: it ain’t democrat constituencies) has been subverted by deceitful pols for evil purposes.
No kumbaya for you!
On dem party helping the poor:
Instapundit: “I think a lot of leftists like to believe there’s a fixed pot of goodies, and then arrogate to themselves the power to distribute its contents. Declinism fits their preferences better than growth.”
Salena Zito, “Washington’s media class spends much of its energy inciting political divisions or writing about them, dedicating great gobs of print, airtime and social media to chopping up Americans by race, political party, culture or religion.”
Gotta love poor people, and make more poor people!
In 2000, 64% of working-age Americans held a job. Today, 58.7% of working-age Americans has a job.
In 2000, there were 17 million Americans on food stamps. Today, there are more than 47 million.
In 2000, the ratio of social welfare benefits to salaries and wages was approximately 21%. Today, the ratio of social welfare benefits to salaries and wages is approximately 35%.
Since Barack Obama entered the White House, the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States has risen from $1.85 to $3.89.
7/9/2013: CNS News reports: “The number of Americans receiving subsidized food assistance from the federal government has risen to 101 million, representing roughly a third of the U.S. population.
Stop me . . .
It is wrong to make so blanket an assertion. The Republicans have have as much blood on their as hands by the way that stand in opposition to things that the the USCCB clearly supports such as immigration reform. Yes, the Democrats are clearly wrong and promote things that go against Catholic teaching on matters such as abortion, contraception and same-sex marriage.
The Republicans, however oppose so many things that Catholic teaching does support, gun control, health care reform, immigration reform, and yes, even treating same sex attracted people with dignity as human beings. On need only listen to the vitriol spouted by people, Catholics!, like Pat Buchannan, Bill O’Reilly, and Laura Ingraham as proof of this.
Rubbish. Being in favor of gun control is not part of the dogma of the Catholic Church, ditto the endless boondoggle known as ObamaCare, attempted legalization of illegal aliens and efforts to pretend that homosexuality is perfectly normal and right, the political stances of some silly clerics notwithstanding. Your attempt to claim that Republicans have blood on their hands is rich when one considers the million unborn who will be put to death this year in the US thanks to the unwavering support for abortion uber alles of almost all elected Democrats.
Zippity,
Admit it. To your mind, to oppose the normalization of homosexual conduct is spouting vitriol.
@ Zippity_Do_Daddy: “The Republicans have have as much blood on their as hands by the way that stand in opposition to things that the the USCCB clearly supports such as immigration reform.” Really ? Perhaps you don’t live in a border state like I do, but FYI enforcing illegals’ behavior with a nonexistent fence and deporting illegal aliens isn’t the same as killing them. If it is, then their countries of origin are the killers. They get tons of free health care — so no killing in the medical field. They get all kinds of help with crisis pregnancies — and with normal pregnancies — note millions of anchor babies born in public hospitals at public expense. YOU AMERICAN MOTHERS — NO FREE BABIES FOR YOU. YOU AREN’T AS GOOD AS THE MIGRANTES BECAUSE YOU WON’T HAVE AS MANY BABIES (I wonder why…). All kinds of free food, education, you name it — from church AND state. All kinds of jobs taken from Americans because with all the supplemental help and income, they can afford to accept lower wages and undercut EVIL GRINGOES.
Zippity_Do_Daddy is the reason why I do not dialogue with liberals. I may dislike the Republicans, but I will always vote for them if only to vote against the Democrats.
The USCCB needs to focus on the Gospel of conversion and repentance, NOT on boon-doggle social justice programs that enrich and empower Caesar while emasculating our liberty.
Gun Control: there are three things the enemy may have only once I am dead: my Bible, my Rosary and my mini-14.
Immigration Reform: why should it take 2 years for a hard-working, dedicated and extremely bright nuclear engineer from Nigeria whom I know to receive citizenship, but illegals with nothing to contribute but crime and drug addiction sneaking over the border can get amnesty?
There is a place where the USCCB can shove its social justice idiocy.
Catholic Democrats have done more to destroy America than the Communist Party ever hoped to do. And the Catholic Bishops and clergy in America are going to have a lot of explaining to God about why so many of them remained giving their name identification and support to the only worldly organization responsible in the U.S. for keeping the murder of the unborn – legal.
Catholics are the largest single group of people that endorse with their names, and support with their time, money and votes the pro-abortion, pro-homosexual marriage, anti-freedom of religion, anti-God Democratic Party. That support gives the Democrat Party the ELECTORAL POWER to continue their attack against God’s greatest gifts – life, marriage, and liberty.
The Republicans, however oppose so many things that Catholic teaching does support, gun control, –
You have confounded Catholic teaching with the output of the position-paper graphomaniacs on the staff of the bishops’ conference and various diocesan chanceries.
Catholic World Report used to have a mordantly amusing feature wherein they would begin with a hypothetical – asking what if you were in charge of [insert philanthropic apostolate] and you had $500 to spare, what would you do with it? They would list three or four options (e.g. “give it to the Missionaries of Charity”). The punchline would be, “well, if you are [insert the name of mid-level Church-o-crat] of the [list name of diocese, order, or apostolate], you give it to the John Kerry for President campaign”. Appended would be a link to the entry in the Federal Election Commission database showing the contributor, listed occupation, and the value of the contribution (largish if it makes it into a public database).
These characters have generated a great deal of confusion.
Does anyone recall the “Catholics for Kerry” blog? Crisis published a brief note about the moderator, then on the staff of the U.S. Catholic Conference. Thus exposed, he was dismissed, much to the consternation of the National Catholic Reporter. In the intervening years, he landed on his feet:
http://www.sacredheart.edu/academics/collegeofartssciences/academicdepartments/philosophytheologyreligiousstudies/religiousstudies/facultystaff/onoekehphd/
Both parties have the same agenda. Oppression of the poor and marginalized militarism and eugenics through abortion and disease escalation against the poor. We need to eliminate the 1% control over our government.
Rubbish. “Disease escalation against the poor” is a fitting coda to this congealed rubbish.
John S, just compare two Administrations, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama, in terms of employment, average household incomes, extent of taxation on workers’ pay, revenue to the Federal treasury from taxes, national debt, and American security and see if there is no difference between the two agendas.