Kerry's Respect for His Catholicism
From the New York Times:Rejecting the admonitions of several national Roman Catholic leaders, Senator John Kerry received communion at Easter services today at the Paulist Center here, a kind of New Age church that describes itself as "a worship community of Christians in the Roman Catholic tradition" and that attracts people drawn to its dedication to "family religious education and social justice."
Mr. Kerry's decision to receive communion represented a challenge to several prominent Catholic bishops, who have become increasingly exasperated with politicians who are Catholic but who deviate from Catholic teaching.
Mr. Kerry, the presumed Democratic presidential nominee, supports abortion rights and stem cell research, both of which are contrary to church teaching. He and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, are regular worshipers at the Paulist Center, which is near their home on Beacon Hill.
Last November, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops organized a task force headed by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington to study how the church should treat Catholic politicians like Mr. Kerry, who say they are personally opposed to abortion, for example, but support abortion rights legislatively. There has been a long line of such politicians, including Mario Cuomo, the former governor of New York, and Geraldine Ferraro, the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 1984.
The task force has not issued any specific recommendations, but some members have discussed a range of penalties, from withholding communion to excommunication.
Matt's Chat
In Kerry's defense (here's your "What the - " moment), the Catholic theocracy hasn't gone so far as to ban Kerry and like minded Catholics from receiving communion; but he has been informed by several church officials that he shouldn't. Kerry, displaying all the arrogance of a liberal elite, and none of the humility needed for receiving Christ in to your body, went ahead and received the Eucharist anyway.If the Catholic theocracy wants to solve this problem, they need to take specific action. And then watch John effing Kerry defy them anyway. Now that would be a story.
Mark's Remarks
Mr. Kerry shows remarkable arrogance, especially for one who claims to understand the minds of the common folk. Common folk do what their church leaders tell them, or suggest to them, to do. Mr. Kerry spat in the face of church leaders, and I hope he pays a dear price from the Catholic voting bloc come November.
Mr. Kerry is really only doing the church thing because it gets votes and press, he is as much a practicing Christian or catholic as I am a practicing Martian. Mr. Kerry is a totally political animal, and getting the Eucharist on Easter makes a good photo op, so he found a church that will allow him to do it. It is all about the power of the photo op.
Sad that Mr. Kerry holds the authorities of his denomination in such low regard that he would thumb his nose at them. Shameful, but typical.
