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Wednesday, April 20, 2005
US Elections: New Pope a Campaigner
Posted by Bob BrighamThis is a troubling history, via AmericaBlog, from AFP:
German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican theologian who was elected Pope Benedict XVI, intervened in the 2004 US election campaign ordering bishops to deny communion to abortion rights supporters including presidential candidate John Kerry. [...]A footnote to the letter also condemned any Catholic who votes specifically for a candidate because the candidate holds a pro-abortion position. Such a voter "would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for holy communion," the letter read.
The letter, which was revealed in the Italian magazine L'Espresso last year, was reportedly only sent to US Catholic bishops, who discussed it in their convocation in Denver, Colorado, in mid-June.
Sharply divided on the issue, the bishops decided to leave the decision on granting or denying communion to the individual priest. Kerry later received communion several times from sympathetic priests.
Nevertheless, in the November election, a majority of Catholic voters, who traditionally supported Democratic Party candidates, shifted their votes to Republican and eventual winner George W. Bush.
The new Pope has "intervened" in our elections because his wants to limit our rights to satisfy his dogma. Bill Frist has launched a holy war against dissent with plans to take it nuclear. Stopping the Theocoms from achieving absolute power will be a defining battle for the 80% of the public who doesn't want government run by zealots. I can't imagine a rationalization for a Democrat ending up on the wrong side.
Posted at 12:23 AM in Democrats, International | Technorati