There’s a new book
explaining Canon Law for lay people with emphasis on how it affects their daily
lives. It’s co-written by St. Blog’s own Pete
Vere, of Catholic Light. 🙂 I’ve added it to my wish list. If only I approved
of blegging…
I have a new linker. 🙂 Welcome to the family, Siris.
I’ll add you to the blogroll and my RSS reader. If I like what I see, you’ll stay
there. 🙂
David McCarthy (Pitt News) wonders why a priest at the Catholic Newman Center
critiqued his writing. Perhaps this sloppy and uninformative segment
demonstrates why. By the way, this
article is a follow-up to another
of his.
Sitting down with a priest at the Catholic Newman Center,
I politely asked the clergyman’s opinion [about why many Catholics would
not vote for Kerry]. He started talking about the church’s views on
abortion and that despite how the media portrayed them, Catholics tend
to be relatively split between voting for Kerry and Bush.He reminded me of the awesome knowledge members of the clergy
possessed and how, as a small child, hearing them speak always comforted
me. I even started to feel a little embarrassed for having taken such a
swipe at the Catholic Church in the first place.But then the priest’s tone changed, and he started to question my
abilities as a writer. He told me that my piece was unconvincing and
even offered me some tips on how I could make it as a journalist.I left the Newman Center feeling much the same way I did when I left
Catholic school: bad about myself. How could a Kerry supporter, a Bush
supporter, a Catholic and her mother, a celebrity and a superhero all
agree with and respect my writing if I lacked the ability to effectively
convey an opinion? I sighed when I knew the answer. While the Catholic
Church may offer holy teaching dating back to Christ, it hasn’t been in
touch with humanity for thousands of years. If I had presented the same
column to a priest in a different era, I probably would have been burned
at the stake or excommunicated.
I wonder which priest he interviewed. I wonder what he said about
the Church’s positions on abortion and pro-choice Catholic politicians.
I wonder what he said about why Catholics were split. If he was so awed
by the knowledge the clergy possess, why didn’t he share some of it with
his readers? Why did the priest’s criticism of his writing change his
feelings about the wisdom imparted to him?
The Pitt News allows readers to comment on articles. I invite my
readers, especially those in the Pittsburgh area, to respond to
McCarthy’s “journalism”. By the way, should Mr. McCarthy find his way
back here and criticize my writing, I won’t be upset. I’m not the one
pretending to be a journalist, writing for a rag that pretends to be a
serious publication.
One of my frequent commenters, Steve, has often lamented that conservative Christians have had to vote for right-wing candidates in order to advance their pro-life agenda. He'd like to see a Christian Left that embraced protecting the sanctity of life as a progressive ideal. I can't blame him. I'd like to someday see a candidate like Dorothy Day, St. Francis of Assissi, or Mother Teresa. I disagree with much of the Republican platform, but I may find myself increasingly resorting to voting for Republicans to fight the Culture of Death. That doesn't make me comfortable or confident. If only the Democrats can see their failure to connect with America this election as an opportunity to win back moral conservatives who the've marginalized and driven away. I won't hold my breath.
Rightward Shift May Squeeze Centrists
By Charles Babington and Juliet Eilperin
"Tuesday's Republican sweep of the South will reshape the next Senate, replacing moderate Democrats sometimes willing to cross party lines with ardent GOP conservatives who will press their leaders for a more right-leaning agenda, according to analysts."
I decided long before the election that I would not support the two-party system with my vote. At first, though, I was still open to the possibility. Before the Democratic primaries, I was shouting “Anyone but Bush in ’04” with other disgruntled citizens. Then I saw what the Democratic Party had to offer and I was beyond disappointed. Kerry got the nomination and for a while I thought, “If this man weren’t a poor excuse for a Catholic – perhaps an Anglican (I expect them to have muddled beliefs) – I might respect him enough to vote for him, if just to oust Bush.
As the campaign season progressed, however, Kerry and his rabid supporters made me dislike him more and more. He kept talking about grand plans he had, but never discussed their substance. He also stands polar opposite to me on abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and homosexual marriage. The last I can bend on, but the others are non-negotiable.