wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Thanks for you blog :)

Ms. Kennedy's statement that the goal is to decrease the number of abortions is not correct. The purpose is to stop all abortions. For example, it would not be enough to make armed robbery legal and to try to convince people not to do it, in order to make it less common. We make it illegal so that anyone who does it is convicted of a crime. The purpose is to end all abortions, just as it was to end slavery, so the Democratic Party approach is not acceptable for Catholics. A nice rationalization, though.

Grew up Catholic and at age 39 became a Born Again Christian. It was then that I began to see the falsities in the Roman Catholic Church and left, bringing out my children as well. Been out for 25 years and still get angry when I realize how my salvation was in jeapordy while in that false "religion."

Folks,
Jaygee wrote:
"Religion is the root of all evil. Thanks to you all for confirming it. What perverted ideas of living life you believers have, preventing reasonable people from living happily for today rather than living in fear of what might happen after you die. That is tragic."

I think this is where we Catholics came in. This is the stuff that the Romans were spouting during the days of the Empire. We persevered and eventually nurtured European Civilization to its great peaks, but the old lies continue to be sold by people like Jaygee.

Folks,
Even though AIDS is not spread by preaching but by sex outside the bounds of monogamy, "peter from manhatten" writes:
"why do catholics tiptoe around this plain fact, always claiming the moral highground? nauseating." Because, catholics hold the moral high ground. As in: "Abstinence only."

Just a note, the pope has only spoken infallibly twice since the Doctrine of Infallibility was passed in 1870. It was accepted before that, but not formally passed.
The infallibility holds in matters of faith and morals.
For a moral truth to be binding, it does not have to be declared infallibly by the pope: it can be declared by a Council, or it can be the traditional teaching of the Church, called the Ordinary Magisterium. This last is seen in the Catholic Catechism, which requires our belief and our attempt to live by it. (Infallible statements are the Extraordinary Magisterium.)

it is a complete and utter lie to claim that the church is an organization that helps the situation with AIDS in africa! due to catholic policy, several million die every year. why do catholics tiptoe around this plain fact, always claiming the moral highground? nauseating.

Religion is the root of all evil. Thanks to you all for confirming it. What perverted ideas of living life you believers have, preventing reasonable people from living happily for today rather than living in fear of what might happen after you die. That is tragic.

Stephen,
You note in response to my points about your possibly becoming an Episcopalian:
"Excellent points. I think I'll remain an unaffiliated heathen. Cheers."
At least you'll be a bit more honest...and perhaps teachable.

Patrick,
Excellent points. I think I'll remain an unaffiliated heathen. Cheers.

Here's the essence of my email, which Mr. Lopate so kindly quoted in the interview:
1. Offical Catholic Church teaching requires -- requires -- Catholics to follow their
consciences. The Vatican's own website bears this out:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P5Z.HTM
2. The Pope himself does not think he's speaking infallibly. You heard me right; although Church teaching gives the Pope the authority to issue such a statement, in the 2,000+ years of Catholicism there have only been 2 statements that popes themselves labelled "infallible". (Plus both have to do with Mary, not with human moral issues.)

In other words, according to official Church teaching, a faithful Catholic is bound to
obey the Church, but not when a Church edict violates a person's faithfully-informed
conscience: to the contrary. Besides, as I say, even the Pope doesn't call such
pronouncements "infallible". BTW, the most basic, bedrock Catholic teaching is "love God,
love your neighbor, with a special emphasis on "the least among us."

Are the above points always made clear by the Pope and other Vatican officials? No. After
all, they're not infallible.

Stephen from New york asks: "Maybe I should just go high-church Anglican..." Maybe you should. If you do, though, you may be the only one there. The Episcopal Church has been falling apart ever since it lost its Established Status in a number of the colonies. It is now down to a national church that is smaller than several of the Catholic Archdioceses. The Anglican people have been figuring out that a church created by the state to meet the political needs of various kings and queens has very little to do with love of god and much more to do with love of the state's needs.

I agree on the social justice - also with the first commenter - but I am not really a formally practicing catholic

Leonard!! You MUST distinguish Pelosi's and other politicians support of ABORTION RIGHTS from "supporting abortion"...really, I'm shocked at your sloppy vocabulary.

There has been no discussion ... pro-choice Catholic politicians are not prepared to receive Communion. They have removed themselves from the teaching of the Church, and can not receive Communion, which indicates union, not to mention the scandal it causes to ordinary Catholics, who follow the laws of the Church, as these people should do also.

I am Presbyterian and worked as a parish nurse in a Catholic church for many years. I was not allowed to recieve communion because I am not Catholic. How does Ms. Kennedy feel about the exclusion that priests practice among those of us who are Christians, but not Catholic?

I was raised in a traditional Catholic family and my faith has always been very important to me. Being raised in a poor immigrant family, my faith's emphasis on service to others motivated me to pursue a legal career advocating for low-income people. My choice of profession reflects my value system and, while I am not a perfect practitioner of my faith, I am wholly proud to call myself a Catholic. My sincerest thanks to Ms. Kennedy for writing this book (which I can't wait to add to my collection).

Kerry Kennedy sounds like she is running for office, not surprisingly. The Church is all of us, but it is led by the Pope, Matt. 16:18 et seq. and John 21:15 et seq, are pretty clear on that. That has been recognized from early on, as Irenaeus made clear in Adversus Haereses 3:3:2. Being a Catholic means that I accept the Teaching Authority of the Church (see Matt. 28:18-20). Andrew Sullivan probably doesn't; Romans 1 is pretty clear on the unacceptability of homosexual conduct despite what Andrew may say. And as for Kery's tolerance of abortion, it is hardly a Catholic position.

As to Leonard's comment, quoting another person saying, why not leave if you don't agree: being Catholic to me feels like being a Democrat in the US when the Republicans are in charge. The REpublicans question me as to what should be happening, as to the constitution's intentions, I question them. But I can't move to Canada, because I am an American. This applies to some Bishops saying I am not Catholic if I vote one way.

The US Church's position on illegal immigration is particularly disgraceful and unchristian. Few opportunities to berate Americans on any resistance to the immivasion have been allowed to pass by.

As a point of information, the pope has said that the discussion of women priests is closed and over. Those who are in favor of women priests, need to study the theology behind it. And need to study who Mary is.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the United States has recently said that one issue can not disqualify a candidate for our vote. But, a candidate's stand on a single issue can disqualify him or her from our vote. The life issue is one such issue.

Catholicism remains an important influence in my life, after many years of vacillating in the
practice of my face. I am somewhat of a "cafeteria Catholic", pick and choosing my adherence to various rules. I believe in birth
control and divorce. I could never vote for
abortion- it is simply evil to me. I don't
know legally how laws against abortion can be
enforced, however. I leave those arguments for
other people. If abortion laws must be in place,
I pray no one ever has to use them I simply wish, as Catholics, we would focus less on "sexual sins" and try to live as better
people. The Church should do what it can to
challenge the gov't to help the poor and downtrodden, and worry less about bedroom
activities.

I'm a non-believer and social liberal who was raised Catholic. I still appreciate the spirituality of the Latin mass, the cult of the saints, and Church art and architecture. I just don't take it literally. Jews can be humanistic or even atheist and still be Jews. Any hope for us humanistic Catholics? I've noticed liberal Catholics often throw out the baby with the bath-water in trying to reform the faith, usually in a Protestant or suburban-American direction (all those churches that look like space stations, devoid of statuary and stained glass, blegh). Is there a way to combine tradition with reform? Maybe I should just go high-church Anglican...

When asked, I describe myself as "raised Catholic." I do not practice. However, this cultural awareness has helped me understand how strongly all religions can permeate people's lives and shape their actions--good and bad. It also came in handy during my college's James Joyce seminar.

To me, being Catholic now more than ever means staying connected intensely to the most important teachings of Jesus Christ: love others as yourself; conduct yourself always with peace, humility, and forgiveness; and care for the less fortunate. As American Christianity is, at least on its public face, trending toward Evangelical beliefs that seem to me so far away from these tenets, Catholicism remains to me a vital reminder of those simple principles.

And by the way, I'm pro-choice, pro-sex education, think gays should be allowed to be married, and women should have equal rights to men. I believe these ideals to be completely in line with Catholic teachings, even if they clash with the Catholic hierarchy.

Having turned my back on the church at 14, I find that at 55 the catholic chuch has no role in my life. It's stances on homosexuality, birth control and abortion are antiquated. Their dreadful handeling of the sexual abuse scandals makes me feel my 14 year old decision was the right one.

I grew up Catholic, though am no longer practicing. My grandmother was a Benedictine nun for 25 years (after my grandfather passed away) and Catholicism has always played a great role in my life. Though I am lapse, Catholicism has changed my life. It has oriented me towards a life of service and an ethic of Social Justice (my grandparents were friends with Dorothy Day, Eugene McCarthy, and JF Powers). Though this is not how outsiders interpret Catholicism, its rich history of service, justice, and social/spiritual liberty is something that inspires and drives me.

I am curious as to what Kerry Kennedy thinks about Catholicism in regards to the global environmental and human rights injustices perpetrated by corporations such as oil companies.

To be Catholic today means what it has always meant to be Catholic: to be in union with the teachings of the Catholic Church (theological and moral), to receive the Sacraments, to follow the five precepts of the Church, and the Ten Commandments.

I am a practicing Catholic and very active in my parish. I don't agree with all of the 'policies' of the church hierarchy and I don't feel that I have to in order to participate. I am in favor of ordaining women.
Many parishes depend on the work of lay people to get things done and there are many women volunteering their time to keep their parish
alive, active and vital and passing on their faith to the children of our community.

These are the roles it plays:
1. I am moral
2. I know right from wrong.
3. I am respectful of others.
4. I know that "this" is not all there is.
5. I can write a proper sentence that is spelled correctly!

And most of the time, I can recognize other Catholics by these virtues.

Finally, I know corruption exists in ALL organizations that mankind has created, not just a few.