Your Excellency:
I was shocked to see that Catholic Charities was once again extending an
invitation to President Barack Obama to speak at the Al Smith dinner. It is
especially appalling in view of the president’s refusal to enforce U.S. law (the Defense of Marriage Act) and his continued radical support for abortion. But
even more than that, his trampling of the conscience rights of Catholics and
other people of faith make the invitation a serious scandal. How can Catholics
in the pew believe what the Church teaches if our shepherds treat crucial moral
issues as though they are not serious. What kind of message does it send to see
the lighthearted laughter at the dinner considering the moral evils advanced by
this administration?
Your Excellency, I’m a mother of five who just welcomed my 21st grandchild
into the world. I have spent my entire adult life fighting abortion and even
spent time in jail on three occasions for defending the babies. I did it because
I firmly believe the little ones murdered at the abortion mills are no different
from my own children. I would like to think you believe that too. Do you, in
fact, think the lives of the babies are as important as the lives of priests,
bishops, archbishops, and cardinals? I regret to say, that it does not appear to
be so when a champion of child killing is honored by the archdiocese. And be
sure he and others see it as an honor to be the invited guest of the Cardinal of
New York.
There is precedent for not inviting a sitting president as I’m sure you are
well aware. Cardinal O’Connor did not invite Bill Clinton when he was president
and Cardinal Egan did not invite John Kerry when he was a presidential
candidate.
I beg you, Your Excellency, to imitate them and disinvite President Obama.
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Kreitzer
Excellent letter. However, if the debacle goes through as scheduled, will good Catholics of New York be prepared to be the Church Militant and take to the streets to protest? We've had to do this a number of times in DC, as reported on my blog. Sometimes we had to rebuke prelates to their faces. See http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2010/06/dc-prolifers-protest-gonzaga.html and watch that video to the end. Unless we are willing to emulate the courage of that woman who rebuked Cardinal McCarrick, and actually do so, our requests will be disregarded.
ReplyDeleteWe'll all have to be prepared to step out of our comfort zones when the polite notes are ignored.
Faithful Catholics of New York, please step up to the plate!
I don't understand Cardinal Dolan.
ReplyDeleteI live upstate NY, about 55 miles from NYC. If anyone is interested in protesting the dinner, I would like to join. Enough is enough. I think its all about the money, and the church has been in the pocket of the Federal Government for a long time. Dolan just appears to be conservative; he is a liberal in secret.
ReplyDeletebforshee@frontiernet.net
I recently reflected on the Transfiguration: Peter and James were there and their eyes and ears told them Jesus was God. But, later they were not their at the cross. Later when Mary Magdalene said: "He is risen," they didn't believe it. And later still, when they had seen Him and saw Him rise up to heaven, still, they hid in the upper room until Pentecost. They could not get themselves to believe and act like they did, despite all their senses told them.
ReplyDeleteI've read Cardinal Dolan's books, interviews, and heard him speak. He's suing the President, and many have said he is leading and uniting the bishops like has been never done before. Everything I've seen says I should have some trust in him. And so now when he does one thing I don't understand I should demand an explanation?? Is that what Peter and James were doing prior to Pentecost?
Dolan isn't Jesus, but I have no reason to believe he is Satan in shepherd's clothing either. Why does he (or God) have to explain everything to me? And what if he responded: "Well, I don't know why I did it; the Holy Spirit just moved me to." Who would we demand an answer of then?
I have a picture on the wall of my kitchen, above me right now. On it are the words: "Jesus, I trust in You." The words are easy to say, but harder to live out.
No one called Cardinal Dolan Satan, however an uncertain trumpet fails to send a warning, and the bishops are called to sound the trumpet! A little poison in a glass of water makes the entire glass undrinkable. We have an obligation to pray for our shepherds, but also to condemn scandal. Inviting Obama to the Al Smith dinner is more than imprudent; it is a serious scandal giving Obama a huge Catholic photo op right before the election. I wonder what you would think if Cardinal Dolan was honoring the grand wizard of the KKK.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann, YOU really helped me a lot...made it crystal clear...i.e. if Obama were stabbing priests in the back of the neck and sucking their brains out, would Cardinal Dolan still be meeting...thank you so much! Help me with your thoughts. I do not know if you believe in Medjugorje, however I do, I've never had any miracle in my life, I'm not some whack job, and I always verify, but I tell you that I did see the Miracle of the Sun at a recent apparition. This along with several other people's witness to me of various related miracles proved to me the veracity of those Marian messages. My question is, recently Mary said not to judge priests (this is just some of the wording from a few recent messages regarding same) " Pray for those whom my Son has chosen to lead you on the way to salvation. May your mouth refrain from every judgment." HELP?!? GregoryHohman@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteWith regard to Medjugorje, I don't believe it's authentic. Mary is too much like a vending machine spitting out banal messages that sometimes conflict with the faith. The lives of the visionaries also do not support it and the money machine that Medjugorje has become also points to Mammon, not God. If the Church rules it's real, I'll bow to the Church. In the meantime.... BTW I've been there and saw the piety among the people which was edifying. And I was blessed in a particular way, but that doesn't prove it's authentic. Many pious, prayerful people go to Medjugorje. God will bless them, but all the fruits of M. are not good. Donal Foley has a good book on the matter.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to priests, I don't judge them or anyone else for that matter. Judging people implies knowing the state of their souls which only God can do. We are, however, called to use our intelligence, the "seat of judgment," to judge actions. How else can a judge sit on a trial, for example? A priest once told me, "If you can't stop a scandal, the next best thing is to shine light on it." Unfortunately, many scandals today are being committed by the shepherds who are supposed to lead us. Perhaps that's why Jesus asked, "When I return will I find any faith on the earth?"
No one is "judging" Cardinal Dolan. We are questioning his wisdom in inviting Obama. This is not a question of civility or loving the sinner, but in giving a platform and photo op to someone who has pledged allegiance to the abortion industry and sworn he will not change his mind about the mandate. It could very well determine how many Cahtolics vote in what could be an extremely close election.
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