Catholic bishops weigh political involvement in 2008 election

[Nikki Stone1]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070621/ap_on_re_us/catholic_bishops_politics&printer=1;_ylt=AupKUTu6wQo1XHZxwJpV2oxH2ocA

.....As most of the nation's 268 active Catholic bishops met for a private retreat this week in New Mexico, questions were building about how prominent their voices will be in the 2008 race.

Will some follow the example of Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, R.I., who last month called the pro-abortion rights position of Catholic GOP candidate Rudy Giuliani, "pathetic and confusing?" Will abortion dominate the bishops' statements on the election, or will immigration and poverty?

Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput said in an interview with The Associated Press that official Catholic involvement depends on which candidates and issues emerge from primary season. A vocal proponent of calling on Catholic politicians and voters to follow church teachings, Chaput also made it clear he thinks the time for behind-the-scenes diplomacy with politicians is over.

"I personally think that anybody that is pro-choice as a Catholic is not being faithful to his Catholic identity, and I think that people who are Catholics, when they look at those issues, should take that into consideration when they vote," Chaput said before leaving for the retreat. "I didn't name names last time, and I'm not going to name names this time. But I think if you study people's history and their records, you know the people."....

[PSPS]

1. Will the IRS now "weigh Catholic bishops' political involvement in 2008 election?"

I'm sure bush has eliminated the funding for that department of the IRS too, just like he stopped funding the auditing section that dealt with "high income returns" (his criminal cronies.)

[BlooInBloo]

2. Beat me to it. :)

[AX10]

3. kick

I have no regrets about leaving the church.

[Nikki Stone1]

5. Great point. NT

NT

[antigop]

4. And anybody that is pro-war as a Catholic is not being faithful to his Catholic identity

But will we hear this? NO.

And will he name names? NO.

[rpannier]

6. How about the Death Penalty

The Church has voiced its opposition to that as well.

on edit:
And unjustified wars.

[smokey nj]

7. Isn't it funny how Catholic governors are never threatened with excommunication

whenever they fail to commute a death sentence?

[Nikki Stone1]

9. Ah....

It's all about control of women, I guess.

[pingzing58]

8. The U.S. Bishops think that they can become a shadow government

by threatening Roman Catholic politicians into submitting to
their wills.  Sounds like medieval Europe to me.  One thing is
to speak for the rights of the unborn as well as the rights of
women.  But for a RC politician to represent the views of the
Bishops and not the views of his or her entire constituency is
unethical.  When Chaput said that he will not name names but
asks us to look at the candidates voting records he means that
some so called family values organization is going to publish
a voters guide that will inform us that voting for a Democrat
is inconsistent with Catholic Faith and values.  These guides
will be placed in our churches and we will be asked to read
them. Now knowing we will not be able to vote in good
conscience for any of those democrats.  And the shadow
government will have shown its power to control our country.