The Wisdom of a Boston Taxi Driver

by: Raymond L. Flynn
National President of Your Catholic Voice
August 18, 2003

It was certainly a day of hope for many people following the recent Installation of Boston's new Archbishop, Sean Patrick O'Malley, OFM Cap. I had a wonderful opportunity to discuss the entire day's events doing commentary for various television programs, interviews on radio and during the installation on WHDH Channel 7 for almost four hours. From eight o'clock in the morning on July 30th, it was non-stop, right up to NECN and Newsnight with Chet Curtis and Jim Braude.

For the first time in a long time, many Catholics were in an upbeat mood, especially our many loyal priests. Archbishop O'Malley in his inspiring homily said what needed to be said when he recognized the faithful service of the vast majority of priests and in doing so, brought tears to the eyes of people at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, along with the millions watching on television.

I have heard many remarkable and inspiring speeches in my day, but Archbishop O'Malley's stands out as not only the best homily I ever heard, but also one of the most important public messages I ever heard. Archbishop Sean reminded me why I got into politics, and why I am proud to be a Catholic. His words about seeing the goodness of Christ in everyone, the importance of helping and defending the poor, the elderly, the sick and the unborn was something I haven't heard in a long time.

But I learned from my earliest days in active politics, that the best way to measure the reaction to a message is to listen to the people in the coffee shops, barbershops and if you are really lucky, a cab driver. Running up a $70.00 cab bill on Wednesday, I certainly had the opportunity to hear the reaction of one such informed and opinionated taxi driver who was listening to National Public Radio when he first picked me up at my home in South Boston. He hit me with a question almost as soon as I got into the cab, "Did I think President Bush should send American troops in Liberia?" After a quick stop at a coffee shop in the South End, he dropped my wife Kathy and I off at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross Church where many people, including my son Ed, stood outside the Church waiting for the doors to open.

We spoke to several of the abuse victims and their families who had been invited to attend the Installation. Their courage in accepting the invitation was an inspiration to thousands of faithful Catholics as Archbishop Sean made an emotional apology for all the pain that victims have suffered. Later, on the way over to the reception at Saint John Seminary in Brighton, my driver friend told me that President Bush had just made a statement against same sex marriage. He said to me, what business is it to the president? Why should the president and pope tell us what's right and wrong? I reminded him that Pope John Paul II is a man who is opposed to any act or policy of discrimination directed against homosexuals. But he also strongly believes in the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, and that it is morally imperative for Catholic politicians to vote against the legalization of same sex marriages. This is an appropriate function of the pope as the world's most important moral voice.

Only the day before I had received a copy of a just released Vatican statement in which the pope had once again addressed the issue of same sex marriages. "The Church teaches that respect for homosexual persons can not lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions. The common good requires that laws recognize, promote and protect marriage as the basis of the family and the primary unit of society." The Church can not fail to defend these values, for the good of men and women, and for the good of society itself.

I read closely the Vatican report because I knew the very next day I would be in the media crossfire defending the Church's position to a hostile media. My debate with Congressman Barney Frank on the Bill Maher Show, along with movie star Alex Baldwin, taking Hollywood's liberal side was certain to be challenging.

But for me, the historic day's events, were best summed up by a lady at the reception immediately following the Installation. She pulled out a copy of the day's Boston Globe and told me that my comments reflected exactly how she felt. Three other ladies sitting with her, nodded in agreement. She read my quote, "I hope they give Archbishop Sean the opportunity to heal the victims and unite the Church." But my last quote in the story was the one in which so many other Catholics told me they were moved by. I said, "that during Mass at the Cathedral, when Archbishop O'Malley raises the Holy Eucharist, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and then distributes Holy Communion to the victims of abuse as well to the people of the Archdiocese of Boston, the healing in the Church, will begin.

But my day was not over. On our way home, I had yet another conversation with a Boston cab driver. This time, the conversation was about children, "Mr. Mayor," he said, "you have a bunch of kids and you know it's pretty tough to raise kids in Boston with all the violence and drugs. So tell me, why haven't our politicians been able to do something to improve public education in Boston? I want to take my three kids out of these bad schools, but I can't afford to pay the high tuition costs in the few remaining Catholic schools we have left in Boston."

I also told my Haitian taxi driver friend, "It's not about education: it's about power and control. Whoever has it, doesn't want to share it. Not the politicians, not the unions, and certainly not the educational bureaucracy. They have reputations and political turf to protect. The only way you get that power and control is to seize it at the ballot box. You can't do that when most people don't vote. But at least you are talking about it, that's a good thing. But you've got to do more than talk and complain about it. You and your neighbors must get involved. You can make a difference."

At first, he didn't want to take any money from me for the taxi fare. He said the encouragement was enough. "I learned a lot," he said. "Why don't you get back in politics again, Mayor Flynn?" he said. Without thinking, I replied, "I want good people like you to believe me. Unfourtunately, people don't trust or believe politicians anymore." With that, I gave him his money and wished him a good night.

________________________________

Raymond L. Flynn is National President of Your Catholic Voice. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican from 1993 to 1997, and Mayor of Boston from 1984 to 1993. For additional information, contact (617) 269-0909

Your Catholic Voice is a movement to promote faithful citizenship based on the fundamental truths of the Catholic Church relating to Life, Family, Freedom and Solidarity. For information go to Your Catholic Voice http://www.yourcatholicvoice.org

Contact

Your Catholic Voice
http://www.yourcatholicvoice.org CA, US
Ambassador
Raymond L. Flynn - President, 661 869-1000

Email

info@yourcatholicvoice.org

Keywords

Bishop, Catholic, Archbishop, Homosexual

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