Opinion: Margaret Carlson, Anti-Catholic Catholic Seizing the Abuse Crisis to Change the Church?

By Deacon Keith Fournier
4/21/2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Margaret Carlson appears to be following Rahm Emanuel's advice to "never let a good crisis go to waste". Her appearance on 'Morning Joe' was an example of some in the media promoting dissenting Catholics. She tried to use the founder of the Catholic Worker movement to justify her pet peeves with the very Church which Dorothy Day loved. Her goal was to promote her agenda to change the Church.

Margaret Carlson.

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CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - I should have known better. As I sipped the first cup of my wife's wonderful coffee, I decided to see what "Morning Joe" had to offer. The last time I did that was Easter Monday morning. I was verbally assaulted by Mike Barnacle, an anti-Catholic Catholic, ranting about the "Old men in Rome", being egged on by Joe Scarborough, his Protestant enabler. That experience led to a column entitled "Benedicts Burden".

Wednesday morning, April 20, 2010 it was not Mike Barnacle; it was Margaret Carlson playing the role of what I call an "Anti-Catholic Catholic." She has become quite a presence on the pundit circle these days. This morning she referred to herself as a "Dorothy Day Social Justice Catholic." This is part of an effort to paint a division in the Church between what she calls "Social Justice Catholics" and those who do not share her view of politics or the Church.

Given Carlson's penchant for rejecting the teaching of the Magisterium (teaching office) of the Church, Dorothy Day would have had what my mother calls a 'conniption fit' upon hearing this identification. Margaret Carlson should read Dorothy Day before she tries to hide her dissent under her mantle. Dorothy Day is one of my heroes - along with Peter Maurin whose well worn "Easy Essays" is a must read for me regularly! I wonder if Carlson knows that the late beloved Cardinal O'Connor, with whom she would have had serious disagreements, is the one who presented Dorothy Day to the Holy See for canonization.

In his letter to the Vatican promoting her cause he wrote: "It has long been my contention that Dorothy Day is a saint - not a "gingerbread" saint or a "holy card" saint, but a modern day devoted daughter of the Church, a daughter who shunned personal aggrandizement and wished that her work, and the work of those who labored at her side on behalf of the poor, might be the hallmark of her life rather than her own self.

"To be sure, her life is a model for all in the third millenium, but especially for women who have had or are considering abortions. It is a well-known fact that Dorothy Day procured an abortion before her conversion to the Faith. She regretted it every day of her life. After her conversion from a life akin to that of the pre-converted Augustine of Hippo, she proved a stout defender of human life. The conversion of mind and heart that she exemplified speaks volumes to all women today on two fronts.

"First, it demonstrates the mercy of God, mercy in that a woman who sinned so gravely could find such unity with God upon conversion. Second, it demonstrates that one may turn from the ultimate act of violence against innocent life in the womb to a position of total holiness and pacifism. In short, I contend that her abortion should not preclude her cause, but intensifies it.

"It has also been noted that Dorothy Day often seemed friendly to political groups hostile to the Church, for example, communists, socialists, and anarchists. It is necessary to divide her political stances in two spheres: pre-and post- conversion. After her conversion, she was neither a member of such political groupings nor did she approve of their tactics or any denial of private property. Yet, it must be said, she often held opinions in common with them. What they held in common was a common respect for the poor and a desire for economic equity. In no sense did she approve of any form of atheism, agnosticism, or religious indifference.

"Moreover, her complete commitment to pacifism in imitation of Christ often separated her from these political ideologies. She rejected all military force; she rejected aid to force in any way in a most idealistic manner. So much were her "politics" based on an ideology of nonviolence that they may be said to be apolitical. Like so many saints of days gone by, she was an idealist in a non-ideal world. It was her contention that men and women should begin to live on earth the life they would one day lead in heaven, a life of peace and harmony. Much of what she spoke of in terms of social justice anticipated the teachings of Pope John Paul II and lends support to her cause"

Margaret Carlson tried to use the founder of the Catholic Worker movement to justify her pet peeves with the very Church which Dorothy Day loved. Carlson claimed to recall her childhood, referring to the authority of priests as being so great "back then" that the nuns "genuflected' when they came into the room. I am 55 years old and went to a parochial school. First, genuflection is reserved for worship and Carlson knows that. Second, I never saw any Nun act like that toward a priest. They respected the office of the Priesthood but they often held their own against individual priests!

Then she lit ...

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1 - 10 of 25 Comments

Elana Emerson
3 years ago
KNOW your enemies tactics - SAUL ALINSKY politics

"True revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism, Alinsky taught. They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within. Alinsky viewed revolution as a slow, patient process.
The trick was to penetrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties.... Many leftists view Hillary as a sell-out because she claims to hold moderate views on some issues. However, Hillary is simply following Alinsky’s counsel to do and say whatever it takes to gain power".

"Obama is also an Alinskyite.... Obama spent years teaching workshops on the Alinsky method. In 1985 he began a four-year stint as a community organizer in Chicago, working for an Alinskyite group called the Developing Communities Project.... Camouflage is key to Alinsky-style organizing. While trying to build coalitions of black churches in Chicago, Obama caught flak for not attending church himself. He became an instant churchgoer." (By Richard Poe, 11-27-07)

Those who know the "Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition" will be able to spot heretics from within, and those stating they are Catholics when indeed they are not.
Know your Religion.
Elana Emerson
3 years ago
Rather then personal opinions (which can be wrong or right),
if anyone wants to know the true teachings of the Church that Catholics are required to live up to, they should read:
"Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition" first printed in March, 2000.

This is especially important for cradle Cathlics, since in addition to the teachings in the old Baltimore catechism it includes relevant teachings for today's society.

In addition to purchasing this Catechism for anyone over age 16,
everyone needs to contact their Diocese Bishop and Parish Priest to make certain that this Catechism is PROMINENTLY on the web sites, and PROMINENTLY promoted.

This is the only way to stop the heretics.

Also - Obama and his main supporters are students of Saul Alinsky style of politics. Know your enemy.
dee
3 years ago
God said,If you love Me keep my commandments. Those who say they love me and don't follow my commandments are liars and no truth shall be found in them.
Nino Baldino
3 years ago
I stil have in my files copies of the 'catholic'worker..in which D.Day loved and endorsed the communist revolution in cuba. since when is a communist a candidate for sainthood.even into the mid 60s Day loved what was going on in Cuba and never once condemned the mass murders committed by her hero castro..I wonder why so many have left and died trying to leave cuba if she thought so highly of it..I guess she would have cheered when pres.clinton ordered the kidnapping of lil Elian and returned the little boy back to cuba even tho his mom drowned bringing him here to America..go figure this article and its 'twisted logic'...
Mary
3 years ago
Thank you, John Morton for giving facts and figures of the sex perversion in Churches in your country. We have always known the percentage of deviants in the Catholic Church is not as large as the Church haters want to portray through the Mass Media. The figures are certainly shocking had you included {Public Schools where pupils' abuse is more widespread just like in other Protestant Churches. Here in our country Kenya, we had a shocking story last night of a father who has been abusing his three children aged 7, 3 and 1 year. The 7 year-old boy exposed him. The children are so damaged Doctors fear for their survival and the mental torture shall live with them all their lives. And the man is not a celibate priest. He has a neighbour lover to boot. The Carlsons of this world are rotten to the core. Not only are they Anti-Catholic Catholics, but they hate themselves and are to be pitied and prayed for. They exhibit just how much they are miserable and tortured souls.
Elizabeth
3 years ago
I was raised in the Baptist Church. My father died when I was 14. At almost 16 I was an unwed pregnant teen. I was effectively and subtley put out of the Baptist Church, my mother ashamed of me and pressured by the church members threw me out of the house. I spent a few weeks after that living between friends homes and in a bus terminal. Wasn't long before I thought I had two options, either abortion or suicide. A counselor at the clinic I went to referred me to Catholic Charities. I was almost as afraid of the Catholics as I was of dying (thanks to the Baptist Teachings). Catholic Charities found me a place to stay with a wonderful couple until my son was a few months old, taught me how to care for him, assisted me in continuing with my education, child care etc. and never once ever asked for anything in return. If not for the Catholic Church either myself or my son or both would not have lived. My son, now a young man was the greatest gift I could have ever received! He is not only my child, but a good friend and frequently my teacher. Sadly, the Baptists are still the same hypocrites they were years ago.(John I0: 37 38 ) "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him."

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND GOD BLESS!!!!
Viorela
3 years ago
Hello all,

Blaming the Catholic Church is a very BIG sin against our God, against Jesus Christ our Savior.
We have not taken as a rule, daily behavior, action of a few priests.
In all religions are people who act against rules of God. So we have be united in our Creed and let another unfaithful people think and write whatever they want. We must pray for them finding the good way, the way toward God. All we are God children.
God bless you all!!!
Viorela
Bulbajer
3 years ago
Robert, I agree.
Ronald
3 years ago
Part of the problem is poor catechism training in the past. My parents were brought up Catholic and they knew little about the faith other than Jesus and Mary and a few of the gospel stories and value the Eucharist though they don't know why. They aren't aware of the Trinity (nor believe that the Church teaches us about it) that the liturgy is anything other than a waste of time, or even that the Church hierarchy serves any purpose, or that knowing anything about the Bible is important. Despite this, they think they understand everything there is to know about the Church.

Growing up, I didn't know much more despite going to a Catholic school and having communion classes.

It was only when I essentially became an atheist and married a Protestant that I discovered how little I knew about my faith and how rich and full of meaning and truth it was.

Given my experience, I'm not surprised at all the anti-Catholic Catholics. They need our sympathy and prayers and our instruction because the vast majority of them know *less* about the Catholic Church (or even Christianity) than the typical Protestant.
robert
3 years ago
KC, that the church can not tell the difference between the evils of pedophilia and the less obstructive adult homosexuality is the exact reason it is such crisis. Adult homosexualtiy is between 2 willing adults. Pedophilia is when one older person destroys someones life by molesting them when they come of age. If the church listened to victims then they would know this. Pedophilia = crime to be prosecuted.

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