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Poltical Concerns in the Communion Debate

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By Fr. Robert J. Carr

The current controversy over the reception of Holy Communion by certain pro-abortion, or even Anti-Catholic, politicians needs to be viewed from more than one angle. Ecclesially, many are calling for these men and women to be restricted from communion. However, that discussion cannot shadow us from the political issues as well. Does anyone who walks into a church and arrogantly says to the community "I will do things my way, regardless of what you believe," belong in public office?

This is not a benign discussion. One of the most vicious tyrants of the Twentieth Century, Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican Republic maintained exactly that attitude in things spiritual. The dictator mocked God by standing in front of the word Dios (God) on the seal of the country, in official photographs, visually declaring himself to be Divine. He was an oppressor and a torturer to many of his people. His notorious death, in a hail of bullets, is a testament to his viciousness in life.

Likewise the Twentieth Century had another world leader who boasted of not listening to the Pope. John Kennedy was not that man. He never made mockery of the Catholic faith a campaign promise or method of self-promotion. I doubt he would agree with the current use of his name to promote Anti-Catholicism. Yet, there was a leader who made the famous statement "The Pope, how many [armored] divisions does he have?" when approached about the Pontiff's possible disapproval of the leader's actions. That man was Josef Stalin.

Embrace your Faith

These are not benign connections. As you have read in my columns before, innocent parishioners at my parish, The Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, suffered epithets and harassment for over two and a half years. Many of their persecutors terrified faithful Catholics who sought nothing more than to attend mass at their local parish. They emotionally abused children by telling them to hold their hands over their privates because there were priests in that Church. They also yelled to children and their parents entering that Cathedral to worship Christ that they were entering the "House of Rape". The actions were reminiscent of descriptions of harassment Catholic parishioners have suffered under other atheistic regimes.

My parishioners also endured a pro-gay marriage demonstration that interrupted their Sunday worship as twelve men kissed each other and then walked out of the Cathedral to the awaiting cameras of the local WB news outlets and New England Cable News.

The persecutors of faithful Catholics acted with at least the passive support of our elected officials including our two Senators. They also acted with the support of the ersatz Catholic organization "Voice of the Faithful," which enjoys the endorsement of the Paulist Center in Boston. This is the community where John Kerry receives communion to the applause of parishioners and the snap of press cameras.

Take a poll as to whom our persecutors support and which party platform they are behind and you may have a good measure of the candidate you do not want in office. Dig a little deeper and you may not only find the candidate our persecutors support, but the party that supports our persecutors.

There is the old story of the Atheist who stands in front of a crowd of people and calls on God to strike him dead. After nothing happens, he uses this as proof that God does not exist. It is a ruse. If God is God, He is not going to give in to the demand of anyone just to prove He exists. Such an arrogant act is not of religion, but of bad witchcraft, for it is a failed attempt to bend the will of the divine to the whim of the human.

The person who cannot humble himself before God will make himself out to be your God. So it always has been. If God is the source of all mercy, the person who, pridefully, postures before God will not understand mercy. If God is the source of all justice, the person who refuses to worship God on His terms will not be just. If God is the source of life, the person who mocks God will not ultimately be interested in anyone's life, but his own.

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

So it has always been. A politician who makes a mockery of the beliefs of a community because "he knows better than they do," may prove not to be an enlightened candidate, but a dangerous one who's election you will rue to the day you die.

William Golding's The Lord Of The Flies is a good example of what happens to the nation without God. Vote for the persecutor of any faith and watch that story come to life, again. Don't be Piggy.

Finally, may I add that to this day no candidate or elected politician from any party has denounced the actions of the protesters against innocent Catholic parishioners in and out of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross from 2002-2004.