Text: Letter of Catholic leaders to Obama over anti-Catholic Harry Knox

Here is the text of the letter signed by 20 catholic leaders (including myself, and probably by the time of publication, many more) sent to Obama over the outrageous appointment of anti-Catholic bigot Harry Knox to the President's Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships:

On April 6, you named Harry Knox to your Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. You claim to have created this Council, among other things, to “bring everyone together – from both the secular and faith-based communities.”

Harry Knox is the hate-filled antithesis of this noble objective. Knox is a virulent anti-Catholic bigot, and has made numerous vile and dishonest attacks against the Church and the Holy Father. He has no business on any Council having to do with faith or religion.

We do not know if you or members of your Administration were aware of Knox’s deplorable, abusive attitude towards the Church and Pope Benedict XVI when you named him to the Council. We assume you were not. But since then, there have been numerous press reports on Knox’s loathsome, and clearly bigoted rhetoric, so there no longer is any excuse for your failure to act. We can remain silent no longer.

As Catholics, we call on you to remove Mr. Knox from his position and to formally disassociate yourself from his militant anti-Catholicism. Failure to do so will result in the tainting of your Faith-Based Council—and indeed, your entire administration—as anti-Catholic. We urge you to give this matter your immediate consideration.

I'll try to keep track of its reception.

update - I forgot to mention, I believe this above letter was combined with a second page excerpting some of Knox's most offensive quotes. It's easy to find them on the internet as well.

Lies, Damn Lies, and ... Polling

Much is being made of Faith in Public Life's new poll "The Young and the Faithful". I've discussed it previously here and, after asking, found the AmP community's input to be very helpful. Read through those here.

Recently, CNS published it's take on the results:

The survey indicated that younger Catholics are less traditional than older Catholics. More young Catholics identified themselves as Democrats than as Republicans -- 54 percent to 35 percent -- whereas older Catholics were almost evenly split between the two political parties . Only 28 percent of young Catholics said they are politically conservative, compared to 42 percent of older Catholics.

CNS gives the last word to a Faith in Public Life spokeswoman:

Expect to see the dividing lines of the culture wars continue to fade," said Katie Paris, director of communications strategy at Faith in Public Life.

My take? I think this poll and the accompanying analysis of its results have many blind spots.

If I had to choose *one* blind spot, it would be the difference between active and nominal Catholics. This difference applies to Catholics over 35, and even more so to those under 35.

Nominal Catholics, not surprisingly, closely follow the national trends. As AmP reader Gradchica said: "One might think these infrequent attenders have learned just enough of their faith to dangerously misinterpret it, and to miss the fine distinctions."

Active Catholics, however, are counter-cultural and don't follow the national trends. The proof for this claim is very easy to provide.....

For instance, a CNA editorial notes:

Where Obama has broken the pattern, his Catholic problem shows up among weekly Mass attendees. He won in Missouri, 50 percent to 46 percent, but lost active Catholics, 46 percent to 53 percent. He tied in Wisconsin but lost among active Catholics, 46 percent to 53 percent.

CWNews, commenting on a Pew forum study, also points out:

The Pew profile confirm that Catholics compose a crucial political constituency. But the survey also shows a sharp distinction between the Catholics who attend Mass regularly and those who are not active. Thus for example, among Catholics who attend Mass weekly, 60% say that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances; among those who do not go to Mass regularly the figure is 29%. Similarly, 42% of the regular Mass-goers oppose research that entails the destruction of human embryos; only 22% of the less active Catholics take that stand.

More troubling, however, is another trend: younger Catholics are less likely to be as active in their faith as their parents. This fact explains the general trend of young Catholics being "less conservative", or what have you.

Which brings us back to the point Archbishop Charles Chaput makes in his book Render Unto Caesar, that the crisis of voting is at root a crisis of faith. It should therefore not surprise us that people who do not even attend Mass regularly, who do not live an active faith, also do not have the same perspective on moral issues as the Church does.

I realize this is a bold claim, and that I have expressed it without all the qualifications, provisos and considerations that a more full treatment would contain, but I think it remains the fundamental insight which explains both how a) active Catholics vote differently and yet b) overall, Catholics are more "mainstream" in their voting habits than the previous generation.

Final consideration:

Are things getting worse? I don't think so. I think matters are becoming more clear. Pope Benedict has said, and I have quoted him before as saying, that active, passionate minorities shape cultures. The cohesion shown among conservative Catholics, and the stable dedication they demonstrate to the teachings of the Church, is more able to spread itself through teaching and witness, and propogate itself through children and education, than a nominal faith ever can or will.

One only has to look to the constant biblical admonition of Jesus that, to those who have much faith, more will be given, and to those who have little faith, even what they have will be taken away - to begin understanding the reality that I would claim is again present here before us.

So our task? Increase our faith, live it, and share it with others.

And don't fret about the polls.

Bad news: Obama close to double-digit lead

Polls can be wrong. But lots of polls showing a general trend are normally right:

“Three big days for Obama. Anything can happen, but time is running short for McCain. These numbers, if they hold, are blowout numbers. They fit the 1980 model with Reagan's victory over Carter -- but they are happening 12 days before Reagan blasted ahead. If Obama wins like this we can be talking not only victory but realignment: he leads by 27 points among Independents, 27 points among those who have already voted, 16 among newly registered voters, 31 among Hispanics, 93%-2% among African Americans, 16 among women, 27 among those 18-29, 5 among 30-49 year olds, 8 among 50-64s, 4 among those over 65, 25 among Moderates, and 12 among Catholics (which is better than Bill Clinton's 10-point victory among Catholics in 1996). He leads with men by 2 points, and is down among whites by only 6 points, down 2 in armed forces households, 3 among investors, and is tied among NASCAR fans.” (Zogby)

Catholics will put Obama over the top, unless we do something about it.

update: aw geez - "AP presidential poll: All even in the homestretch" (I give up.)

Myth: Catholic grassroots support Obama

"Suddenly, Obama is the natural choice for Catholics."

That's the only way I can describe the message being spread by numerous pro-Obama Catholic websites, organizations and a few prominent figures. I would submit this is the perfect example of a snowball phenomenon, made possibly by large amounts of money.

First of all, while such arguments have been circulating since shortly after Obama clinched the nomination, they have rapidly crystallized and have mutually supported each other's emergence in the recent couple weeks, timed perfectly to sway the decision of 11th-hour independent voters, of whom, apparently Catholics comprise a significant majority, especially in crucial swing states.

Whether planned or spontaneous, the end result is masterful. First, Doug Kmiec dipped his toe into the waters to test what the reaction would be to his public endorsement of Obama. The reaction, after he was (mistakenly) denied communion, was becoming a psuedo-martyr for his conscience and cause, a noble attempt to try a different way and give Obama a chance. Soon his boldness grew - an Obama vote morphed from an "acceptable" or "arguable" one, into the "natural" and even "obvious" one, one that could be made without "even a moment's consideration." There was a crack in the dam.

Because timidity does not win arguments where one is unsure of one's position, subsequent Obama endorsements by Catholics have been very strong, even directly challenging and/or mocking of the traditional thinking on this topic. Obama's desire to repeal all restrictions on abortion is actually the path towards reducing abortions. Obama's own admission that Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance (a classic line used historically to scare women into voting democrat) is ... an enlightened approach that legislation is not the way to reduce abortion (indeed, Obama's legislative approach seems to be geared towards increasing abortion access). Obama's 100% rating by NARAL and 0% rating by the NRL is simply an expression that he is beyond the old politics of divisiveness and partisanship. Obama's criticism that McCain isn't enough in favor of expanding the creation and killing of embryos ... well, we won't talk about that.

As you can see, the argument of the pro-Obama Catholics has to be very focused, and simply cannot respond to the counter-arguments. This is a particular application of the general (successful) campaign principle "never answer the question." As long as they decide what aspects of the Church's social teaching are to be observed, their candidate will always come out ahead.

Stage two has been the proliferation of this tactic with big money, and I mean *really* big money, and the apread of the message through the media, whos eemingly ahve the pro-Catholic Obama spokespersons on speed dial. Once again, they get to create the narrative, and it remains unchallenged. It's the classic methodology of propaganda - be omnipresent and persistent.

Catholics should be wary of this outreach for several reasons. Here is one of the most significant ones I think: it completely cuts out the American bishops, treating them like "middle men". Only the bishops aren't "middle men", we believe they are the guardians of the Church, and ought to play a significant role in forming the conscience of Catholics. Their position has been very clear, and I think some of their best are quickly getting wise to what is going on. The old silence doesn't work when the void is being filled with the chatterings of pro-Obama catholics. Regardless, the fact that the luminaries of the Catholic pro-Obama cause categorically refuse to dialogue with American bishops and other Catholic intellectuals is very telling.

After all, they will still direct mailings to hundreds of thousands of Catholics in battleground states.

Have no doubts about it. I think we are seeing a new thing here. A persistent, organized, well-funded attempt to hijack the social teaching of the Catholic Church among the next generation of Americans. If it proves as successful as I think it will be this election cycle, it will remain, by merit of its success, an active force in the next election, and so on. A response must be made, and the first step towards that response is admitting that a battle of interpretations is already taking place, and we are losing it.

update: in a similar vein, SDG asks "Who gets to say what is Catholic?"

Enough with calling every Catholic "devout"

For one thing, chances are, if they tell you they are devout - they aren't, says Mark Shea.

And if the media says a certain Catholic is "devout," count on that being a justification for their dissent.

Obama's official faith tour ... flops?

The Christian Broadcasting Network had the scoop on the plan:

An official with Barack Obama’s campaign tells The Brody File that beginning next week the campaign will start an official faith tour in key battleground states called “Barack Obama: Faith, Family and Values Tour”. The subheading of the tour is as follows: “Voting ALL Our Values”

The Brody File is told that top faith surrogates will hit the trail for Obama. Some of those high profile figures include Former Indiana Congressman and pro-life Democrat Tim Roemer, Catholic legal scholar Doug Kmiec, and author Donald Miller.

But the early word from one source is that only 15 people showed up for the first event.

Can anyone add any details to this picture?

Picture: The Obama bumper sticker you won't see

Jeff Miller heard about the Obama campaign rolling out a line of "faith merchandise", and added his own:

And that's just a sample.

Texas High School Student Told Rosary Is 'Gang Symbol'

Offbeat:

"Tabitha Ruiz was stopped by security guards at Seagoville High School in Dallas last week and told to take off the silver and ruby beaded rosary, a gift from her mother. On Monday, the same thing happened when she again came to the school wearing the beads.

"I went to school, walked through the metal detectors and they told me to take it off," the teen said. "I asked them why and they said because it's gang-related." (Fox News)

I disagree with this analysis completely....

Rosaries aren't gang signs, they're dangerous weapons against sin.

Hope: Catholics attend Mass in Ike-ravaged Houston

A beautiful tale emerging from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ike (ph/t to Whispers):

"At the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, also downtown, about 80 parishioners scattered throughout the pews in a cathedral that usually seats about 2,000 for the 11 a.m. Mass.

"This is an opportunity, with a small crowd, to pray in gratitude that there was so little loss of life even though the loss of property is enormous," said Archbishop Emeritus Joseph A. Fiorenza of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

In his remarks and during his homily, Fiorenza called on those present to be grateful that the storm had not taken many lives, though he acknowledged that an exact toll was not fully available. He also reminded parishioners to remain calm and friendly to family and neighbors as people struggle without electricity.

"This calls us in times of great distress to have patience and kindness with one another, to realize we are going to have a long time of endurance and great inconvenience," he said. "But with good humor and God's grace and our public officials ... hopefully the time of great endurance won't be too long."

At least the Cathedral they fled to looks like it could weather a storm.

*Sigh.*

Drudge notes "Men becoming priests at mid-life"

Internet news rainmaker DrudgeReport.com noted this article by Pantagraph: "Men becoming priests at mid-life". I'm happy that this trend is gaining visibiliy:

In what he calls his past life, the Rev. Geoffrey Horton worked at a Bloomington-Normal insurance company, coached a women’s softball team, owned a home and invested in a 401K.

Although life was good, Horton, 43, felt something was missing. In May, he found his calling as a newly ordained Roman Catholic priest.

“I became a priest for the only reason anyone should ever become a priest, because I felt that’s what God was asking of me,” said Horton, currently assigned at a church in Peoria.

There's much to comment on hear, as well as about the topic in general. But sadly, current obligations dictate that I have to shut down blogger and prepare for a busy upcoming week for now. So have at it!

"Archbishop Chaput’s book makes NYT Best Seller List"

And he beats Joe Biden's book:

Just three weeks into the publication of “Render Unto Caesar,” Archbishop Charles Chaput’s new book has made the New York Times Best Seller list. The archbishop’s book is currently one place ahead of “Promises to Keep,” written by Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden. (CNA)

I see that having Render Unto Caesar as my AmP book of the month is making a difference! :)

"Churches Challenged to Read Bible Cover-to-Cover"

Honestly, us catholics should do the same:

CWR, the ministry of Selwyn Hughes, is inviting hundreds of churches across the United Kingdom to rise to the challenge of reading the whole Bible cover-to-cover throughout 2009.

The call follows the successful pilot run of CWR’s new Bible reading scheme, Cover to Cover Complete, in 62 churches this year. CWR hopes the 2009 scheme will reverse the prevailing culture of Bible illiteracy that has crept into society as well as churches. (Christian Post)

Back when a bible was often one of the only books a family in America would own, biblical literacy was astonishingly widespread. There's no reason we can't reclaim that level of familiarity. I have not read the entire bible from cover-to-cover, but I hope to do so before I die, and actually before I am 30.

"Democrats open faith-filled convention with prayer"

Cafeteria-style religion at the DNC:

At the first official event Sunday of the Democratic National Convention, a choir belted out a gospel song and was followed by a rabbi reciting a Torah reading about forgiveness and the future.

Helen Prejean, the Catholic nun who wrote "Dead Man Walking," assailed the death penalty and the use of torture.

Young Muslim women in headscarves sat near older African-American women in their finest Sunday hats.

Four years ago, such a scene would have been unthinkable at a Democratic National Convention. In 2004, there was one interfaith lunch at the Democratic gala in Boston.
But that same year, "values voters" helped re-elect President Bush, giving Democrats of faith the opening they needed to make party leaders listen to them.

AP on the "Catholic vote":

Laser helped broker compromise language in the Democrats' abortion platform that acknowledges the need to help women who want to keep their pregnancies. Hunter and liberal evangelical leader Jim Wallis were involved, as were new groups such as Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good.

Despite all the effort, there is little evidence religious votes are shifting. A Pew poll released last week showed the political preferences of religious voters, including highly sought Catholics and white evangelicals, have scarcely budged since 2004.

Catholics are up for grabs, but white evangelicals have become so solidly Republican, Obama has little chance of carving too deeply into the Republican lead, said Allen Hertzke, a University of Oklahoma political scientist.

Consider with the obligatory mound of salt. Maybe even a pillar.

AmP contributes to InsideCatholic Pew Forum Survey symposium

InsideCatholic:

"Last week the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released a study on the changing religious habits of Americans. Among many things, the researchers found that the Catholic Church has experienced the greatest net loss in membership.

We asked 34 prominent Catholics from various backgrounds to answer the question, "Why Are So Many Leaving the Catholic Church?"

Their responses follow (or read them all here in printer-friendly form).

Most Reverend Thomas Wenski
Most Rev. Robert Vasa, D.D.
Most Rev. Jose H. Gomez, S.T.D
Most Rev. Salvatore Cordileone
Robert Novak
Sam Brownback
Ray Flynn
Mother M. Assumpta Long, O.P.
Rev. James V. Schall, S.J.
Rev. Joseph Fessio, S.J.
Russell Shaw
Mary Jo Anderson
Rev. Frank Pavone
Robert Lockwood
Eve Tushnet
Tom Hoopes
David CarlinArthur Brooks
Todd M. Aglialoro
Ronald J. Rychlak
Mark P. Shea
Jeffrey Tucker
Rev. Dwight Longenecker
Elizabeth Scalia
Monsignor Steven D. Otellini
Rev. Phillip W. De Vous
Rich Leonardi
Thomas Peters [AmericanPapist]
Steve Skojec
Marjorie Campbell
John Jakubczyk
Laurance Alvarado
Zoe Romanowsky
Margaret Cabaniss

I'll look forward to reading (and commenting upon) the other submissions to the symposium later today.

Cheers to IC for orchestrating this response to the serious challenges the Pew Forum Survey presents.