Changing Catholic Vote Appears Up For Grabs

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-cathvote2may02,1,192239.story?coll=la-home-politics

THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Changing Catholic Vote Appears Up For Grabs
Kerry isn't expected to see the kind of support Kennedy got from the important bloc in 1960.


By Maria L. La Ganga, Times Staff Writer


PHILADELPHIA — Some of the most coveted swing voters in America are about to head out for Sunday brunch. They have exchanged greetings with neighbors, donated money for the good of others and knelt together in silent prayer.

Here, under the graceful dome of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, they also have been told "not to give up on those Catholic politicians who are not following their faith."

Sen. John F. Kerry's name was never uttered; it didn't have to be. A day earlier, the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer shouted in a headline: "Kerry, cardinal at odds on abortion."

The Roman Catholic Church's public battle with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee over whether he should be given Communion looms as a major challenge facing Kerry as he attempts to appeal to his fellow Catholics.

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practice birth control, believe that divorce should be allowed for Catholics, and who have been witnesses to Catholic cover-up of systemic child abuse probably will not go for this witch hunt of Kerry.

have similar views as the general population on birth control, abortion, etc.

Not sure this will do anything. True Catholics can also see that the agenda being followed by Bush is so against basic church teachings on helping the poor and disadvantaged, on war and peace, on the death penalty, on treating all humans with dignity even if they are not rich right wingers living in gated communities.

Of course, this also means that Catholics are just as much affected by the BS coming out of the pro-regime propaganda outlets like Fox.

I'm so Catholic I still have fish sticks in the freezer just in case they bring back that Friday thing. Really, though - I know a bahgillion Catholics - including tons o priests (husband is an ex-sem) and virtually all are rational, we-don't-need-no-steenkin-bishops-to-tell-us-how-to-think people. It's the classic thing of the small, very loud, minority. If anything, outside of the evangelical wing (Santorum-ites)which ain't that big, I think most Catholics like to keep their religion a private, personal matter, separate and distinct from the secular. And we're distinctly uncomfortable with the "Praise Jesus, I found my car keys!" wing.

eileen from OH

My entire family (both sides) are Catholic, and most of us are Democrats.

I have one or two aunts who are in the Santorum wing though, and they are Republicans.


My Dad calls them "Taliban Catholics," but that's pretty mean of him.

:P

that's a keeper. Thank your Dad!

Most of us (Catholics) are not prone to group think.

I think the religion has taught me one very valuable lesson and that is to think. The Catholic religion is very complex, as are most of its members.

I think the press is trying to polarize the Kerry issue among Catholics and it will not work.

It was the Catholic swing-voters who put Bill Clinton in the White House. Twice. In spite of what the right wingers screech, most American Catholics are moderate social voters who have rejected the Falwellian version of Christianity advocated by the right wingers. Likewise, the Bishops who speak out against Communion for John Kerry (and EVERY SINGLE Democratic politician) do not speak for the church, or the membership. The church teaches that capital punishment is bad, yet nobody has ever heard of a Republican politician being denied communion because of it. (The fact that there are about as many Black Republicans are there are Catholic Republicans may have something to do with it). The church also teaches us that war is bad. Last time I checked, every Republican in America endorsed the invasion of Iraq, and I don't recall hearing any talk of excommunication.
Republicans can hope and pray all they want, but the extreme social war they have declared on American values has driven Catholic voters into the Democratic fold. It will be a very long time before they can undo that damage.

The Fundies like Falwell hate Catholics, and are so filled with hate for all people.

I can't see most Catholics jumping ship to their side.

..There is alot of distrust of the "crossbacks" on behalf of the religous right, and the Dems need to play on that.

Every single week, church-going Catholics hear the following phrase during mass:

"In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we await in joyful hope the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ."

This does not sound like a group that would have a stake in a highly anxious, evangelical, pro-armageddon foreign policy that Bush and his supporters are behind. They're waiting for Jesus, but they're not going to tempt fate to hasten His arrival.

I grew up Southern Baptist. I attended a small Southern Baptist Church on the south side of San Antonio. I was 12 years old in 1960. I still remember every Sunday the pastor preaching against Kennedy because he was Catholic. I remember that my parents felt that there was nothing wrong with a Catholic being President and they voted for Kennedy.

I wonder if a lot of this will backfire. Unless you are a fundamentalist, most Christians don't like being told by their church who to vote for. We might actually see Catholics voting for Kerry in reaction against the Bishops.