Will McCain and Obama Respect Churches

by Catholic League on June 14, 2008 · 4 comments

In a major survey released this week by the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College, it was reported that 57 percent of Americans believe that religious leaders should not support political candidates during worship services.

Commenting on this today is Catholic League president Bill Donohue:

“The findings of this poll have grave implications for those running for public office. Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama should set an example by pledging never to attend a church service that is a front for a political rally. Too often, clergy have abused their office by making veiled endorsements-and in some cases explicit endorsements-of candidates for public office at a church service. Just as bad has been the practice of the candidates themselves making a pitch to the congregation from the pulpit.

“In the Henry survey, not a single demographic category could marshal majority support for the proposition that ‘Clergy should be permitted to endorse political candidates during worship services.’ The categories included the following: Evangelical Protestants, Mainline Protestants, Latino Protestants, Black Protestants, Catholics, Latino Catholics, Other Christians, Other Faiths, Jews and Unaffiliated; subcategories were listed in some instances. Of all the groups, none had a better record of rejecting the proposition than Catholics and Jews.

“In this regard, the Catholic Church is a model for all other religions. While it is not uncommon for Protestant churches (especially African American ones) and Jewish synagogues to be used as a political forum, it is almost non-existent in the Catholic community. Moreover, unlike others, the Catholic clergy are barred from holding public office. In 1980, Pope John Paul II mandated that all priests withdraw from electoral politics; this stricture is recognized in Canon Law.

“If McCain and Obama continue the practice of turning houses of worship into political playing fields, they should be roundly criticized for doing so.”

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  • nyRican

    This is painful. I am so distressed by the social agenda of democrats, the international and economic policies of republicans.

    What real choice is there for a Catholic who wants to protect life, and provide for the less fortunate? There are some pro-life democrats but they never advance in the party to the presidential level. There are liberal republicans but they always change to get to the presidential level like McCain.

    We have to pray that Obama becomes Catholic or McCain reverts to the maverick of 2000.

  • slbute

    The “maverick” who gave us McCain-Feingold? What a disaster to pro-life pro-family lobbies who tried to advance good legislation but were effectivey silenced.

  • noelfitz

    May I as an outsider comment.

    I fully agree with nyRican.

    What should one do?

    Perhaps Catholics should be encouraged to participate more fully in politics, bearing in mind that all politics is local (Tip O’Neill). In this way Catholic values might be encouraged in society.

    God bless,
    Noelfitz.
    ______________________________________________________________
    IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS, IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS, IN OMNIBUS CARITAS.
    ______________________________________________________________

  • http://arkanabar.blogspot.com Arkanabar Ilarsadin

    I suggest voting Libertarian. Peer-reviewed studies are coming out to back our positions that limiting access to pornography and prostitution, and defending marriage, are valid public goods, and thus defensible actions of government according to libertarian principles.

    And the huge array of tax cuts that a Libertarian government would give us would easily leave us with enough money to care for everyone who needs it, without the excuse that we support the government institutions that do so, and “they cost enough.”