The Common Sense Catholics

[cbayer]

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/21/the-common-sense-catholics/

March 21, 2012, 1:06 pm

By TIMOTHY EGAN



Rick Santorum doesn’t just wear his religion on his sleeve, he billboards it in neon. Still, for all the flash and sparks generated by an ostentatiously Catholic candidate’s crusade for the presidency, one thing has been missing from most discussions: the actual Catholic voter.

But with Tuesday’s primary results, we now have extensive exit polling from three major states in the Catholic belt across the Midwest. The verdict from Michigan, Ohio and now Illinois is consistent: a majority of Republican Catholic voters are giving a thumb’s down to Santorum.

In Illinois, where more than a third of Tuesday’s Republican electorate was Catholic according to the exit polls, Santorum lost the Catholic vote by a what-part-of-no-don’t-you-understand 23 points – a much bigger margin than with all voters.

In Ohio and Michigan, Santorum also did worse among Catholics than he did with the overall primary participants. Mitt Romney barely beat Santorum in Ohio, 38 percent to 37 percent. Catholic voters made the difference for him: he crushed Santorum with that share of the vote, 44 percent to 31 percent.

more at link

[HockeyMom]

1. I agree in that the average Catholic

is so far LEFT of Santorum, and the bishops, on social issues. He thinks he is running for POPE trying to impose the Catholic Church's teaching on their followers, who ignore them on BC, abortion, and gay marriage, but also on Non-Catholics. Santorum, as a Repuke, also picks and chooses to totally ignore the other part of Catholic teaching on administering to the poor, the sick, and the elderly. He too, in a different way, is a CINO as they call people on these social issues.

While I consider myself an ex-Catholic, largely because of the sexuality issues of Rome, I DO agree with their, and almost all other religions, on administering to the less fortunate in society. Santorum only cares about ONE PART of religion.

[cbayer]

2. Running for pope! Exactly.

[pinto]

8. My grandmother used to say "Eh, the Pope lives in Rome, I live here."

No more, nor less.

Yet she had the standard portrait of John the 23rd in her front room.

(Along with the Irish icon, JFK.)

[MissMarple]

3. What is the poster of the immodestly dressed young lady all about?

And in church. During solemn prayer. And a laying on of hands? ... oops, could this be some strange cultish rite? Oh, my dear Aunt Hilda, what has the Church become?

I really must add that Santorum, in my opinion, has cheapened how many view religious observance during this race to win the nomination. People who fervently believe are becoming a side show. That poster in itself and in the context of that church's current activites regarding it are probably quite innocent. But I couldn't resist making fun of the scene. I think Santorum deserves it, but the church members, not so much.

[cbayer]

4. I don't know if it makes a difference, but the photograph is from a church

in Puerto Rico.

Not being familiar with the cultural differences there, I am not sure what to make of this.

[MissMarple]

5. I really wasn't being fair to the church membership.

And I amended my post above. Thanks.

[cbayer]

6. You, MissMarple, are a good person and your addition is really lovely.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. He's enthusiastic about Opus Dei

Rick Santorum has embraced Spanish priest behind devout Catholic group Opus Dei

In January 2002, prominent Catholics from around the world gathered in Rome to celebrate the Spanish priest who founded one of the church’s most conservative and devout groups, Opus Dei.

The event drew cardinals, bishops and other powerful Vatican officials. And among those invited to speak was a future presidential candidate: Rick Santorum, whose faith had become so essential to his politics that on federal documents he listed the trip, paid for by an Opus Dei foundation, as part of his official duties as a U.S. senator from Pennsylvania.

In a speech at the gathering, Santorum embraced the ideas of Opus Dei founder Josemaria Escriva, who had urged ordinary Catholics to bring an almost priestly devotion to Catholic principles in every realm of life and work.

During Senate debates about abortion, Santorum told the audience in Rome, he hears Escriva telling him that “it is not true that there is opposition between being a good Catholic and serving civil society faithfully.” In his public fight to uphold “absolute truths,” Santorum said, “blessed Josemaria guides my way.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/rick-santorums-journey-to-devout-catholicism-view-of-religion-in-governance/2012/03/16/gIQAj4NzNS_story.html

And an article by Charlie Pierce from 20023on McCloskey, mentioned in the WP piece:

He is talking about a futuristic essay he wrote that rosily describes the aftermath of a "relatively bloodless" civil war that resulted in a Catholic Church purified of all dissent and the religious dismemberment of the United States of America.

"There's two questions there," says the Rev. C. John McCloskey 3d, smiling. He's something of a ringer for Howard Dean -- a comparison he resists, also with a smile -- a little more slender than the presidential candidate, perhaps, but no less fervent. "One is, Do I think it would be better that way? No. Do I think it's possible? Do I think it's possible for someone who believes in the sanctity of marriage, the sanctity of life, the sanctity of family, over a period of time to choose to survive with people who think it's OK to kill women and children or for -- quote -- homosexual couples to exist and be recognized?

"No, I don't think that's possible," he says. "I don't know how it's going to work itself out, but I know it's not possible, and my hope and prayer is that it does not end in violence. But, unfortunately, in the past, these types of things have tended to end this way.
...
Ironically, while he defends traditional prerogatives of the institutional church, McCloskey has discomfited parts of it, including conservative Catholics, as surely as has any renegade Dutch theologian. In 1990, for example, after a stormy five-year tenure at Princeton University, McCloskey was dismissed as an associate chaplain after students and faculty petitioned for his removal. They claimed that McCloskey violated academic freedom by counseling against taking courses taught by professors whom McCloskey deemed "anti-Christian," which McCloskey argued was part of his pastoral role. Advising Catholic parents shopping for a college for their children, he later wrote, "If you encounter words and phrases like 'values,' 'openness,' 'just society,' 'search,' 'diversity,' and 'professional preparation,' move on."

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2003/11/02/the_crusaders/

And that last paragraph is the root of the problem, IMO. One of the priests most influential over Catholic Republicans politicians over the past decade and more thinks a "just society" is a Bad Thing for professors to talk about. You can see that complete lack of empathy in Santorum's hatred of universities, and his desire for poor people to suffer to purify them a bit. This kind of priest would empty the pews in a typical Catholic church, but he fits in well with Republicans. He worked for Citibank and Merrill Lynch before he became a priest. Money he's fine with; but people are meant to suffer, even physically, as Opus Dei teaches.

[cbayer]

9. "If you encounter words and phrases like 'values,' 'openness,' 'just society,' 'search,' 'diversity,

and 'professional preparation,' move on."

Wow. That explains a lot.

[LeftishBrit]

10. Mind you...

It's not long ago since we had a Labour-in-name-only Education Secretary in the UK who was a member of Opus Dei! Though Ruth Kelly did not take it to Santorum's fanatical extremes.

[Brettongarcia]

15. Santorum's connections to Opus Dei; secular or "lay" - or political - "Catholicism; EWTN/RN ...

Santorum's political, conservative Catholicism was formed by a kind of East Ohio, West Penn, coal country extremism. But in particular, by the Franciscan University (FU), EWTN-style lay "Catholicism." Which interfaces neatly with Opus Dei.

The main idea in Opus Dei was that lay people, non priests, should have a Catholic religious order; so that they can participate more intimately in the Catholic Church. Opus Dei was it; its estimated 40,000 members or so, are 97% mostly ordinary people; business and professional people, who are not priests. But the problem is, that as ordinary lay people, their sense of religion is not as well developed as priests. Especially, they tend to mix up their sense of politics, with their religion. A travesty seen in Babbitry. Opus Dei was also a major player in Spanish fascism.

Santorum's real religion therefore? Is an unholy mix of real religion, mixed in with middle-class prejudices. Especially, a confused mixing of conservative/fascist ideas, with religion.

This unholy mix of politics/middle class "values," with religion, is actually Santorum's real, cultic base. And it is centered around Opus Dei. And various lay/"Catholic" organizations, like EWTN/EWRN. Eternal Word Television Network, is a "conservative Catholic" political organization, which has included in its programming, at least two Opus Dei priests, as regulars: Fr. John Corapi (PhD from Navarra University; the traditional Fascist stronghold). And "Father Rocky." Both, surprisingly, were apparently originally accountants. Who converted their abilities with number crunching, to become popular figures on EWTN; part of Santorum's power base. Though John Corapi was recently removed, in a scandal (having girlfriends).

That's where Santorum is at: Opus Die. The problem with Opus Dei though, is that you get an unholy, confused mashup, of raw political and especially bourbeoise opinions, with illformed quasi, cultic religious notions. A kind of mixup, long criticized by people like Sinclair, in his novel "Babbitt."

By the way? The membership of Opus Dei was, by original charter, mostly secret. But almost certainly? Given his leanings? Santorum is a member of Opus Dei.

[LeftishBrit]

11. I don't think I've ever met a Catholic who wouldn't be horrified by Santorum

Mind you, I've hardly ever met anyone who wouldn't be horrified by Santorum!

[cbayer]

14. I have never met a Catholic that even resembles Santorum.

I've met some really rigid, fire and brimstone evangelicals, but this kind of Catholicism is all new to me.

[IcyPeas]

12. how about Romney with Santorum as VP? talk about scary:

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/143689596.html

_____________________

snip:

"But Land still thinks Romney could usefully rally evangelicals who have resisted him so far by naming a running mate who would appeal to them. Santorum was at the top of his list."

[Angry Dragon]

13. Santorum reminds me of the old fashioned tent preachers