Comments on: Al Smith Dinner http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/ Sun, 19 May 2013 11:55:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Diane http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69222 Diane Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:26:49 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69222 As a practicing Catholic I find the invitation of Obama to the Al Smith dinner an affront to every Catholic who is opposed to this presidents stance on issues of great concern to Catholics. Although not an award it does give a false impression to many Catholics who otherwise see it as support for Obama and his anti-Catholic policies. I am one of them. As a practicing Catholic I find the invitation of Obama to the Al Smith dinner an affront to every Catholic who is opposed to this presidents stance on issues of great concern to Catholics. Although not an award it does give a false impression to many Catholics who otherwise see it as support for Obama and his anti-Catholic policies. I am one of them.

]]> By: Diane http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69219 Diane Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:24:19 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69219 As a practicing Catholic I find the invitation of Obama to the Al Smith dinner an affront to every Catholic who is opposed to this presidents stance on issues of great concern to Cathoics. Although not an award it does give a false impression to many Catholics who otherwise see it as support for Obama and his anti-Catholic policies. I am one of them. As a practicing Catholic I find the invitation of Obama to the Al Smith dinner an affront to every Catholic who is opposed to this presidents stance on issues of great concern to Cathoics. Although not an award it does give a false impression to many Catholics who otherwise see it as support for Obama and his anti-Catholic policies. I am one of them.

]]> By: JoAnne http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69214 JoAnne Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:42:54 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69214 Dear Cardinal Dolan, I am from St. Louis, close to your own neighborhood! We have been asked to pray and offer sacrifice for the continuation of our religious freedom. We pray EVERY morning after Mass for this very thing! St. Louis has been very active with Fortnight and other initiatives, trying to beseech heaven itself to help us maintain our religious freedom and protect the unborn. We have been asked to continue our efforts up to the election and continuing if President Obama gets reelected. Your dinner engagement with the President seems like cold water in the face to us and all of these efforts! When I imagine you dining and laughing with the individual we are trying so hard to counteract, I feel, at least, confused and surprised by your actions! What are we Catholics in the trenches doing all this for? You seem to be very willing to gamble the negative social and spiritual ramifications, which is already taking place, for one night of "merriment"! Everyone makes mistakes in prudence sometimes, only Christ was perfect, and it is a beautiful sign of humility to admit when we were wrong! I think many will wonder, as I do, how you would not act as Jesus did, and challenge sinners, not cajole and back slap with them! Jesus spoke and acted always to touch the hearts of the sinners, to draw them closer through tough love, not idle (roasting) laughter. We are trying to work and pray that President Obama will remove the mandate and our religious freedom will be respected. We are trying to defeat a mandate which has the monumental possibility of destroying more human life than we care to imagine! Definitely meet with Obama! Don't avoid the man. Challenge him as Christ would and explain to him face to face our beliefs! With the zeal I have seen from you on other occasions, and with the tough love of Jesus Christ, demonstrate love AND firmness in our Catholic beliefs! Challenge him to watch ONE real abortion and he may not need any further convincing from you that human life is sacred! Please rescind the invitation to the dinner, but to sit there and pretend for even ONE evening that nothing is wrong with his position is NOT what Jesus would do. I am an active member of my Catholic church and I love my faith. I have raised a large family and members have explored vocations to the priesthood and religious life. I take my faith very seriously and I hope I will always rise to defend her! What would I say to my children if I met President Obama under the guise of a casual "party" or a "roast"? Only as Christ, to hopefully awaken his conscience could I meet with him, and it would NOT be a party! My own children would understand this, why can't you? Dear Cardinal Dolan,
I am from St. Louis, close to your own neighborhood! We have been asked to pray and offer sacrifice for the continuation of our religious freedom. We pray EVERY morning after Mass for this very thing! St. Louis has been very active with Fortnight and other initiatives, trying to beseech heaven itself to help us maintain our religious freedom and protect the unborn. We have been asked to continue our efforts up to the election and continuing if President Obama gets reelected. Your dinner engagement with the President seems like cold water in the face to us and all of these efforts! When I imagine you dining and laughing with the individual we are trying so hard to counteract, I feel, at least, confused and surprised by your actions! What are we Catholics in the trenches doing all this for? You seem to be very willing to gamble the negative social and spiritual ramifications, which is already taking place, for one night of “merriment”! Everyone makes mistakes in prudence sometimes, only Christ was perfect, and it is a beautiful sign of humility to admit when we were wrong! I think many will wonder, as I do, how you would not act as Jesus did, and challenge sinners, not cajole and back slap with them! Jesus spoke and acted always to touch the hearts of the sinners, to draw them closer through tough love, not idle (roasting) laughter.

We are trying to work and pray that President Obama will remove the mandate and our religious freedom will be respected. We are trying to defeat a mandate which has the monumental possibility of destroying more human life than we care to imagine! Definitely meet with Obama! Don’t avoid the man. Challenge him as Christ would and explain to him face to face our beliefs! With the zeal I have seen from you on other occasions, and with the tough love of Jesus Christ, demonstrate love AND firmness in our Catholic beliefs! Challenge him to watch ONE real abortion and he may not need any further convincing from you that human life is sacred! Please rescind the invitation to the dinner, but to sit there and pretend for even ONE evening that nothing is wrong with his position is NOT what Jesus would do.

I am an active member of my Catholic church and I love my faith. I have raised a large family and members have explored vocations to the priesthood and religious life. I take my faith very seriously and I hope I will always rise to defend her! What would I say to my children if I met President Obama under the guise of a casual “party” or a “roast”? Only as Christ, to hopefully awaken his conscience could I meet with him, and it would NOT be a party! My own children would understand this, why can’t you?

]]> By: Therese http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69213 Therese Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:20:05 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69213 Great response. I totally "get it" and understand. Thanks for all you are doing for the Church. You are in my prayers. Great response. I totally “get it” and understand. Thanks for all you are doing for the Church. You are in my prayers.

]]> By: Walt Mateja, Ph.D. http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69198 Walt Mateja, Ph.D. Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:50:22 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69198 Your Eminence, I am one of those who are deeply concerned on this issue. I understand your position, but respectfully have a suggestion which might serve to help those of us who are negatively impacted by this. Consider issuing strong press release stating in no uncertain terms that the invitation does NOT indicate support of eithr candidate and that the Church strongly disagrees with the President's position on contraception and ESPECIALLY Abortion. Stress that the invitation is merely extended as a means of raising funds and the Church is grateful to both candidates for their support of our overall efforts. Your Eminence, I am one of those who are deeply concerned on this issue. I understand your position, but respectfully have a suggestion which might serve to help those of us who are negatively impacted by this.
Consider issuing strong press release stating in no uncertain terms that the invitation does NOT indicate support of eithr candidate and that the Church strongly disagrees with the President’s position on contraception and ESPECIALLY Abortion.
Stress that the invitation is merely extended as a means of raising funds and the Church is grateful to both candidates for their support of our overall efforts.

]]> By: Daniel V. Sollecito, Attorney at Law http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69171 Daniel V. Sollecito, Attorney at Law Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:32:52 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69171 You did well Cardinal, you need apologize for nothing. You did well Cardinal, you need apologize for nothing.

]]> By: Clara Schoppe http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69170 Clara Schoppe Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:10:18 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69170 I am one of those who were scandalized by the invitation, and who wrote you about that. Thank you for your kind explanation in your blog. I am now ashamed that my faith was so weak that I would see your invitation as a betrayal. I am just like the ones who turned their backs on Jesus when He didn't meet their expectations, when He wanted so much more for them than they wanted for themselves. This controversy, and my own reaction to it has taught me how little Faith I really have and how much I need to stay close to my pastor and my bishop and not try to go ahead of them. I thank God that I, at least, have little Faith, rather than no Faith. I am one of those who were scandalized by the invitation, and who wrote you about that.
Thank you for your kind explanation in your blog.
I am now ashamed that my faith was so weak that I would see your invitation as a betrayal. I am just like the ones who turned their backs on Jesus when He didn’t meet their expectations, when He wanted so much more for them than they wanted for themselves. This controversy, and my own reaction to it has taught me how little Faith I really have and how much I need to stay close to my pastor and my bishop and not try to go ahead of them. I thank God that I, at least, have little Faith, rather than no Faith.

]]> By: Martha http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69163 Martha Mon, 20 Aug 2012 23:32:21 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69163 Your Eminence, Thank you for your beautiful blog, and I will be praying for you. I think many people misunderstand the fact that both candidates will be there. I cannot say i was not shocked when I heard that President Obama was invited, but I believe that your intentions are good, our Holy Father Trusts you, therefore I trust you. Let God's will be done now, and in November. God Bless you Cardinal! please pray for me :) "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day." Matthew 6:34 Your Eminence,

Thank you for your beautiful blog, and I will be praying for you.
I think many people misunderstand the fact that both candidates will be there. I cannot say i was not shocked when I heard that President Obama was invited, but I believe that your intentions are good, our Holy Father Trusts you, therefore I trust you.
Let God’s will be done now, and in November.

God Bless you Cardinal!
please pray for me :)

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” Matthew 6:34

]]> By: Theresa http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69162 Theresa Mon, 20 Aug 2012 23:24:55 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69162 I feel so disappointed in the Archbishop. I feel like he lead us out to pasture and then let the wolf in. I think that inviting Obama will make Catholics think that voting him back into office is fine. I am VERY disappointed. I had a feeling he would make reference to Jesus eating with sinners as a justification for this public act but I challenge him to look instead at Matthew 10:14. I feel so disappointed in the Archbishop. I feel like he lead us out to pasture and then let the wolf in. I think that inviting Obama will make Catholics think that voting him back into office is fine. I am VERY disappointed. I had a feeling he would make reference to Jesus eating with sinners as a justification for this public act but I challenge him to look instead at Matthew 10:14.

]]> By: Jane http://blog.archny.org/index.php/al-smith-dinner/comment-page-7/#comment-69161 Jane Mon, 20 Aug 2012 23:08:49 +0000 http://blog.archny.org/?p=2949#comment-69161 Thank you Cardinal Dolan for your courage in living out the teachings of Jesus Christ and reminding us that our duty as Christians is to foster peace and not polarise those with whom we disagree. It's a tough call so may the Holy Spirit always guide your decisions according to His will. As for sending 'mixed signals that may confuse the flock', if they can be swayed by this dinner while ignoring the big picture of the HHS mandate debacle, then surely their votes were flimsy at best. At the end of the day, our Bishops have to follow the will of the Father and not the will of the people, and we are behind you 100%.. We will be praying for you. Thank you Cardinal Dolan for your courage in living out the teachings of Jesus Christ and reminding us that our duty as Christians is to foster peace and not polarise those with whom we disagree. It’s a tough call so may the Holy Spirit always guide your decisions according to His will.

As for sending ‘mixed signals that may confuse the flock’, if they can be swayed by this dinner while ignoring the big picture of the HHS mandate debacle, then surely their votes were flimsy at best. At the end of the day, our Bishops have to follow the will of the Father and not the will of the people, and we are behind you 100%.. We will be praying for you.

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