Comments on: Double Standard

By: Steven Surrey

Steven Surrey — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:57:27 +0000

Wow. Good point, Father. The double standards are very upsetting. Priests, please just keep teaching the Catholic Faith in its entirety. The people will then make the best political choices possible!

By: Raquel

Raquel — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 18:18:18 +0000

Thank you Father for your insights. Do not ever back down. As a matter of fact in these last few weeks before Catholics go to vote, more should be done to educate them on what is going on and how important their vote is and exactly how they must vote. They must vote for the man that values life and return to us a strong and vibrant economy. That man is Mitt Romney.

By: michigancatholic

michigancatholic — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:01:17 +0000

Thank you for putting this on your blog. Yes, there is a double standard, a very glaring double standard. And it’s unfair and the news media doesn’t care that it’s unfair.

By: Manuel

Manuel — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:44:45 +0000

In response to David: in New York City today there is no need for such a flagrant violation of IRS regulations. Politicans seeking election should not use a religious service for a stump speech. Even when incumbent office holders need to address the congregation on an issue of community import (crime, redevelopment) this should be done in a “town hall’ format and not in conjunction with a scheduled service. This is similar to the question of the use of public school buildings for religious services during non-school hours. To avoid the appearance of a violation of the establishment clause (what if a religion meets on Wednesday mornings, would it have recourse?) it would be preferable not to make available school facilities for religious purposes. However in an emergency situation there is no issue of providing faclities on a temporary basis as it is accomodating free exercise while the emergency is rectified. On the basis of your argument I should be demanding the demoltion of the USS Maine monument at the corner of Central Park simply because I am ethnically Puerto Rican and think that the destruction of the ship was a pretext for United States expansionism which absorbed Puerto Rico as a spoil of war. Providing context is one thing, using it as an excuse is quite another.

By: Kenneth Michaels

Kenneth Michaels — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 23:32:54 +0000

Cardinal Dolan, Fr Raferty’s argument appears to complain that no action is taken against the other church for violating the law, so the Catholic Church should be permitted to break the law. In 2008, my parish became very vocal in attacking then candidate Obama. Also, bishops throughout the US were vocal in their political support and attacks. So I stopped giving money to my parish and sent the funds to Obama’s campaign. I informed my parish manager, and he was amused.

This campaign season, a Knights of Columbus 4th degree assembly which I belonged to sent minutes of a meeting stating under “good of the order” that we must work to get the “incumbent” out of office. When I objected, the minutes were reissued and an email was sent to everyone in the assembly attacking me for objecting. I have no doubts that the Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus should lose their tax exempt status. Nevertheless, I will continue to be a Catholic and Democrat. My concern is what my church leaders do, not what a Protestant church down the street does.

By: Larry

Larry — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 22:43:00 +0000

David: I don’t believe Father Rafferty or anyone else in the New York Archdiocese wants to file an IRS complaint against black Churches who host candidates. The letter was a complaint to the New York Times for its apparent lack of fairness in editorial policy. There was nothing said about involving the government versus Protestant Churches.

By: Anthony Andreassi

Anthony Andreassi — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 22:25:03 +0000

David,

Your whole post is an argument for a double standard. What is legal and acceptable for one group should be legal and acceptable for another group. No one denies the role that black churches have had in the struggle for civil rights–and continue to do so. But then if the NYT remains silent on their very explicit mixing of politics and religion in the pulpit, then it should remain silent when any other religious group does it. Some Catholics think that abortion is the civil rights issue of our day. If so, then Catholic Churches should maybe follow the methods of African-American churches. I happen to not agree with this, but what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

By: MaryGr

MaryGr — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:49:57 +0000

40 Days for Life continues until Nov.3. Cardinal Dolan, the faithful of New York would deeply appreciate your coming to the streets to pray outside an abortion mill. America has lost 50 million people in 40 years of legalized abortion. We are a culture of false deities and human sacrifice. It is 2012. We are Ninevah. One hour of your time?

By: John F

John F — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 18:59:34 +0000

Having read David’s comment above it seems laughable. No church should allow politicians to campaign or speak at worship services.

By: Mary Flannery Climes

Mary Flannery Climes — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 01:12:41 +0000

Thank you for sharing this. I am happy that Father Rafferty realizes that he was wrong, and I hope that this will not be repeated in other parishes. Thank you again for sharing this as I am not a regular reader of the New York Times, and would not have known about it otherwise.