Some Hot Angry Tears Of Betrayal

In a speech at Catholic University Cardinal Stafford had this to say about Barack Obama and the United States of America:

His Eminence James Francis Cardinal Stafford criticized President-elect Barack Obama as “aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic,“ and said he campaigned on an “extremist anti-life platform,” Thursday night in Keane Auditorium during his lecture “Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II: Being True in Body and Soul.“ (Is Cardinal Stafford actually implying that Obama is some sort of Anti Christ?)

“Because man is a sacred element of secular life,” Stafford remarked, “man should not be held to a supreme power of state, and a person’s life cannot ultimately be controlled by government.” (But you do think a woman's reproductive life should be controlled by government.)

“For the next few years, Gethsemane will not be marginal. We will know that garden,” Stafford said, comparing America’s future with Obama as president to Jesus’ agony in the garden. “On November 4, 2008, America suffered a cultural earthquake.” (Yes, we did!)

Cardinal Stafford said Catholics must deal with the “hot, angry tears of betrayal” by beginning a new sentiment where one is “with Jesus, sick because of love.” (Wow, Cardinal Stafford doesn't seem to have taken the election results with good grace. I personally could finally stop crying "hot, angry tears of betrayal", and although I didn't presume that my sickness with the Bush administration was shared by Jesus, it wouldn't have surprised me if Jesus was sick too.)

The lecture, hosted by the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, pertained to Humanae Vitae, a papal encyclical written by Pope Paul VI in 1968 and celebrating its 40 anniversary this year.

Stafford also spoke about the decline of a respect for human life and the need for Catholics to return to the original values of marriage and human dignity.

“If 1968 was the year of America’s ‘suicide attempt,’ 2008 is the year of America’s exhaustion,” said Stafford, an American Cardinal and Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary for the Tribunal of the Holy See. “In the intervening 40 years since Humanae Vitae, the United States has been thrown upon ruins.” (This is frightening. I don't think Humanae Vitae figured into the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, and I don't think America has been thrown into ruins because of Humanae Vitae. Humanae Vitae wasn't an encyclical about unchecked power and greed.)

This destruction and America’s decline is largely in part due to the Supreme Court’s decisions in the life-issue cases of 1973, specifically Roe v. Wade. Stafford asserted these cases undermined respect for human life in the United States.

“Its scrupulous meanness has had catastrophic effects upon the unity and integrity of the American republic,” said Stafford. (But we're to accept that these comments of yours are not mean, and not divisive.)

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This has been a heck of a week for Catholic democrats. Looking back over some of the Episcopal statements that I have commented on, could make one shed tears of "hot, angry betrayal." Oh well, Catholic progressives have a lot of practice with that phenomenon.

The comments on other websites about Cardinal Stafford's speech have engendered some of the least Christian banter I have read on any other topic. It has served however, to focus the rage of some pro lifers about Obama. It seems they are incapable of separating the man from his party, or from the electorate of the United States. He has somehow become a lightening rod for all things Satanic. Here's an article by Fr. George Rutler, which extensively quotes Cardinal Newman on how Satan co opts weak Christians. Fr. Rutler is certainly implying that the election of Obama was a victory for Satan, principally due to lukewarm cafeteria catholics who seemingly can't tell satan from a box of Granola.

Have I missed something? Weren't the democrats in charge of both houses of congress in 2007 when FOCA couldn't get out of committee in either the senate or the house? Aren't there pro life Catholic democrats, who coupled with republicans of like mind, capable of preventing it from coming out of committee again? Isn't there some constitutional clause that says Obama can't sign into law a bill which didn't come through congress first? Has the election of Barack Obama somehow propelled us into a completely different parallel universe?

Given the 'apocalyptic' rhetoric of Cardinal Stafford, maybe we are in some parallel universe that only he's aware of, but if we're not, his language is way over the line. Obama is not the Anti Christ and to imply such a thing, is ignorant at best, and verbally irresponsible at it's worst. It's hate and fear mongering to the max. Isn't Cardinal Stafford way past retirement age?

In the meantime Pope Benedict is waxing eloquently on how Christians long for the end times, and explaining the need for real Catholic politicians. He even gives a shout out concerning the contribution of women. Which is nice, considering neither he nor Cardinal Stafford would be around without one. What though, is all this fascination with the end times? Catholicism is beginning to sound way too much like the New Apostolic Reformation.

Which brings me to the letter of Richard Malone , the bishop of the diocese of Portland, Maine. In this letter, which he had read at all parishes, he again states the quite common, if totally erroneous notion, that marriage between one man and one woman has always been that way. Well, maybe in his lifetime.

In the body of the letter, in another sort of shout out, he does stress the diocese's support for the opening up of civil 'spousal' benefits such as health insurance and hospital visitation. There is though, this kind of confusing part in which he seems to be saying that when it comes to marriage and the common good, the Catholic sacramental notion of marriage supersedes the civil notion and should be made the law of the land. For the good of the children don't we know.

He ends by telling his flock they can look forward to Maine's version of prop 8. Which I guess means that Maine can look forward to their own version of a Mormon invasion. I understand this can be good for their economy, if not their political atmosphere.

Why is Catholicism working in hand in hand with the Mormon's you might ask---on defending marriage of all things. I suspect it has to do with money. The LDS Church has it, and American Catholicism is still shelling out mind boggling sums to clergy sexual abuse victims. Three billion and still counting, in fact.

Cardinal Stafford, perhaps you shouldn't be speaking about shedding 'hot, angry tears of betrayal'.