Friday, October 19, 2012

AL SMITH DINNER



PRESIDENT AND ROMNEY JOIN CATHOLIC PRELATES AT AL SMITH DINNER

In a time of a sorry lack of civility in political discourse, it is a blessing that the Al Smith Dinner for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York brings together both candidates, the leaders of the Catholic Church including USCCB President/Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan and many people of good will. 

Governor Romney showed great dignity in his remarks that ""Don't tell anyone I said so, but our 44th president has many gifts and a beautiful family that would make any man proud. ... In our country, you can oppose someone in politics and make a confident case against their policies without any ill will. And that's how it is for me."

President Obama received a standing ovation when he rose to speak at the Catholic Charities gala.  At the usually lighthearted event, both men made jokes at their own expense, but President Obama ended on a serious note, proclaming in the words of Saint Paul:  “It’s written in Scripture that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:4)

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

This site is a disgrace. You are advocating for the most pro-abortion president ever elected. How do you justify that?

ek said...

If you truly are Catholic you cannot vote for someone who supports abortion, the killing of abortion survivors, same-sex "marriage" and contraception. As Bishop Paprocki has stated, if you do vote for a politician who accepts and promotes these evils, you are complicit. "Catholics for Obama" makes as much sense as "NeoNazis for Zion."

Katherine said...

and ek, Mitt Romney says he supports contraception, had no agenda to protect life and today announced that he has switched and no longer supports banning same sex marriage. I guess you are voting for the Constitution Party.

Anonymous said...

And Obama is our tribulation isn't he?

Katherine said...

Nah, he is our soon to be re-elected President, winning a majority of the Catholic vote!

ek said...

Thank you for posting my comments! Other sites will not tolerate dissent. I commend you for that.

Katherine, I am not enthusiastic about Romney either, but when faced with the choice, Romney is the much, much, much lesser evil.

Under Obama the nanny state will control everything, destroying freedom of conscience, forcing everyone to pay for abortion, contraception, and an unwanted healthcare bureaucracy. No one will be allowed to speak out against institutionalized sodomy. The economy will be destroyed. God help us if King Hussein is reelected!

Katherine said...

ek,

well, we have different views. Rather than the lesser of two evils, I think both the President and Romney are good men, excellent fathers and decent people. I choose Obama, but I don't think Romney is an evil.

ek said...

Katherine, only God can judge a person, but we can judge policies and actions. Obama is all for abortion. He even voted against help for babies who survive their abortion. If that isn't an evil action I don't know what is. If you are Catholic, think about what policies your vote will help. Obama will shut out the Catholic Church's voice if he is reelected. Romney will not. It's about their policies, not how nice they are to their families.

Katherine said...

ek,

I have thought about it deeply and that is why every day from now until the election I am volunteering with my parish Catholics for Obama committee to work the phone banks.

For civil rights, health care for all, social insurance, the elderly, peace in the world, as well as unborn lives that would be lost because of Mecury poisoning or lack of health care, I am with the President.

But I respect your right to judge the policies and actions of the candidates as you see fit.

ek said...

I also respect your opinion and congratulate you for allowing opinions contrary to yours on this blog. With all due respect, you are not obeying the teachings of the Church if you vote for Obama. You cannot employ evil means to bring about good. Many Catholic charities, hospitals and schools will be eliminated by Obama's secular agenda. Their good works will be stopped and a secular godless agenda allowed in their place. Best wishes to you.

Katherine said...

ek,

My pastor, my spiritual director and my Archbishop all say that the Church does not give me voting instructions. With all three of them giving me the same answer and no direct access to the Holy Father, I'm accepting the remarks they have made to me.

Catholics will never stop being charitable.

If Romney wins, tens of millions will be denied health insurance, unborn lives will be lost to Mercury poisoning, the poor will be denied benefits and workers will see their natural law right to join a union (affirmed under Catholic Social Teaching) restricted.

This Catholic is supporting the President.

ek said...

Katherine,
The last thing I'll say is that the reason Our Lord was crucified was because he would not give the world the false promises that a secular leader will give anyone for political power. I would rather die than vote for Obama. The Lord will judge us on how we tried to help all of our brothers and sisters, especially the most vulnerable. Misguided compassion comes from the evil one who convinces us that many have to be butchered so that others may live. In all charity I encourage you and your pastors to review Isaiah 49:15 and Psalm 139: 13-16. No conception is a mistake. The Lord wills each life into being. Thou shalt not kill.

Katherine said...

ek,

And it is the false promises of Mitt Romney that so troubles me.
Romney says he does not have the unborn on his agenda. Nor does he have the poor, the sick, the elderly or workers.

However, next time I see the Archbishop, I will tell him I met someone on the internet who thinks he needs to read the Bible.