The Cardinal’s Candidate

The widening chasm in the Catholic Church – mirroring that in the broader society and culture – continues unabated. One is left wondering at the statement by Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, that Catholics can vote for Joe Biden ‘in good conscience’. His Eminence refused to say the same about Donald Trump, but admitting, “I, frankly, in my own way of thinking, have a more difficult time with the other option“.

The other option. Hmm.

Then we have Father James Altmann’s viral video, wherein he states in no uncertain terms that one cannot be a Catholic and a Democrat:

Here’s a memo to clueless baptized Catholics out there: you cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat. Period. Their party platform absolutely is against everything the Catholic Church teaches. So just quit pretending that you’re Catholic and vote Democrat. Repent of your support of that party and its platform, or face the fires of hell.

Rather blunt and to the point. He is soon, likely, to be censured by his own bishop. Then again, he has the enthusiastic support of Bishop Strickland of Tyler, Texas.

Let us now return to Cardinal Tobin’s first, and apparently only, choice.

Biden is rather clear on his agenda; it’s all there on his campaign page, albeit apparently in somewhat coded politico-speak. But the reader may peruse this summary of what he plans to do, while trying to hold off weeping and gnashing thy teeth. At least we may hope to get that ‘weeping and gnashing’ done here – blessed are those that weep and lament now – but woe to those, as Father Altmann implies, for whom such a fate awaits in eternity.

A totalitarian, demonic ‘Democratic’ regime unleashed upon the land, from unlimited abortion and the tragedy of Roe vs. Wade on one and all, to transgender ‘rights’ – grown men who claim to be women gettin’ naked in girls’ change rooms – all the way to children having their ‘parts’ carved up and lopped off, all in the name of a mythical ‘gender dysphoria’. And no opposition to any of this insanity and mayhem will be brooked or tolerated.

So what of Trump? Yes, he’s not perfect, and readers may disagree with some of his policies, or even with his blustery personality. But the list of things he has done right is long – witness the recently brokered Middle East peace plan – and, more to the point, he’s solid and forthright on the most important issues, that is, those of life and death, as well as religious freedom. An opportunist? That may have been a plausible hypothesis four years ago, but time has told its tale, and the assessment of Sister Deirdre Byrne, speaking at the Republican National Convention, a veritable quasi-miracle of grace, has the ring of truth and good-will:

The Cardinal and the Candidate and rest of the Democrat bus will have to justify their ‘options’ before the judgement seat of God, but then so will we all. There are some harsh words there about protecting His little ones, and none are so little as the unborn.

I will leave you for now with the words of Moses, speaking on the Lord’s behalf, to the Israelites:

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.

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