Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during a fundraising event at Discovery World on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 21, 2024 / 18:10 pm (CNA).
Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, at an Oct. 20 faith rally in Waukesha, Wisconsin, accused the Biden-Harris administration of persecuting Christians and Catholics in particular.
In his speech, Vance also spoke about religious liberty and the impact of inflation, illegal immigration, and drug addiction.
“There are a lot of Catholics … [who] I think rightfully feel abandoned by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ leadership, and they’re just looking for somebody to protect their rights and make this country an affordable and decent place to raise a family,” Vance said at the Sunday afternoon rally in the battleground state.
“I think that’s true of a lot of Catholics,” Vance said. “It’s true of non-Catholics, too. But we cannot have an American government that is persecuting Christians for living their faith. We should be rewarding people and encouraging people to live their faith.”
Vance took Harris to task for her support for “suing Catholic nuns to force them to perform procedures that violate their conscience.”
The allegation appears to be in reference to Harris’ 2019 support for the Do No Harm Act, which would have ended religious liberty exemptions for certain government mandates, including for health insurance coverage. It would have scaled back the protections in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act so the government could force religious employers to include coverage for abortion and transgender surgeries in their health insurance plans.
Democratic lawmakers introduced the legislation to push back against the Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic community of religious sisters who were suing the federal government over a mandate that their health insurance plan cover abortion. The sisters won at the Supreme Court.
“I think that’s ridiculous,” Vance continued. “I think we’re a big enough country where we can actually respect the right of people of faith to live according to their conscience and not try to force Kamala Harris’ progressive values down their throat.”
The Trump campaign has also been critical of Harris for scrutinizing judicial nominees for being members of the Knights of Columbus and for a leaked internal Richmond FBI memo that called for an investigation into a supposed link between so-called “radical traditionalist Catholics” and “the far-right white nationalist movement.” Trump also criticized Harris for skipping the Al Smith dinner, which raises money for Catholic charities and is traditionally attended by both major-party candidates.
“Kamala Harris is the candidate of anti-Christian and anti-Catholic bigotry,” Vance said. “She brags about it. That’s her policy record. Donald Trump is the candidate of defending your First Amendment right to practice your faith however you want to, because this is the United States of America, and we believe in religious liberty in this country.”
Vance also blamed Harris and President Joe Biden for the rising cost of living, resulting from high levels of inflation. He blamed government spending for the inflation, which he said harmed families and “made groceries unaffordable for American citizens.”
Additionally, Vance blamed Biden and Harris for the flood of migrants illegally entering the United States. He said their border policies have made Americans less safe and sparked a rise in fentanyl-laced drugs in the country.
On a personal note, Vance referred to his mother’s past struggle with opioid addiction, saying she “has been clean and sober for 10 years, and we’re proud of her.”
“That, to me, is the grace of God,” he said. “I know in this room, [many people] believe that God sometimes works in mysterious ways, but he does work every single day in the lives of citizens of this state and of this country. I’m living proof of it, my friends.”
“But while we pray to God for recovery and we fight every single day for those of our loved ones who are getting caught up in this stuff, wouldn’t it be nice to have a president of the United States who stopped this poison from coming into our country in the first place?” Vance added.
Hundreds of people turned out for Vance’s rally, which took place outside of Milwaukee, the state’s largest city. Several people held campaign signs that read “Catholics for Trump.” Vance is a convert to Catholicism and noted during the speech that he was “baptized for the first time in 2019” and “returned to my faith as a young man.”
“I know all of you are praying for me, and I know we got a lot of Catholics for Trump,” Vance said. “I see the signs here. Thank you, Catholics for Trump.”
While he was speaking, one attendee loudly yelled “Jesus is king,” to which Vance responded: “That’s right — Jesus is king” and received loud cheers and applause from the crowd. This appeared to be in reference to an incident that took place at a Harris rally two days earlier. Two college students say they were asked to leave a Harris rally after reportedly shouting, “Jesus is Lord.” A video circulating on social media, however, shows that someone in the audience also shouted “Liar! Liar!” before Harris told them they were “at the wrong rally.”
“Whether you’re a person of [the] Christian faith or not, Donald Trump and I are going to fight for your right to live your values because that’s what the First Amendment protects,” Vance said.
According to a polling average from RealClearPolling, Trump and Harris are virtually tied in Wisconsin, a state with 10 Electoral College votes. In all seven battleground states with the tightest races, polls show Trump with very narrow leads, with Harris less than two percentage points behind in each — well within the margin of error.
Some recent polls show that Catholic voters are nearly evenly divided on the 2024 presidential election. According to a September Pew Research Center survey, about 52% of Catholics support Trump and 47% support Harris. A poll conducted by the National Catholic Reporter found that Catholics in the seven most tightly contested swing states preferred Trump 50% to Harris’ 45%.
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Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska. / Credit: Diocese of Lincoln
CNA Staff, Sep 3, 2024 / 16:00 pm (CNA).
Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, highlighted the tenets of Catholic education and the modern challenges facing educators in… […]
A defining theme of Pope Francis’ papacy has been his urging of humanity to better care for the natural environment, which he has done most prominently in his landmark 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ and numerous subsequent writings and speeches.
The pope’s emphasis on this topic — especially his foray into climate science via his recent encyclical Laudate Deum — has variously drawn both praise and consternation from Catholics in the United States, about half of whom do not share Pope Francis’ views on climate change, according to surveys.
In Laudate Deum, which was released in October as a continuation to Laudato Si’, Francis wrote that the effects of climate change “are here and increasingly evident,” warning of “immensely grave consequences for everyone” if drastic efforts are not made to reduce emissions. In the face of this, the Holy Father criticized those who “have chosen to deride [the] facts” about climate science, stating bluntly that it is “no longer possible to doubt the human — ‘anthropic’ — origin of climate change.”
The pope in the encyclical laid out his belief that there must be a “necessary transition towards clean energy sources, such as wind and solar energy, and the abandonment of fossil fuels.” This follows a call from Pope Francis in 2021 to the global community calling for the world to “achieve net zero carbon emissions as soon as possible.”
He further lamented what he called “certain dismissive and scarcely reasonable opinions [on climate change] that I encounter, even within the Catholic Church.”
In light of the new encyclical — which extensively cites the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — Pope Francis was invited to speak at this week’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP28. Though the 86-year-old pope was forced to cancel his trip due to health issues, the Vatican has indicated that he aims to participate in COP28 this weekend in some fashion. It announced today that Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin will represent the pope at the conference.
While various Catholic groups have welcomed the pope’s latest encyclical, some Catholics have reacted with persistent doubts, questioning whether the pope’s policy prescriptions would actually produce the desired effects.
How do Americans feel about climate change?
According to a major survey conducted by Yale University, 72% of Americans believed in 2021 — the latest available data year — that “global warming is happening,” and 57% believe that global warming is caused by human activity.
More recent polling from the Pew Research Center, conducted in June, similarly suggests that two-thirds of U.S. adults overall say the country should prioritize developing renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, over the expansion of the production of oil, coal, and natural gas. That same survey found that just 3 in 10 adults (31%) say the U.S. should completely phase out oil, coal, and natural gas. The Yale study found that 77% of U.S. adults support at least the funding of research into renewable energy sources.
Broken down by party affiliation, Pew found that a large majority of Democratic and Democratic-leaning independents — 90% — favor alternative energy sources, while just under half, 42%, of Republicans and Republican-leaning adults think the same. Within the Republican cohort, however, 67% of Republicans under age 30 prioritize the development of alternative energy sources, compared with the 75% of Republicans ages 65 and older who prioritize the expansion of oil, coal, and natural gas.
In terms of the expansion of alternative energy sources, two-thirds of Americans think the federal government should encourage domestic production of wind and solar power, Pew reported. Just 7% say the government should discourage this, while 26% think it should neither encourage nor discourage it.
How do America’s Catholics feel about climate change?
Surveys suggest that Catholics in the United States are slightly more likely than the U.S. population as a whole to be skeptical of climate change, despite the pope’s emphatic words in 2015 and since.
A separate Pew study suggests that 44% of U.S. Catholics say the Earth is warming mostly due to human activity, a view in line with Pope Francis’ stance. About 3 in 10 (29%) said the Earth is warming mostly due to natural patterns, while 13% said they believe there is no solid evidence the planet is getting warmer.
According to the same study, 71% of Hispanic Catholics see climate change as an extremely or very serious problem, compared with 49% of white, non-Hispanic Catholics. (There were not enough Black or Asian Catholics in the 2022 survey to analyze separately, Pew said.)
One 2015 study from Yale did suggest that soon after Laudato Si’ was released, U.S. Catholics were overall more likely to believe in climate change than before. That same study found no change, however, in the number of Americans overall who believe human activity is causing global warming.
Pope Francis’ climate priorities
Beyond his groundbreaking writings, Pope Francis has taken many actions during his pontificate to make his own — admittedly small — country, Vatican City, more sustainable, including the recent announcement of a large order of electric vehicles, construction of its own network of charging stations, a reforestation program, and the continued importation of energy coming exclusively from renewable sources.
Francis has often lamented what he sees as a tepid response from developed countries in implementing measures to curb climate change. In Laudate Deum, he urged that new multinational agreements on climate change — speaking in this case specifically about the COP28 conference — be “drastic, intense, and count on the commitment of all,” stating that “a broad change in the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model would have a significant long-term impact.”
The pope lamented what he sees as the fact that when new projects related to green energy are proposed, the potential for economic growth, employment, and human promotion are thought of first rather than moral considerations such as the effects on the world’s poorest.
“It is often heard also that efforts to mitigate climate change by reducing the use of fossil fuels and developing cleaner energy sources will lead to a reduction in the number of jobs,” the pope noted.
“What is happening is that millions of people are losing their jobs due to different effects of climate change: rising sea levels, droughts, and other phenomena affecting the planet have left many people adrift. Conversely, the transition to renewable forms of energy, properly managed, as well as efforts to adapt to the damage caused by climate change, are capable of generating countless jobs in different sectors.”
‘Leave God’s creation better than we found it’
Dr. Kevin Roberts, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Heritage Foundation think tank, told CNA that he has noticed a theme of frustration and confusion among many Catholics regarding the Holy Father’s emphasis on climate change.
A self-described outdoorsman and former president of Wyoming Catholic College, Roberts spoke highly to CNA of certain aspects of Laudato Si’, particularly the pope’s insights into what he called “human ecology,” which refers to the acceptance of each person’s human body as a vital part of “accepting the entire world as a gift from the Father and our common home.”
Dr. Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation. Courtesy of Heritage Foundation.
“I like to think [Pope Francis] personally wrote that, because I could see him saying that,” Roberts said of the passage, which appears in paragraph 155 of the encyclical. Roberts said he even makes a point to meditate on that “beautiful and moving” passage during a retreat that he does annually.
That portion of Laudato Si’ notwithstanding, Roberts said he strongly believes that it detracts from other important issues, such as direct ministry to the poor, when Pope Francis elevates care for God’s natural creation as “seemingly more important than other issues to us as Catholics.” He also said he disagrees with Pope Francis’ policy prescriptions, such as a complete phasing out of fossil fuels, contained in Laudate Deum.
“We of course want to pray for him. We’re open to the teaching that he is providing. But we also have to remember as Catholics that sometimes popes are wrong. And on this issue, it is a prudential matter. It is not a matter of morality, particularly when he’s getting into the scientific policy recommendations,” Roberts said.
Roberts said the Heritage Foundation’s research and advocacy has focused not on high-level, multinational agreements and conferences to tackle the issues posed by climate change but rather on smaller-scale, more community-based efforts. He said this policy position is, in part, due to the historical deference such multinational conglomerates of nations have given to China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases overall.
He said agreements within the U.S. itself, with businesses and all levels of government working together, have produced the best results so far when it comes to improving the environment. He also pointed to examples of constructive action that don’t involve billions of dollars, such as families making the choice to spend more time outdoors or engaging in local activities that contribute to environmental conservation and community life, such as anti-litter campaigns and community gardening. The overarching goal, he said, should be to “leave God’s creation better than we found it.”
Roberts — who said he personally believes humans likely have “very little effect” on the climate — said he was discouraged to read other portions of Laudato Si’, as well as Laudate Deum, that to him read as though they had come “straight out of the U.N.” Despite his criticisms, Roberts urged his fellow Catholics to continue to pray for the Holy Father and to listen to the pope’s moral insights.
“I just think that the proposed solutions are actually more anti-human and worse than the purported effects of climate change,” he added.
‘A far more complex issue’
Greg Sindelar, a Catholic who serves as CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a conservative think tank that studies the energy industry, similarly expressed concerns to CNA about the potential impact of certain climate change mitigation policies on human flourishing.
Like Roberts, Sindelar spoke highly of certain aspects of the pope’s message while expressing reservations about some of the U.N.-esque solutions proposed in Laudate Deum.
“I think the pope is right about our duty as Catholics to be stewards and to care for the environment. But I think what we have to understand — what we have to balance this with — is that it cannot come at the expense of depriving people of affordable and reliable energy,” Sindelar said in an interview with CNA.
“There’s ways to be environmentally friendly without sacrificing the access that we all need to reliable and affordable energy.”
Greg Sindelar is CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a think tank in America’s leading energy-producing state. Courtesy of Texas Public Policy Foundation
Sindelar said TPPF primarily promotes cheap, reliable access to energy as a means of promoting human flourishing. The free-market-focused group is skeptical of top-down governmental intervention, both in the form of regulation and incentives or disincentives in certain areas of the energy sector.
When asked what he thinks his fellow Catholics largely think about the issue, Sindelar said many of the Catholics he hears from express the view that government policies and interventions rarely produce effective solutions and could potentially hinder access to energy for those in need.
“I think it’s a far more complex issue than just saying we need to cut emissions, and we need to transfer away from fossil fuels, and all these other things. What we need to do is figure out and ensure ways that we are providing affordable and reliable electricity to all citizens of the world,” he reiterated.
“When the pope speaks, when the Vatican speaks, it carries a lot of weight with Catholics around the world, [and] not just with Catholics … and I totally agree with him that we need to be thinking about the most marginalized and the poorest amongst us,” Sindelar continued.
“[But] by going down these policy prescription paths that he’s recommending, we’re actually going to reduce their ability to have access to that,” he asserted.
Sindelar, while disagreeing with Pope Francis’ call for an “abandonment of fossil fuels,” said he appreciates the fact that Pope Francis has spoken out about the issue of care for creation and has initiated so much public discussion.
“I think there is room for differing views and opinions on the right ways to do that,” he said.
Effective mitigation efforts
Susan Varlamoff, a retired biologist and parishioner at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in the Atlanta area, is among those Catholics who are committed to Pope Francis’ call to care for creation and to mitigate the effects of climate change. To that end, Varlamoff in 2016 created a peer-reviewed action plan for the Archdiocese of Atlanta to help Catholics put the principles contained in Laudato Si’ into action, mainly through smaller, more personal actions that people can take to reduce their energy usage.
Retired biologist Susan Varlamoff. Photo courtesy of Susan Varlamoff
The Atlanta Archdiocese’s efforts have since garnered recognition and praise, Varlamoff said, with at least 35 archdioceses now involved in an inter-diocesan network formed to exchange sustainability ideas based on the latest version of the plan from Atlanta.
“It’s fascinating to see what everybody is doing, and it’s basically based on their talents and imaginations,” Varlamoff said, noting that a large number of young people have gotten involved with their efforts.
As a scientist, Varlamoff told CNA it is clear to her that Pope Francis knows what he’s talking about when he lays out the dangers posed by inaction in the face of climate change.
“He understands the science, and he’s deeply concerned … he’s got remarkable influence as a moral leader,” she said.
“Part of what our religion asks us to do is to care for one another. We have to care for creation if we’re going to care for one another, because the earth is our natural resource system, our life support, and we cannot care for one another if we don’t have that life support.”
Responding to criticisms about the financial costs associated with certain green initiatives, Varlamoff noted that small-scale sustainable actions can actually save money. She offered the example of parishes in the Atlanta area that have drastically reduced their electric bills by installing solar panels.
“[But,] it’s not just about saving money. It’s also about reducing fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, and protecting the natural resources for future generations,” she said.
Moreover, Varlamoff said, the moral imperative to improve the natural environment for future generations is worth the investment. “When [Catholics] give money, for example, for a social justice issue like Walking with Moms in Need or special needs, the payback is improving lives. We’re improving the environment here,” she emphasized.
New York City, N.Y., Jan 3, 2019 / 07:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York wrote in a recent an op-ed that while he fully supports victims of sexual abuse, proposed legal reforms in the state should be crafted so as support all vi… […]
43 Comments
Although today’s polls are often contradicted by tomorrow’s, a recent poll claimed that more than half the Catholics contacted endorsed VP Harris. Apparently, a great number (alas!) don’t feel the abandonment to which Sen. Vance refers. Of course, as Deacon Peitler has pointed out in several responses to other articles, how was “Catholics” defined in the poll to which I’m referring, or was it even defined at all?
I personally think that if VP Kamala Harris is elected, along with Gov. Walz, that within a few months, their lack of qualifications will become sadly evident and there will be demands for their resignation. I hope that if they are elected, VP Harris will have the sense to choose people wiser than her for her Cabinet and for other advisory positions.
There are many eligible Democrats that have more experience, more people skills, and more governing skills-it was shocking that VP Harris received the nomination, especially after she demonstrated incompetence in the several “jobs” that Pres. Biden gave her during his Presidency. I realize that most Democrats (actually, all elected Democrats) are pro-abortion–but there are many other issues that require experience and intelligence, which Harris and Walz lack, and other Democrats have.
In our state, the campaigns for “women’s reproductive rights” are filled with exaggerations and falsehoods–and many Americans believe them (because they WANT to believe them).
I think the best hope that we have of electing pro-life and pro-religion candidates is that many of the younger people who are easy prey for the liberal/evil ads, will not actually vote, but will only “think about” voting–if they could vote on their I-phones, they might do it, but these days, there are quite a few 20-somethings who don’t know how to drive and still live with their parents and spend much of their time in their bedrooms on their phones and playing video games with people across the country that they’ve never met in person. Hopefully we Baby Boomers (and there are still quite a lot of us!), and even some of the generation before us who still have their health, will come out in force to cast votes for candidates that are actually qualified to lead.
You think like a Boomer. The days of “I can be a serious Christian and still vote for Democrats” passed a long time ago. The 1960s are over. Time to get with the program.
I too am a Boomer, from one of the most liberal blue states in the nation, was a Democrat raised by Depression-era, FDR/JFK Democrats, and I haven’t voted for a Democrat since 1984, when I held my breath, voted for Reagan, and realized that the ceiling wasn’t going to crash down on my head. I haven’t voted for or thought or spoken like a Democrat since then, and I know others of my generation like me. Please don’t make generalizations like “think like a Boomer.” I know all sorts of Boomers who think all sorts of ways.
Well, if it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck…
As a Boomer, you need to assume responsibility for the fact that much of the decay evident in our culture can be laid at your feet. We’re the ones who have to clean up the mess you all made of things.
You get no argument from me there, but don’t be surprised if 40 or 50 years from now — should the Lord delay His coming — someone from a future generation makes the same statement to you and your generation. It’s the same claim Boomers made to *their* parents.
People’s birth years don’t define them anymore than people’s sexual attractions do. I don’t think we should be categorizing folks that way.
The Democrat Party has changed for the worse over the years. Some people have come to realize that, some not.
Thank you JD Vance! I am a 70 year old cradle Catholic and I have never felt more threatened by the Harris/ Walz ticket! Let us ask our Divine Master, Jesus Christ to intervene in this election.
“When two or more are gathered….”
Which Catholics, the Baptized Catholics who are being persecuted for affirming that God, The Ordered Communion Of Perfect Love, The Most Holy And Undivided Blessed Trinity, Through The Unity Of The Holy Ghost (Filioque), Is The Author Of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage, and desire to affirm their Baptismal Promises, in public and in private, or the Baptized Catholics who no longer profess that God, The Ordered Communion Of Perfect Love, The Most Holy And Undivided Blessed Trinity, Through The Unity Of The Holy Ghost, Is The Author of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage, having defected from The Catholic Faith, no longer affirm their Baptismal Promises?
I think many Catholics assumed the Democrat Party was with us decades ago. I’m pretty sure the GOP wasn’t. But in truth, we shouldn’t be putting our trust in politics in the first place. I’m just voting GOP because I can’t vote in good conscience for the other side.
Did you see that lady from Brazil who went through the line when Trump was serving? She asked him to not let the US become Brail, apparently a bunch of crooks?
Is anyone reading this from Brazil? are the politicians there crooks?
Prophets such as Ryszard Legutko and Michael Hanby are warning about the fusion of democracy and liberalism into a super-theory which permits no competing political ideologies, ushering in progress in the form of technocracy.
In regards to Catholic foundational views on the family, such a technocracy might bring to mind its ultimate expression in the process of in vitro fertilization, for which Vance is a willing contributor.
If that is due to political expediency, one wonders about the degree to which future expediency will make the “lesser of two evils” indistinguishable.
Mrs. Whitlock above – I wouldn’t invest too much hope in Baby Boomers.
From what I can see, they/we are the ones who bought “the spirit of Vatican II” and betrayed the faith. (Viz. Biden, Pelosi et al.)
I an hope that Harris, the Democratic Party will realize what being a Democratic stands for. The Democratic party has become extremely liberal. Do realize all people, no matter what their gender, sex, race, religion, etc. need to be represented but it seems, at lest to me, that the pendulum has swung too far. There is no way I can vote for Tramp. And I am leery of Vance’s version of Catholicism. So staying Democratic.
Politics on fire.
I am no fan of Harris/Walz, but Vance’s statements and his duplicit blind support of a demented convicted lying felon should cause one to pause and reflect.
Vance: “Any woman who remains childless is a cat lady. She should pay higher taxes. The Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating cats and dogs”. Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Mayor quickly refuted that claim. That lie prompted threats of bombings causing havoc and the closings of schools.
His previously damning statements included, “Trump was an American Hitler. He is unfit to hold office”.
At the debate with Walz, he evaded the question if he thought the 2024 election was fair. Often issuing deflective lies.
Trump’s unbelievable and off message in Greensboro, NC about Arnold Palmer’s “manhood” discovered by fellow pros in a shower. “Trump didn’t really mean that”. Palmer’s daughter Peg Palmer Wears said her father often doubted Trump’s mental state. Add to that Trump’s recent in-your-face rants: There was a peaceful transfer of power on 1/6/21. “It was a day of LOVE”! After he bellowed at the Eclipse on that dark day, “Go down to the Capitol and fight like hell”. Then reclining to the Oval Office to watch the mayhem on the dining room TV for hours. Then Meadows taking calls even from Donald. Jr and Evonka to stop the riot he finally appeared to say, “go home now, we love you”.
Not only does Vance have blind support for Trump, sadly it is my faith that has been shaken by the recent adoration of Trump at the Al Smith dinner by my Bishop Cardinal Dolan.
Conclusion: If I am to remain a patriotic American I must put country ahead of politics. Hope everyone can do the same.
My wife and I cast our vote today for Trump/J.D. here in Virginia. I also reached out to some Amish in PA with whom we did business earlier this year to do the same. Their reply: “More Amish than ever before are getting out to vote.” Now if we can do something to stop the defrauding of elections in this country, we might someday return to being a democratic Republic.
Good for you Deacon Edward. I’m going to try & do the same thing on my way home this evening.
It’s interesting about the Amish. I read they were active supporters of Mr. Trump in 2020 also.
Actually, I’m surprised to learn that the Amish are voting at all. Maybe I’m desperately behind the times, but I was under the impression that the Amish don’t vote as a sign of their separation from the world. I have among my in-laws some “conservative” — i.e., plain — Mennonites, and although I know that some less traditional Mennonites vote, those of my in-laws’ conference eschew voting. (One of these in-laws explained why to me; frankly, I thought it sounded like political Christian Science.)
Just can’t understand the reason behind voting for Trump. If if is the abortion issues, can’t you see what all he wants to do is dangerous, for all of us?
I do not feel abandoned by Biden/Harris or the Democrats in general.
The Church, yes.
The Dems, no. Not at all.
(Edit: I just want to make clear I am in no way supporting the Biden/Harris or the Democrats. Never have. Never will.)
Until I heard his humorous remarks at the traditional Al Smith Catholic dinner in NYC in the presence of the Cardinal, I did not know that DT had saved the Catholic schools of NY, after the then Cardinal asked for his help. He made some phone calls and in 15 minutes he got several million for the Catholic schools. Amazing. Watch this. It is also very funny. He starts talking at min 2:50 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAwbHmrplak
Harris opposes even religious exceptions for abortion: ‘During an interview with NBC News on Tuesday, 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris said that religious exemptions on providing abortion would not be on the table for her because we shouldn’t “be making concessions when we’re talking about a fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body.”’ The choice for a Christian in the coming election is not difficult. One candidate appointed judges to the Supreme Court who overthrew the unconstitutional Roe v. Wade, and a candidate who will leave it to the citizens of each state, in our federal republic, to decide on abortion limits and acceptance. The other candidate promises to make the right to abortion under all circumstances and lengths of gestation a national law regardless of the views of the citizens of each state, even the most Christian states in the republic. And in four years in office one candidate gave us a booming economy, secure borders, peace abroad, energy self-sufficient, lower inflation, and so forth. The other candidate is in an administration that is doing the opposite of all this and destroying our country. BTW, please publicize the video in youtube made by Dr. Anthony Levatino, M.D., Obstetrician, Gynecologist and former abortionist. It is a sobering description of the process of abortion at various stages of gestation. It should be known by the general public especially young women who in school are not told the true details of the matter. This is the link; again, post it in social media if you can: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l7lTMzEs8E
Harris imposes that “we shouldn’t ‘be making concessions when we’re talking about a fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body’.”
This is not a political moment, it’s another Galileo Moment. It’s about the unwillingness to notice through the telescope–or now “fundamental” embryology, or fiber optics, or the ultrasound, or even the delivery table!–that there’s more than one body.
mrs. Thank you for your frank response. However, your adoration of Trump is an admission that he can say and do anything he pleases. We should take the serious words from many of Trump’s advisers and military Generals.
COS General John Kelly, “he is the core of a fascist dictator. Kelly: “He did say at the National Cemetery where our fallen heroes who saved our country from wars in order to protect us and Trump, who faked heel spurs and not spending an hour in service to his country, “They are all suckers and losers”.
Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper has called him a “threat to democracy.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence has declined to endorse him, citing “profound differences.”
Sarah Matthews, a former Trump aide who testified before the House Jan. 6 committee and is among those warning about the threat he poses, said it’s “mind-boggling” how many members of his senior staff have denounced him.
Others: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, John Bolton, General Mattis, Even Bill Barr, Trump’s former attorney general who has not ruled out voting for him again, has referred to Trump as “a consummate narcissist” who “constantly engages in reckless conduct that puts his country and his political followers at risk.”
And the beat goes on…
Convictions for January 6.
Steve Bannon, “Watch tomorrow All Hell Is Going To Break Loose’ before Capitol Attack” Sidney Powell, ROGER STONE, ALLEN WEISSELBERG, PETER NAVARRO, MICHAEL FLYNN, (Marshall law, call out the military), Kenneth Chesebro, (fake electors), Jenna Ellis.
I wasn’t upset Mr. Morgan, just puzzled. I’m sure there must be people who are devoted to Pres. Trump in that way but I’ve never expressed adoration. I’m just making the best choice I can between the only 2 viable candidates on the ballot this year.
No one is adoring anyone, and it’s inappropriate and dishonest to frame the discussion in that way. People are looking carefully at the issues and the different candidates, none of whom are perfect. But some are less imperfect than others. A Harris presidency, which you support as indicated in your many posts, would be an unmitigated disaster politically, economically, and spiritually. You don’t occupy the moral high ground.
WOW, Terrance. True Biden has shown mental decline, but you seem to miss the current mental instability of Trump. When I voted for him in 2016 he was sharp, concise and clear. Today, during his campaign, he rants off issue with his personal diatribe. Asked if he had a plan for improving healthcare? He said that he had an outline! That alone causes me to not vote for him. I see none of this from Harris.
Although today’s polls are often contradicted by tomorrow’s, a recent poll claimed that more than half the Catholics contacted endorsed VP Harris. Apparently, a great number (alas!) don’t feel the abandonment to which Sen. Vance refers. Of course, as Deacon Peitler has pointed out in several responses to other articles, how was “Catholics” defined in the poll to which I’m referring, or was it even defined at all?
Precisely, Ken T. There are Catholics and there are Catholics.
I personally think that if VP Kamala Harris is elected, along with Gov. Walz, that within a few months, their lack of qualifications will become sadly evident and there will be demands for their resignation. I hope that if they are elected, VP Harris will have the sense to choose people wiser than her for her Cabinet and for other advisory positions.
There are many eligible Democrats that have more experience, more people skills, and more governing skills-it was shocking that VP Harris received the nomination, especially after she demonstrated incompetence in the several “jobs” that Pres. Biden gave her during his Presidency. I realize that most Democrats (actually, all elected Democrats) are pro-abortion–but there are many other issues that require experience and intelligence, which Harris and Walz lack, and other Democrats have.
In our state, the campaigns for “women’s reproductive rights” are filled with exaggerations and falsehoods–and many Americans believe them (because they WANT to believe them).
I think the best hope that we have of electing pro-life and pro-religion candidates is that many of the younger people who are easy prey for the liberal/evil ads, will not actually vote, but will only “think about” voting–if they could vote on their I-phones, they might do it, but these days, there are quite a few 20-somethings who don’t know how to drive and still live with their parents and spend much of their time in their bedrooms on their phones and playing video games with people across the country that they’ve never met in person. Hopefully we Baby Boomers (and there are still quite a lot of us!), and even some of the generation before us who still have their health, will come out in force to cast votes for candidates that are actually qualified to lead.
You think like a Boomer. The days of “I can be a serious Christian and still vote for Democrats” passed a long time ago. The 1960s are over. Time to get with the program.
I too am a Boomer, from one of the most liberal blue states in the nation, was a Democrat raised by Depression-era, FDR/JFK Democrats, and I haven’t voted for a Democrat since 1984, when I held my breath, voted for Reagan, and realized that the ceiling wasn’t going to crash down on my head. I haven’t voted for or thought or spoken like a Democrat since then, and I know others of my generation like me. Please don’t make generalizations like “think like a Boomer.” I know all sorts of Boomers who think all sorts of ways.
Well, if it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck…
As a Boomer, you need to assume responsibility for the fact that much of the decay evident in our culture can be laid at your feet. We’re the ones who have to clean up the mess you all made of things.
You get no argument from me there, but don’t be surprised if 40 or 50 years from now — should the Lord delay His coming — someone from a future generation makes the same statement to you and your generation. It’s the same claim Boomers made to *their* parents.
People’s birth years don’t define them anymore than people’s sexual attractions do. I don’t think we should be categorizing folks that way.
The Democrat Party has changed for the worse over the years. Some people have come to realize that, some not.
Thank you JD Vance! I am a 70 year old cradle Catholic and I have never felt more threatened by the Harris/ Walz ticket! Let us ask our Divine Master, Jesus Christ to intervene in this election.
“When two or more are gathered….”
Amen
Doesn’t the definition of “abandoned” imply that at one time they were with us? Maybe someone can remind me when that was the case.
Which Catholics, the Baptized Catholics who are being persecuted for affirming that God, The Ordered Communion Of Perfect Love, The Most Holy And Undivided Blessed Trinity, Through The Unity Of The Holy Ghost (Filioque), Is The Author Of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage, and desire to affirm their Baptismal Promises, in public and in private, or the Baptized Catholics who no longer profess that God, The Ordered Communion Of Perfect Love, The Most Holy And Undivided Blessed Trinity, Through The Unity Of The Holy Ghost, Is The Author of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage, having defected from The Catholic Faith, no longer affirm their Baptismal Promises?
I don’t think it exercising prudential judgment to put the codes for our nuclear weapons in the hands of an imbecile.
I think many Catholics assumed the Democrat Party was with us decades ago. I’m pretty sure the GOP wasn’t. But in truth, we shouldn’t be putting our trust in politics in the first place. I’m just voting GOP because I can’t vote in good conscience for the other side.
Did you see that lady from Brazil who went through the line when Trump was serving? She asked him to not let the US become Brail, apparently a bunch of crooks?
Is anyone reading this from Brazil? are the politicians there crooks?
I have no idea about Brazil but politicians & crookedness seem to be a universal feature.
Prophets such as Ryszard Legutko and Michael Hanby are warning about the fusion of democracy and liberalism into a super-theory which permits no competing political ideologies, ushering in progress in the form of technocracy.
In regards to Catholic foundational views on the family, such a technocracy might bring to mind its ultimate expression in the process of in vitro fertilization, for which Vance is a willing contributor.
If that is due to political expediency, one wonders about the degree to which future expediency will make the “lesser of two evils” indistinguishable.
Mrs. Whitlock above – I wouldn’t invest too much hope in Baby Boomers.
From what I can see, they/we are the ones who bought “the spirit of Vatican II” and betrayed the faith. (Viz. Biden, Pelosi et al.)
I feel just as abandoned by Trump and Vance, who basically told pro-life voters to get lost. He has some chutzpah saying something like that.
I an hope that Harris, the Democratic Party will realize what being a Democratic stands for. The Democratic party has become extremely liberal. Do realize all people, no matter what their gender, sex, race, religion, etc. need to be represented but it seems, at lest to me, that the pendulum has swung too far. There is no way I can vote for Tramp. And I am leery of Vance’s version of Catholicism. So staying Democratic.
Politics on fire.
I am no fan of Harris/Walz, but Vance’s statements and his duplicit blind support of a demented convicted lying felon should cause one to pause and reflect.
Vance: “Any woman who remains childless is a cat lady. She should pay higher taxes. The Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating cats and dogs”. Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Mayor quickly refuted that claim. That lie prompted threats of bombings causing havoc and the closings of schools.
His previously damning statements included, “Trump was an American Hitler. He is unfit to hold office”.
At the debate with Walz, he evaded the question if he thought the 2024 election was fair. Often issuing deflective lies.
Trump’s unbelievable and off message in Greensboro, NC about Arnold Palmer’s “manhood” discovered by fellow pros in a shower. “Trump didn’t really mean that”. Palmer’s daughter Peg Palmer Wears said her father often doubted Trump’s mental state. Add to that Trump’s recent in-your-face rants: There was a peaceful transfer of power on 1/6/21. “It was a day of LOVE”! After he bellowed at the Eclipse on that dark day, “Go down to the Capitol and fight like hell”. Then reclining to the Oval Office to watch the mayhem on the dining room TV for hours. Then Meadows taking calls even from Donald. Jr and Evonka to stop the riot he finally appeared to say, “go home now, we love you”.
Not only does Vance have blind support for Trump, sadly it is my faith that has been shaken by the recent adoration of Trump at the Al Smith dinner by my Bishop Cardinal Dolan.
Conclusion: If I am to remain a patriotic American I must put country ahead of politics. Hope everyone can do the same.
I’m putting my country and family first and voting for Trump. Politics comes last.
Trump’s politics sway you? How and why?
I don’t understand. Please elaborate if you can. How is voting for Trump putting your country and family first.
More Trump Derangement Syndrome on display, par for the course.
My wife and I cast our vote today for Trump/J.D. here in Virginia. I also reached out to some Amish in PA with whom we did business earlier this year to do the same. Their reply: “More Amish than ever before are getting out to vote.” Now if we can do something to stop the defrauding of elections in this country, we might someday return to being a democratic Republic.
Good for you Deacon Edward. I’m going to try & do the same thing on my way home this evening.
It’s interesting about the Amish. I read they were active supporters of Mr. Trump in 2020 also.
Actually, I’m surprised to learn that the Amish are voting at all. Maybe I’m desperately behind the times, but I was under the impression that the Amish don’t vote as a sign of their separation from the world. I have among my in-laws some “conservative” — i.e., plain — Mennonites, and although I know that some less traditional Mennonites vote, those of my in-laws’ conference eschew voting. (One of these in-laws explained why to me; frankly, I thought it sounded like political Christian Science.)
Just can’t understand the reason behind voting for Trump. If if is the abortion issues, can’t you see what all he wants to do is dangerous, for all of us?
No but I do see the dangers in a Harris administration. She has clearly spelled out her intentions.
I do not feel abandoned by Biden/Harris or the Democrats in general.
The Church, yes.
The Dems, no. Not at all.
(Edit: I just want to make clear I am in no way supporting the Biden/Harris or the Democrats. Never have. Never will.)
Until I heard his humorous remarks at the traditional Al Smith Catholic dinner in NYC in the presence of the Cardinal, I did not know that DT had saved the Catholic schools of NY, after the then Cardinal asked for his help. He made some phone calls and in 15 minutes he got several million for the Catholic schools. Amazing. Watch this. It is also very funny. He starts talking at min 2:50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAwbHmrplak
Harris opposes even religious exceptions for abortion: ‘During an interview with NBC News on Tuesday, 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris said that religious exemptions on providing abortion would not be on the table for her because we shouldn’t “be making concessions when we’re talking about a fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body.”’ The choice for a Christian in the coming election is not difficult. One candidate appointed judges to the Supreme Court who overthrew the unconstitutional Roe v. Wade, and a candidate who will leave it to the citizens of each state, in our federal republic, to decide on abortion limits and acceptance. The other candidate promises to make the right to abortion under all circumstances and lengths of gestation a national law regardless of the views of the citizens of each state, even the most Christian states in the republic. And in four years in office one candidate gave us a booming economy, secure borders, peace abroad, energy self-sufficient, lower inflation, and so forth. The other candidate is in an administration that is doing the opposite of all this and destroying our country. BTW, please publicize the video in youtube made by Dr. Anthony Levatino, M.D., Obstetrician, Gynecologist and former abortionist. It is a sobering description of the process of abortion at various stages of gestation. It should be known by the general public especially young women who in school are not told the true details of the matter. This is the link; again, post it in social media if you can:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l7lTMzEs8E
except the mRna shot
Harris imposes that “we shouldn’t ‘be making concessions when we’re talking about a fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body’.”
This is not a political moment, it’s another Galileo Moment. It’s about the unwillingness to notice through the telescope–or now “fundamental” embryology, or fiber optics, or the ultrasound, or even the delivery table!–that there’s more than one body.
mrs. Thank you for your frank response. However, your adoration of Trump is an admission that he can say and do anything he pleases. We should take the serious words from many of Trump’s advisers and military Generals.
COS General John Kelly, “he is the core of a fascist dictator. Kelly: “He did say at the National Cemetery where our fallen heroes who saved our country from wars in order to protect us and Trump, who faked heel spurs and not spending an hour in service to his country, “They are all suckers and losers”.
Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper has called him a “threat to democracy.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence has declined to endorse him, citing “profound differences.”
Sarah Matthews, a former Trump aide who testified before the House Jan. 6 committee and is among those warning about the threat he poses, said it’s “mind-boggling” how many members of his senior staff have denounced him.
Others: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, John Bolton, General Mattis, Even Bill Barr, Trump’s former attorney general who has not ruled out voting for him again, has referred to Trump as “a consummate narcissist” who “constantly engages in reckless conduct that puts his country and his political followers at risk.”
And the beat goes on…
Convictions for January 6.
Steve Bannon, “Watch tomorrow All Hell Is Going To Break Loose’ before Capitol Attack” Sidney Powell, ROGER STONE, ALLEN WEISSELBERG, PETER NAVARRO, MICHAEL FLYNN, (Marshall law, call out the military), Kenneth Chesebro, (fake electors), Jenna Ellis.
I know that I missed something.
PBS News: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/former-trump-officials-are-among-the-most-vocal-opponents-of-returning-him-to-the-white-house
Mr. Morgan, where in my comments do you detect Trump adoration?
mrsc. I didn’t intend to upset you. I should not have sent it to you in a reply, rather as a new post.
Thank you.
God bless
I wasn’t upset Mr. Morgan, just puzzled. I’m sure there must be people who are devoted to Pres. Trump in that way but I’ve never expressed adoration. I’m just making the best choice I can between the only 2 viable candidates on the ballot this year.
No one is adoring anyone, and it’s inappropriate and dishonest to frame the discussion in that way. People are looking carefully at the issues and the different candidates, none of whom are perfect. But some are less imperfect than others. A Harris presidency, which you support as indicated in your many posts, would be an unmitigated disaster politically, economically, and spiritually. You don’t occupy the moral high ground.
With every passing day Kamala shows herself to be more and more of an airhead, whilst Timmy is a self-confessed ‘knucklehead’.
Meanwhile a man who is CLEARLY in increasing cognitive decline presides in the White House.
The democratic party will have to answer to history for this.
WOW, Terrance. True Biden has shown mental decline, but you seem to miss the current mental instability of Trump. When I voted for him in 2016 he was sharp, concise and clear. Today, during his campaign, he rants off issue with his personal diatribe. Asked if he had a plan for improving healthcare? He said that he had an outline! That alone causes me to not vote for him. I see none of this from Harris.
Right. Because Harris has been a model of clarity and honesty throughout her campaign 🙄.