20-October-2004 -- Catholic News Agency
WASHINGTON DC, USA, October 20 (CNA) - A
significant number of Catholic leaders around the U.S. have published an Open
Letter to Sen. John Kerry this morning asking him to be coherent with his faith
and with reason - saying he is incoherent on both counts - before Kerry is
rumored to make a "big Catholic statement" to win the Catholic vote in
swing states.
The letter entitled "An Open Letter from Fellow Catholics to John Kerry:
On Faith and Reason," was published in the wake of rumors that Kerry was to
speak at a fundraiser at the College of Saint Catherine's campus in St. Paul,
Minnesota - a swing state with a large population of Catholics - on Thursday,
October 21. However, Saint Catherine's College has confirmed that he will not be
there, and sources say he is to make a pitch to Catholic voters some time within
the next week.
In an interview published in the Denver Post yesterday says that Sen. Kerry
has pointed to a recent letter by Cardinal Ratzinger to the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops as saying that it is not a sin to vote for a pro-choice
candidate if you are voting for him on the basis of other important issues, and
is thus asking Catholics to look at his full record on voting with the Church
positions, especially the American bishops' stance on social issues.
However, the Open Letter noted that even though "disagreements will
always exist in the civic arena," such as those concerning social issues
such as education and health, there exist certain "core truths around
which... Catholics must rally. Not just because it is the word of the Church,
but also because of reason. This is where we stand on opposition to
abortion."
The Letter then goes on to point out Kerry's inconherence in the face of
reason as evidenced from his statements and voting record: "Innocent human
life must always be protected. Senator John Kerry, you have said that "life
begins at conception," but you have persistently supported abortion and
oppose all sensible restrictions on the practice," such as that on partial
birth abortion.
On Kerry's faith the letter reads, "In the most recent debate Senator
Kerry, you said, "everything you do in public life has to be guided by your
faith" and that "everything is a gift from the Almighty." But
apparently, when it comes to the issue of the right to life, you follow neither
your own faith nor your own reason."
In conclusion the letter says that "both faith and reason lead us to
President George W. Bush as the choice for life, compassion and justice for
all" and urges Catholics to join them on November 2.
The signotories of the letter include prominent Catholic public figures such
as Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania; Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas; Kenny
Hulsof, Missouri, U.S. Congressman; Bruce Chapman, Washington, Former Ambassador
to the U.N; Bob Destro, Washington, DC, Professor, Columbus Law / Catholic
University; Scott Hahn, Ohio, Professor of Theology and Scripture, Franciscan
University; Brian Golden, Massachusetts State Representative; Thomas &
Margaret Melady, Washington, DC, Former US Ambassador to the Holy See; Robert
George, New Jersey, Professor, Princeton University; Maria Sophia Aguirre,
Washington, DC, Professor, Catholic University; Donna Sytek, New Hampshire
Former Speaker of the State House; Douglas A. Sylva, New Jersey, Catholic Family
and Human Rights Institute; Mary Beth Bonacci, Colorado Real Love Inc.; Austin
Ruse, Washington, DC, President, Culture of Life Foundation; Mary Ellen Bork,
Virginia Women Affirming Life; M. Edward Whelan, Wash! ington, DC, Ethics &
Public Policy Center; Joe Cella, Michigan, President, National Catholic Prayer
Breakfast; Connie Marshner, Virginia, President, American Catholic Council;
Michelle Fischbach, Minnesota, State Representative.