Tonight Boston College is hosting a forum including two Catholic presidential candidates discussing the role of religion and faith in politics.
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) and Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut) will be moderated by NBC’s Tim Russert. You can guess where Dodd and Brownback stand. Brownback upholds all the Church’s teachings on abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cells, gay marriage and Dodd … doesn’t.
If you can make it, the event will be at 7 pm in the Conte Forum.
Technorati Tags: Catholic | presidential election | president | Boston College |
Gee; I wonder which side the Jesuits will endorse.
Sadly, I think it will be Dodd.
Very interesting, sorry I don’t live in Boston. =)
Please let us know if you uncover a transcript of the discussion.
It is sad that instead of dedicating one’s life to our Lord, Jesus Christ and embracing His teachings, we tend to tear down in its entirity a religious order. As a Jesuit I live out our Church’s teachings as a way of life and accept and love the Magisterium. If we are going to convince the other side of anything, taking an uncharitable and sarcastic tone does not help. What helps is for Catholics to be consistent and unwavering on the issues of life and share that gift with others, not tear them down with our words. I watched the discussion tonight and I think Senator Sam Brownback does just that.
Christopher, the website will probably have it webcasted within a few days. http://bc.edu/church21/webcast.html
All: I just got back from a meeting with Senator Brownback and he is certainly the Republican nominee that I am supporting. He is intleligent and follows the Church’s teachings on social justice as well. He is certainly a devout Christian doing his best to do the will of our Lord.
Futhermore, I wouldn’t write off Dodd like that. While I do not agree with him, I think he is a lot more well meaning than Kerry and deserves some respect.
I’m with Christopher. It would be very interesting to see in what framework their differing takes on Catholicism played out.
Mr. (Br.? Fr.?) Powell…would you say that those Jesuits who refuse to criticize other Jesuits who are unorthodox are being charitable, or not? There are several Jesuits for whom I have the deepest respect, but honest Jesuits will also acknowledge the terrible damage that many members of the Order have done by (1) active support of the culture of death and of self-gratification, and (2) by refusing to speak out against this.
Did the Order discipline Fr. Drinan for his views and his defense of abortion? Georgetown honored him recently, and (frankly speaking) the scandal of the refusal of a large number of Jesuit schools to uphold the teaching of the Church is far worse than anything that is said on this blog. I have heard (and confronted) Jesuits denying truths of the faith in public (the denial of the institution of the Sacraments by Christ, the denial of original sin, etc.) If you want names, I can give them to you. I wish I couldn’t. But until the order (and the individual members) do a better job of policing their own, and speaking out against their own, I can’t really get excited about those who speak against the Jesuits as a collective whole.
Are there exceptional Jesuits? Of course, and I am honored to know some of these. But there are far too many who distort and subvert the Faith. Perhaps you speak out against those who do…I don’t know. But if you don’t, then you really should not be chiding those who are hurt and angry. The faithful are far more the victims here than is the Order.
Aaron, B/Fr. Powell was right. Gene did not say “some Jesuits” or even “many Jesuits” but “the Jesuits” like they are some monolithic Order of sin. It was unfair. All of us need reform, not just the Jesuits.
As a BC High and BC graduate, it’s a shame that Jesuits like Ron Tacelli aren’t running the Jesuit show in Boston as opposed to the Fr. Neckties that seem to dominate now.
(And yes, the “Fr. Necktie” thing was a generalization. There are many Roman collar-wearing Jesuits who should be run out of town on the Green Line, too.)