In a Los Angeles Times article on how Democrats are trying to cut the religion gap with Republicans, we are served up this new tidbit about Kerry’s Catholicism.
And although Kerry is a Roman Catholic who once considered entering the priesthood, he does not speak about faith with the ease of former President Clinton, who was able to draw on his Southern Baptist roots to connect with many churchgoing voters. [emphasis added]
This is the first time I’ve heard of this and I don’t believe a word of it. (Okay maybe I believe the word “who”, but that’s it.) Has anyone else heard this little bit of Kerry biography before?
Have you ever noticed that every time you have a public person (almost always a man, for obvious reasons) discussing his Catholic faith for the first time, they feel obligated to either tell you that they were an altar boy or that they once considered the priesthood. What’s the point of that? Is that supposed to give him some credibility that his is more than a nominal faith? “Oh, if he was once considering the priesthood, he must be a good Catholic. Let’s vote for him.” Sorry, it doesn’t work that way anymore. I hate to tell you, but John Geoghan and Paul Shanley both considered the priesthood, too. You’re not in good company.
Why heck, Stalin was in a seminary! What a great reason to vote for the new JFK!
What cradle Catholic =didn’t= consider becoming a priest or a nun while a child? I know I thought about it… when I was 10. The impulse didn’t last very long.
It’s kinda like fantasizing about becoming a firefighter, or astronaut, or ballerina.
Could you imagine a story about Kerry visiting NASA including a sentence like “John Kerry, who once considered becoming an astronaut or a firefighter…”? It would just be too ridiculous.
Kerry played the former altar-boy card from time to time during the primaries, saying he was so serious about his faith he’d at one time considered the priesthood (sixth item).
” I hate to tell you, but John Geoghan and Paul Shanley both considered the priesthood, too. Youp:comment_date_gmt>
The good news is that the more John Kerry opens his mouth, the less believable he is.
Keep talking, Senator…
I think Kerry would feel “comfortable” with most of our Bishops,sad to say.
“If it is of any consolation, I once considered running for president…..”-Fr. Stanley.
Hilarious! – am I on Shea’s Blog?
Has Kerry been described yet as a ” deeply devoted Catholic,” a ” deeply pious Catholic”? Stay tuned!
Of course he is, Tony, ever since the reign of Pope Pius XXIII. He said so himself.