MSNBC has a new columnist devoted to covering the culture wars. Obviously, she approaches the subject from the left, as if it could be any other way at most news outlets. For her first column, Melinda Henneberger addresses the pro-abortion, Catholic-in-name politician problem and sits down with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, DC, who’s supposed to be heading a task force of US bishops that would provide guidelines for how to deal with the issue.
“I would find it hard to use the Eucharist as a sanction,” he said gently. “You don’t know what’s in anyone’s heart when they come before you. It’s important that everyone know what our principles are, but you’d have to be very sure someone had a malicious intent [before denying him communion.]” McCarrick is surprisingly humble, and a reluctant judge. “It’s between the person and God,” he said. Should Kerry or someone in his campaign seek counsel on Catholic protocol? “What they do,” he demurred, “is really their business and not mine.”
… or the governor of California.
But then those Republicans are reliably liberal on abortion and other social issues. It does boggle the mind, doesn’t it, that certain bishops run away from criticizing liberal heterodoxy.