Reaction to Kerry speech from Catholic organizations

Oct 24, 2004 / 22:00 pm

In the wake of Sen. John Kerry’s speech on his faith in Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday, Catholic organizations in America issued responses stating that Kerry has “misrepresented” and “run against” the Catholic faith.

"The Christian faith has been misrepresented again today by John Kerry," stated Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life."Kerry said, on the one hand, that he disagrees with the Church on abortion, and yet that society must protect its most vulnerable members,” he added.

"That's exactly why,” he said, “the Church is against abortion and requires Kerry -- and every public official -- to extend protection to the most vulnerable, the children in the womb.”

Fr. Pavone said that “Mr. Kerry obviously does not understand the Church he claims to belong to,” “The Church's position on abortion is not based on religious doctrine; it is based on the very duty to society that Mr. Kerry claims to fulfill.”

William Donohue, Catholic League president stated that though John F. Kennedy “run  from” his religion because of anti-Catholicism, John Kerry has decided to “run against his religion” and for reasons that have nothing to do with anti-Catholicism.

“No bishop has ever asked Kerry ‘to write every doctrine into law,’ and he knows it,” said Donohue, citing a phrase used by Kerry in his speech on Sunday.

“By suggesting that the bishops have pressed his back to the wall, Kerry is playing off the fears of anti-Catholics, setting himself up as the brave Christian soldier who won’t buckle before those tyrannical bishops,” he added.

When it comes to issues like taxes, said Donohue, Kerry reaches for “biblical support, but when it comes to the more fundamental life issues, the only choice he has is to check his religion at the government door?”

“It says a lot about John Kerry that he finds it necessary to curry favor with those who do not share his religion by openly running against it,” stated Donohue in conclusion.