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Health & Fitness

Why Ask a Cardinal When Nuns are Better?

Why is New York's Timothy Cardinal Dolan giving the closing prayer at the Democratic Convention? Let the Nuns on the Bus speak. The Nuns are living BOTH Democratic Values and Christian values.

New York's Timothy Cardinal Dolan will give the closing prayer at the Democratic Convention. (Link)

As a (recovering) Catholic, I am deeply offended that this.
As a Democrat, I am appalled at this.

We are talking about the CLOSING STATEMENT of the convention. After all the speeches and hoopla, how incredibly stupid is it to turn the microphone over to a guy who can't stomach what the Democratic Party stands for?

This is what people will walk away with. The Cardinals have no credibility to stand at a Democratic Convention - period. They have activated The Church in favor of the GOP for decades. Part of the reason I left The Church was coming out from Mass on the Sunday morning before any election and having my car littered with political flyers that not only endorsed GOP Candidate after GOP Candidate, but spread falsehoods against Democrats. Forget about the separation of Church and State, they let the lies be spread.

The role of the Cardinals and The Church in covering up pedophilia in the ranks of the clergy should be looked at as a third rail in political politics. Finally, convictions have been made in the scandal, but not before the large thicket of legal maneuvering that would sometimes run the clock out on victims. The Cardinals had an active role in defending these creeps. Does the Democratic Party want to be associated with that?

As the GOP wants to be the Rape Definition Party, fine let them. Allowing the Cardinal to speak to the Democratic Convention is diluting the power of this issue. The Democrats are giving "No Abortion At Any Time" issue a huge boost in credibility by letting this guy speak.

If the Democratic Party believes in fully funding Public Education, what are they doing giving the microphone to the guy who's economic endeavors most benefits the destruction of public education? Remember the biggest proponent of school vouchers may be The Catholic School System. They need that infusion of tax payer cash to keep their alternate schools open. They cannot make it in the marketplace without this government handout. (Isn't that money is coming from Public Education?)

I wonder if the leaders of the Democratic Party feel that there is some legitimacy in having this prelate speak? Without a better knowledge of the Catholics (current and recovering) who are Democrats, the Democratic leaders are working against a sizable population of Catholics who feel the corporatist version of Catholicism preached by the Cardinals is wrong.

Catholics are not a monolith. The Democrats who extended this invitation have unintentionally insulted a large number of their own congregation. There is a split in The Church.  Tons of us have left The Church. Just ask why so many churches and schools are closing. The Democrats who extended this invitation are hurting those who remain in The Church who may want to stand up to these bullies.

The Democratic Party can help give some aid and comfort to those who don't buy into the Corporate-Politico Catholcismby rescinding this invitation and giving it to The Nuns on the Bus. These women are the ones who are exhibiting the values of the Catholicism that was taught by Jesus. The Nuns on the Bus need to be armed with the clickers and rulers to get the clergy in line. There is no reason why the Nuns on the Bus cannot deliver the prayer.

The Nuns represent the gender equality issue within The Church. When living what Christ has taught them, they are showing the world that Catholics are not all towing the Papal line. These Catholics are putting Christ first. Put the Nuns on the Bus up there and people can walk out of the convention feeling good about what they are about to do.

If the leaders of the Democratic Party cannot bring themselves to rescind this invitation, then I would ask all the Delegates to stay for the Cardinal's Prayer and when he gets up to speak, quietly stand and turn around with your back to him. It is a silent and effective protest that should make him realize the brand of Christianity he is selling is not compatible with being an American.

The Nuns on the Bus need the exposure.

The Cardinals do not.

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