LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Cafeteria Catholicism in Rhode Island

Posted

TO THE EDITOR:

In a recent publication, I was quite impressed by the number of letters to the Rhode Island Catholic taking umbrage with Catholic Rep. Patrick Kennedy(D-R.I.) and his stance on the abortion issue, that being pro-choice. We will recall that our bishop, Bishop Thomas Tobin was none too happy about it either!

Apparently all Catholic pols use the guise that since "Abortion is legal and the law of the land,” they are "good to go" in support of pro-choice, which in turn, strengthens their voter base.

Two weeks ago, the Providence Journal ran an article on the proposed bill of "same sex marriage" which is also striving to become law in R.I., and is already "law of the land" in many states. Yet, in the last issue of the Rhode Island Catholic, I did not see a single letter opposing the comments made in that article by any Catholic gubernatorial candidate opposing the "same sex marriage" issue. Most outrageous to me were the comments made by Frank Caprio, Jr.

He stated, "If elected governor, I will sign this bill into law immediately. I am a practicing Roman Catholic who personally takes his religion very seriously. However, I do not feel it my place to ‘exert’ my religion on anybody else.” That comment alone indicated he was at odds with the faith he claims to so diligently practice. Catholic evangelization at its worst?

The last I heard, the Catholic Church still does not approve of "same sex marriage, nor will it ever."

Other Catholic candidates as well commented how they would “Rush with pen in hand to sign this bill into law if elected Governor of R.I."

I saw the article in last week's Rhode Island Catholic stating Bishop Tobin was not very happy with any of the comments or actions made by R.I. Catholic gubernatorial candidates, and was writing letters to them, and I'm sure, anticipating confronting them about it.

Does the lack of outrage here indicate that we are becoming, or have become "buffet Catholics”? That is, "I'll try some of this ... but I think I'll pass on that. I will go to church on Sundays, but not Holy Days of obligation, and oh no, there is no need to go to confession anymore.

Same sex marriage is okay because they love one another, but oh no, not abortion. That is murder and a serious sin." The Grand Buffet.

If you are Catholic, and you don't read the Rhode Island Catholic each week, you miss out on these important issues. Why? Because you won't hear any of these issues discussed in the Sunday morning homily at church.

Paul J. Palombo

Jamestown