I believe the Cardinals invitation to President Obama is a mistake.  The Presidents positions on Life (approving abortion on demand throughout pregnancy, his vote against saving the life of a baby in a botched abortion and promotion of international abortion) and marriage (reversal of don’t ask don’t tell, refusal to uphold DOMA the law of the land and now supporting the redefinition of marrige)are deplorable.  I don’t doubt the Cardinals credentials in opposing him but I am sure the President’s campaign will use a video clip of him yuking it up with the bishops to swing the vote of the uninformed undecided Catholic.

This is insane…“respect for his office…for him as a person”.....WHAT ABOUT THE RESPECT HE SHOWS BY THE MURDER OF THE CHILD IN THE WOMB….GOD LET YOUR HAND OF JUSTICE FALL DOWN ON OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD ...

The bishops may not intend for Pres. Obama’s invitation to be seen as an endorsement, but when it comes down to it, the media will have the last word with which ever way they choose to spin it. Yes, there are many well-informed Catholics out there.  There are many more who are less well informed—or rather, get there news from CNN, NBC, CBS, as oppose to EWTN or the Register, etc.

The invite was not a good idea.

1. This dinner is a major fundraiser for the Archdiocese of New York! That is a little-mentioned point of discussion.

2. In case the bishops hadn’t noticed, the President and Congress lied to them about ObamaCare and continues to lie to them now.

3. This is a CATHOLIC event. Why are the bishops encouraging the same kind of scandal as Notre Dame by inviting a pro-death, pro-abort, pro-LBGT? Aren’t they aware that President Obama has thrown down the glove concerning the direction his campaign his taking, namely, promotion of homosexuality, gay “marriage” and using his office to push a pro-LBGT agenda?

Any belief that there is some “separation” of the man, his beliefs, and the Office of the President, is simply willful blindness. There is nothing that President Obama can say publicly that can be said to come from him as Mr. Obama, the citizen, that is, a private opinion. Rather, he is professing his beliefs through his status as President, imposing his beliefs through the Office of the President, and mandating his beliefs using the power of the executive branch of the United States Government. As such, there can be NO separation between Mr. Obama the man and President Obama.

The only proper response for all good Catholics is to deny all pro-death, pro-abort, pro-LBGT any public forum whatsoever. There can be no middle ground.

My greatest fear is that it will unravel all the unity amonst Catholics that has been accomplished thus far.

The bishops led us to prayer, fasting and education during the Fortnight for Freedom.  I, like many other Catholics embraced the call of our apostolic shepherds.  Yes, I did fast, and I spend four hours every Saturday in front of an abortion clinic praying and attempting to save a handful of lives among the thousands.  This dinner invitation appears as if the Cardinal cannot even give up a party.  Cardinal O’Connor was able to refrain from inviting President Clinton, when the situation was far less dire, without a HHS mandate.  As a native New Yorker we expect our Archbishops to have more backbone.  Cardinals Spellman and O’Connor were no pushovers.  Even gentle Cardinal Cooke and low key Cardinal Egan knew when to hold the line.  Cardinal Egan did not invite John Kerry.

The pew sitting Catholics are heartbroken.  Some of us have been making our disapproval public.  Also, I am sure that some of the liberals, such as Father Jenkins and the leadership of the LCWR are snickering.  They see that the bishops cannot even abide by their own exhortations about honoring public officials.  I am sure that some people now feel very justified in their disobedience.  With regards to the hair splitting distinction that “this is unlike Notre Dame”, please do not insult us.  Archbishop Lori is correct that we should not be distracted, but he is wrong that the Alfred E Smith speaker invitation is not an honor.  Please.  That type of rhetoric really brings out the ire in people.  And see that we have not forgotten Father Jenkin’s blunder at Notre Dame.  We will not forget Cardinal Dolan’s blunder for the Alfred E Smith dinner.

There is only one way out.  The Cardinal invited President Obama, and he must treat him with respect and as an honored guest.  However, the Cardinal must make a public statement of apology to the American faithful, admit his poor judgment and mistake, and ask our forgiveness.  If he does that, then this can be salvaged.  Also, there should be NO photo opportunities, no red carpet, and none of the high profile accoutrements associated with the dinner.  Candidates and Cardinal should meet only in the dining room, exchange cordial greets, and sit separately.  If the Cardinal apologies and is truly humble, then all will know that his distance from the candidates is from humility and penance, and not a snub.

Mistakes happen, and Cardinals, bishops, Catholic university presidents, superiors of religious communities make mistakes.  I probably make more mistakes than all of them combined.  Yet, at this time we all need to stay true to our teachings, and ask ourselves, even with severity, whether we are doing all we can in this struggle against the HHS mandate, and in defense of life within our nation.

This is absolutely sickening. With all due respect to our leaders, the implication of this event to nominal and uninformed Catholics is horribly scandalous. We need a consistent and clear message of what the Church is all about. We have sent mixed messages to the laity for too long, and the results speak for themselves. I am absolutely shocked that our Catholic leaders are not taking the bold and radical stand we need at this time. They are caving in, and cowering behind the Gospel to justify this awful action. Jesus did not invite Pontius Pilate, Herod, or Caiaphas to The Laugh Factory for a night of jokes and lightheartedness. I am physically ill over this. I continue to pray for Cardinal Dolan and those in power that they have the wisdom and courage to be the heroes we need these days. God bless the Catholic Church and save us from this insanity.

I don’t think either candidate should be invited to this function this year…Obama has no place at a Catholic affair and to invite one but not the other would be wrong…so stand up and be Catholic first

“When everyone wakes up the morning after, the struggle will resume,” wrote Mechmann.

But the invitation to the president, he said, also sends a message “that is important in this time of pathologically toxic politics.”

“It says to us that we can vehemently disagree with a public official’s positions, but we can still show respect for his office, and for him as a person, and treat him with civility,” Mechmann reflected.

“It gives us an opportunity to act as Christians and show some love to our adversaries, and even those whose policies we consider to be immoral and oppressive.”
We can still do the above…without inviting him to a Fund Raiser of an organization that can no longer provide adoption services because of agenda’s like the current POTUS. It would serve the faithful better to show courage and conviction than “tolerance” such as this. Some things we can and should be INTOLERANT of. God help us.

This is wrong and it will be turning Catholics away from the church. This is another opportunity to get the catholic vote for the most Proabortion president in the history of this country. I am sorry but you are wrong and this is against Jesus’ teachings and not what Jesus would have done. We sit in the pews so upset at what is going on with this administration and again, our own Cardinal accepts that it is ok to invite him to this lavish feast, a Catholic dinner to raise money for the same charities he wants to shut down. Please pray for the Cardinal. He can’t see that all this frustration is leading us to turn away.

A picture is worth a 1000 words!  One picture showing Obama and Cardinal Dolan shaking hands and a smile, will send the message that the Church is OK with Obama and this administration and you can be sure this will be played over and over again in the mainstream media who are enemies of the Church and will use this against it. This is not “charity” to an adversary, this is plain naive and lack of wisdom.

“Archbishop Lori: Obama Invite to Catholic Dinner Is Not Show of Support”

I’m sorry your Grace, but yes, it is.

When the lie of the accommodation to the mandate was announced, Cardinal Dolan stated it was a good first step and the media repeated the quote and it took some of the wind out of the opposition. My parish printed a letter from the Cardinal at that time saying the bishops hoped to work it out and if we were needed he would let us know. It took more wind out of the sails. Sense a pattern here. Maybe I should email the Cardinal and ask if I have a fundraiser for my parish should I invite as guests of honor the local planned parenthood leader. Didn’t Jesus say to be wary of those who like seats of honor and to be called rabbi or was it your eminence? This Cardinal has shown that he prefers the praise of men to that of God. He wants to be popular and hopes to be Pope. Pray that doesn’t happen.

all you Catholics in new york dont give any money in the collection baskets at Cardinal Dolan church….leave him a note instead saying “I completely disagree with your obama invite, and will no longer give any money to the Church UNTIL YOU SHOW OBAMA THE BACK DOOR”

To respectfully share your concern: Archdiocese of NYC 212-371-1000 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Aug. 10th: I’m sorry - this is wrong. There is a war on human babies in the womb and Obama advances this war every change he gets so to invite him to a Catholic event to be speaker is wrong no matter how you try to portray it.  You can’t put ‘politics aside’ while babies are being slaughtered in the womb.  Cardinal Dolan may want to be politically correct but this is not about political correctness, it’s about human life and it’s about standing up for life and not hobnobbing with power and politics.  Remember, while Obama and Cardinal Dolan are partying together, laughing and slapping each other on the back in good old boy fashion, THE KILLING DOES NOT STOP!!!  Cardinal Dolan came out strong against the HHS Mandate which will have Catholic institutions paying out of their pockets for contraceptives, abortifacient drugs, etc…and then he invites to a Catholic event the architect of attacks against life and against the Church.  This is cooperation with evil.  Pope Benedict refused Nancy Pelosi’s request for a public meeting with photographers present so as not to give her a platform to try to show that she is in line with Catholicism - he took her behind closed doors and there was no ‘partying’ - Cardinal Dolan is giving Obama a platform to show that he is in good with Catholics and wavering Catholics will find this as a reason to vote for him.  To pretend otherwise is naive and neither Cardinal Dolan nor Bishop Lori are naive—however, many wavering Catholics are naive and they will give their votes to Obama…

Give me a break.  My response to this article?  Blah, blah, blah.  And my use of condoms is not my support of birth control…

Our shepards are letting us down.  A DC Cardinal throws a good priest under the bus at the behest of an admitted lesbian.  Now this.  Where is Rome in all this nonsense?

With a president this anti-Catholic, NOW IS THE TIME TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND.  Any excuse to do otherwise can only be treated as a cop-out.

Catholics aren’t meant to “get distracted” by this?  Seriously? 
Like our reaction to this is wrong, rather than the bad decision itself…  Ugh.
So, so, so disappointing.

It is not only “some pro-life groups” who disapprove of the invitation to President Obama for this dinner. It is faithful Catholics everywhere who must endure the humiliation that Catholics in public life foist upon us. Every week, someone makes the news with behavior and speech that skews Catholic teaching and dissents from the Church. Our “stock” continues to decline as confusing things are said, and we have less and less consistency. On a personal level, it is embarrassing to try to explain to Catechumens coming into the Christian faith how Catholics can be so ignorant, and so at odds with the beauties of our faith.

I agree with the above posts.  I am looking forward to the Register’s response on the opinion page.opinion page

Sorry your Excellence, but this is the most pharisaical thing I have seen in a long time.  Your flock is not stupid and knows hypocrisy when they see it.  I think most serious Catholics will think the Archbishop is a hairsplitter and Pharisee.  The rest of the Catholic population will see the pictures of the Archbishop with Obama in the paper and feel they are justified in voting for Obama and the slaughter will worsen.  I am heartbroken by this.

Bishop Lori is wrong. Cardinal Dolan is wrong. The sheep have been thrown to the wolves. We are being devoured. I am neither a Republican or a Democrat. I am a Catholic mother who is horrified by what message is being sent to my two sons who are risking their professions in health care by not complying with pro abortion/contraception protocols in their training and employment.
I am sickened by the fact that the hierarchy has apparently shut their eyes to the moral agony many of their flock face daily in their professional duties.
What about the Catholic pharmacists, nurses, physician assisstants, social workers etc. that have no champion as they try to honor Catholic principles in their professions. I know a father of five who quit his employment rather than counsel the use of contraception.
I know Catholic pharmacists who are in agony over the prescriptions they must fill…or lose their employment for not complying with directives. A very serious matter when you a young father with little children to support.
I know of county clerks secretaries who will not type up gay marriage certificates and quit.
There are hundreds of white martyrs and the ranks are growing.
Please speak for these people.
Perhaps if you do not take a heroic sacrificial stand and lead, our children will grow up in a society where there is no longer a place for Catholics who practice their faith.
Saint John Fisher pray for us! St. Thomas More pray for us! St. Edmund Campion pray for us!

How amazingly clever they are to spin this as “some prolife groups”...we were asked to pray and fast with the Fortnight for Freedom, which was a good thing.  The Bishops should not attend the event, in essence to “fast” along with “some prolife groups” and show support for the cause of life.  No one is questioning Cardinal Dolan’s views on life and now he has been given an excellent opportunity to show his support.  When Hilter went to Rome in 1938 Pope Pius XII did not invite him to the Vatican…he closed it!  That was not protocol!

What’s so new with this invitation. The Catholic Church Hierarchy has been kissing up to politicians forever to protect the few crumbs they toss their way.  One prominent Bishop quoted “this isn’t an endorsement” of the evil man who now occupies the highest office in the land. He may be right but the invitation sure does fall short of condemnation of him for doing everything in his power to destroy the Catholic Church.  Cardinal Dolan please use the example set by your Master when tempted by Satan who he offered Him far more than few crumbs. I don’t recall His offering to sit down and talk things over.

HUGE MISTAKE…..Obama will use this to get catholic votes so he can continue to slaughter the unbrn.

I fear pres. Obama campaign and mainstream media(well over 80% of jounalists who made political donation supported Democrats)exploit the dinner events to get votes from many less informed Catholics.

Does anyone doubt that Obama will exploit this event…Cardinal Dolan doesn’t? This is very confusing for many of us Catholics that have prayed, shed tears and worried about this mandate and the attitudes of President Obama in regards to our Church and religious freedom.

Darkness is taking over! No doubt!

With all due respect, it is not just “some pro- life Catholics ” that are deeply offended and confused by this invitation. All Catholics who are faithful to the teachings are outraged by this apparent willingness by His Eminence to “put aside differences” ??? and sit down for dinner and jokes with he who would destroy the Church?? How much more apparent does it need to be that the ideology of our current administration is one of absolute disregard for life. Mr Mechman’s, “comments” are patronizing and offensive. This battle we are now engaged in is a spiritual battle for our very souls..not “pathologically toxic politics”! The Truth of Our Lord is not debatable , nor negotiable..This entire scandal could lead one to wonder just what is The Cardinal doing?? Is money and popularity more important than standing up for the Truth? ” Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine or they will trample them under the feet and turn and tear you to pieces..” ( Matthew 7:6) I pray that Cardinal Dolan will hear the cries of his flock and stop this insanity. Lord Have Mercy On Us All.

I fear greatly that pres. Obama campaign and the mainstream media (80-90% of journalists who made political donations supported Democratic candidates) exploit pictures of the dinner event. Even one picture where Catholic leaders and the pres. Obama sitting alongside in a friendly atmosphere would mislead many many uninformed Catholics who rarely watch EWTN

I fear greatly that pres. Obama campaign and the mainstream media (80-90% of journalists who made political donations supported Democrats candidates) exploit pictures of the dinner event. Even one picture where Catholic leaders and the pres. Obama sitting alongside in a friendly atmosphere would mislead many many uninformed Catholics who rarely watch EWTN

Personally, I don’t see much difference in Obama from Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, etc.

Some G.K. Chesterton quotes:

“There are an infinite number of ways to fall, but there is only one way to stand.”

“Once abolish the God, and the government becomes the God.”

“I believe in getting into hot water; it keeps you clean.”

Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere.

“Be careful not to be so open-minded that your brains fall out.”
“I want a church that moves the world not one that moves with it”
“Moral issues are always terribly complex for someone without principles.”
“Only a live fish can swim against the current, the dead go with it.”

Other quotes:

“Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine [Ephesians 4:14], seems the only attitude that can cope with modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one’s ego and desires.”—- Cardinal Ratzinger (before he became pope)

Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man ‘against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household. (Matt 10:34-36)

St. Athanasius is the first recognized Doctor of the Church and has the title “Father of Orthodoxy.”  The following quote has been attributed to him “The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of Bishops.”

I’m sorry Archbisop Lori, but you are wrong.  Inviting Obama to this event is insane. In the last election 54% of catholics voted for Obama, and this invitation could be what puts him in the White House for a second term. I’m disapointed in Cardinal Dolin and in you, in fact Im disapointed in the USCCB.  It appears that money/power is where your hearts really are, not in defending the babies that are killed each day.

Cardinal Dolan has repeatedly stated that the issue is about religious freedom. By not defending the ‘Life’ issue at stake and reframing it as a religious freedom issue only he is not doing his duty any more than the administration does in defending DOMA. They both don’t defend what they should be defending. Requiring the funding and purchase of abortion inducing drugs by you and me is not just a religious freedom issue. It is like we are making euphemisms to help those who are attacking us. We should just state the facts. if you get the chance to talk, write or ask people to pray for the repeal of the mandate please don’t be afraid to state what the mandate requires people to purchase.

We live in a culture too lazy to inform themselves beyond a sound bite or photo-op, including many Catholics. The overall effect for most will be a “distraction” from the strong opposition to the President’s anti-Catholic actions the bishops were able to build until now.

Business as usual. Once again a “Catholic” bishop causes scandal and refuses to uphold Church teaching. Look at example after example from bishop after bishop: complete refusal to uphold Church teaching and refusing to correct error; tolorence for entire orders of nuns/priests who openly defy the Pope; persecution of priests who uphold Church teaching; allowing priests to sexually molest innocent children for decades in dioces after dioces and never taking responsibility for this. Promoting extreme liturgical abuses during the Mass in most parishes. And the list can go on. The reason the bishop allow scandal and modernism and evil to flourish in the Church is because they agree with it. We need to accept the fact that most of our bishops are not really Catholic. We are in a period of history that is worse than the reformation.

We can all show respect for a President by praying for their conversion. Some say we should follow St. Peter’s advice by ” Honoring the Emperor” .There is no cause to honor here. Most importantly,And, The Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 2242and No.2246 The fact that the President is deliberately pro-choice and pro abortion means he needs to be taken aside and shown the right way, not be invited to a dinner party.

If nothing else this sends the wrong message to Catholics who do not have an informed conscience and this will serve as an endorsement and an approval that Obama is indeed a “friend” of the Catholic Church and as clueless as these Catholics have been in the past, will of course vote for him and send him for four more years of destruction—in pocketbook, in the womb, and a boost for the sodomite lifestyle, etc.

Just disinvite and them these clueless Catholics will then see a clearer picture that Obama is indeed an enemy of Catholicism.

It takes courage and fortitude to do God’s will.

Please no more lame excuses about this dinner function is not political, or anything.  It is.

Aug. 11th, Feast of St. Clare: I continue to be confused and anxious about Cardinal Dolan’s decision to invite Obama, the aggressive proponent of death for human babies in the womb.  How can he put ‘politics’ aside and party during the time when babies are crying out for mercy from within the wombs of their mothers? We know that at a certain point the babies in the womb feel the excruciating pain from the abortionist’s scalpel and videos show the preborn baby actually try to move away from the knife that will dismember them.  If Hitler had called for a ‘time out’ from the politics of slaughter, would Card. Dolan have invited him and partied with him???? The holocaust of the slaughter of the innocent in the wombs of their mothers is far more devastating than any other crime…if the invitation stands and Card. Dolan does not disinvite this architect of death and destruction, I will never again believe that Card. Dolan is truly pro life but will believe that he is a man who instead longs for the politics of power…I find it hard to believe that Arch. Lori will not stand against this…what is wrong with our Bishops???  Cardinal George has stated several times that persecution - real persecution - is coming and Card. Dolan has chosen to invite the persecutor…beware of the downfall of those who seek power and glory instead of the honor and glory of God!!!

I have great respect for Archbishop Lori and Cardinal Dolan and I know they would never give up their Faith. However I must disagree with their opinion it is OK to have a fun night with the one man in the world who spends almost a billion dollars per year urging developing nations to use abortion, contraception, euthanasia and same sex relationships. After considering this I don’t understand how our Church leaders who must have strong feelngs on great evil such as this, can meet socially with their opposition to exchange humor, pat each other on the back,roast each other verbally, tell jokes and get close for an evening of entertainment. The anti Catholic media will enjoy great opportunities to detract from the Church at every opportunity. For a reference on the success of efforts at Notre Dame to improve the Church’s position refer to Father Jenkens who described his situation “as being duped ” Previous negotiations between Gov Cuomo and Cardinal Dolan who utilized his preferred soft negotiating approach, resulted in the adoption of Same Sex legislation in New York. Perhaps high level negotiations such as these should be left to Rome for settlement.

In April, 2011, eight N.Y. bishops including Abp. Dolan met with Gov. Andrew Dolan to discuss continued State funding of parochial schools. After, Abp. Dolan was asked if the Same-Sex Marriage bill was discussed. Answer: Of course not. It was a jovial meeting. Two months later the bill became law. How? Money for the schools bought episcopal silence.
Now, this Country is fighting for its very life as we know it and the same Abp. who conceded same sex marriage will now concede all the ills of abortion, national same-sex marriage, sterilization and INFANTICIDE. Why? to fill the coffers of the Archdiocese of N.Y. Obama does not even have to open his mouth. Just the picture of him with Cdl Dolan could very well sway enough voters to vote for Obama. O’Connor and Egan both cancelled this Dinner (1996 and 2004). DOLAN SHOULD BE DISMISSED.

Remember the quote ” A picture is worth a thousand words”?  Obama won’t need his paid for press corps after the picture of the Bishops and Obama gets spread across front pages across America.  The picture will be worth millions of votes!  Thanks for nothing your excellencies.

I felt I had been punched in the gut when I heard the news. I am now fighting despair and am only beginning to feel the tiniest inkling of the burden Our Lord must have felt under the weight of the Cross and it is chrushing.  This is a blow to every Catholic who has been stepping out of his or her safety zone in recent months to speak the truth and risk family, friendship and professional relationships.  The Fortnight for Freedom was so full of hope, so precisely timed to begin on the Feast Day of great saints who in their own century saw the “political” situation for what it was - danger to their very souls from the start. St. Thomas More gave up the most powerful office in England and St.John Fisher was the only bishop who did not capitulate before they were ultimately sent to their deaths. The invitation extended by Cardinal Dolan to Mr. Obama—“justified” by keeping one of the most trite “traditions” I can think of—has rendered the Fortnight for Freedom empty. I have been praying since the last election for the strength and courage to learn to represent the Faith intelligently, speak the truth and if necessary be ridiculed and rejected.  I have prayed at abortion clinics for the first time in my 60 years of life literally trembling with fear. I will continue to do so. I will remain faithful to the Church, I will attend Mass, go to Confession and receive the Eucharist.  I will not leave the Church.  But I do feel like a lamb being led to the slaughter by one our own.  I thank God that He has finally made me foolish enough to be unable to even comprehend the artfulness and the dance of the powerful. Still, the decision is not irrevocable and I would encourage all to pray that the Cardinal receives the grace to do so. All things are possible…

I agree with all these comments. We are not to give scandal by seeming to approve or do something we should not. This invitation tells Catholics the church does not take this battle seriously over the HHS mandate, etc.

The laity supported the bishops. Now the bishops are pulling the rug from under us.

I will continue to pray, but this time for wisdom and discernment for our bishops, who are sadly lacking in same. I am so heartbroken I can scarcely bear it. When Obama gets re-elected, he can send a thank you card to Cardinal Dolan along with his next “mandate.”

Big Mistake!

I respectfully but strongly disagree with this invitation. At this point in the history of our Country it is very important to send a clear message. Cardinal Dolan invitation will be very confusing for the average catholic. I can already see the front pages of the NY Times and Newsday with Mr. Obama and Cardinal Dolan smiling together!!
It will send the message that everything is well again and again the confused and poorly cathechised catholic will vote for Obama!

Remember Cardinal Dolan’s recent “joke” during his ordination, in response to the promise to die if necessary for his faith.  Cardinal Dolan’s big funny “joke” was to say “could we leave the DIE part out?” Well I fear he has taken the “die” part out, and he chose to do it in full view of all the world, a showcase of his lack of commitment to his own stated objective. 
-When our leaders fail to shepherd their flock resulting in a scattered people, Jesus says he will shepherd them himself. Let us pray!

There is no Time for a Time out when Time is of the essence. A Line has been drawn in the Sand between those who respect The Word of God, Who revealed that from The Beginning, every human individual (definition of person) has been created in The Image of God, equal in Dignity, while being complementary as male and female, to live in Loving relationship as husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters…and those who claim God created us heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, polysexual, transexual…as objects of sexual desire, in violation of God’s own Commandment, regarding lust and the sin of adultery. Unless the format of The Alfred E.Smith Foundation Dinner is changed to reflect God’s desire that we witness to The Truth, The Whole Truth, and nothing but The Truth, this dinner will serve to only cause chaos and confusion.

Et tu, Brute?

Archbishop Lori of all people? Please Archbishop Lori, I know you are a good man, but please see that others are not, and I am closer to believing that C. Dolan is not. His inviting Obama is just another display of his flippant attitude towards women—he is a borderline misogynist! He is certainly no scholar, a poor speaker, and when in his presence, there is nothing genuine about him. (Unlike you!)

Please see this brilliant discussion by Gloria Purvis on the mandate and how demeaning it is to women (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvoBPVsjdog&feature=related) and please start to see how the young, faithful women feel. They are out there, tens of thousands of them, but they are silenced by the ugly pervasive shadow of bitter old spinster women academics and old liberal confused nuns.

@Freda
“It is a matter of real fear and concern..  The institutional c[h]urch has a year—but not the laity.”

Freda – thank you for stating this. C. Dolan has NO IDEA (whether he intentionally ignores faithful women’s concerns or is just so out of touch with reality here on the ground for faithful women) how the young, gifted, educated women are faced with leaving professions in health care after years invested in their education and residency now knowing it is not long before they are forced out by old white women and old white men bent on making them perform abortions (not to mention provide abortifacients) and now their own Church hierarchy is expediting the process? SHAME on you C. Dolan!


@joxxer
“Actions speak louder than words. The message that this invitation will send to Catholics ignorant of Obama’s policies—- is a message of approval”
-I submit to you that THIS IS C. Dolan’s sole intention! If R&R win, his limelight FADES A BIT, doesn’t it? Think about it.

The only other explanation that flies is they have something on him, and if this is so, please C. Dolan, just set us free and leave, and go preach in a country like Syria where your presence can’t hurt young women any more than they are already being hurt there.

I pray that through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe that the true, good shepherds are strengthened, and that she assist in exposing those that are not. Archbishop Lori, I know you are one of the good ones. While I apologize for the intensity and crudeness of the above statements, I urge you to please, please, consider them, and reconsider your approval of this repugnant affront to women and to all the faithful laity. Please.

Luke 22:21 But yet behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.  22 And the Son of man indeed goeth, according to that which is determined: but yet, woe to that man by whom he shall be betrayed. (Douay-Rheims version)

Catholics in new york and elsewhere…if you see the leaders of the Church or any priest causing scandal….STOP CONTRIBUTING TO THE COLLECTION BASKET…PUT A NOTE IN IT AND EXPLAIN WHY YOU ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING UNTIL THE OFFENSE IS RECTIFIED…HIT THESE CHURCH LEADERS IN THE POCKETBOOK AND ORTHODOXY WILL RETURN

Now that Cardinal Dolan made the colossal blunder of inviting President Obama to the Alfred E. Smith Dinner, the only thing left for us to do is wait and see.  Hopefully, there will be other events that will eclipse the front page.  However, if it is a slow news day, watch for trouble.  All we need is a picture of the Cardinal and the two candidates with a headline saying “The Three Amigos” and our goose is cooked.  Regardless of what is said, or not said, we are totally dependent upon the media spin.  The New York media does not mince word, or fret over accuracy.  Gerald Ford lost the presidential election based on their interpretation of his words.

President Gerald Ford, on Oct. 29, 1975, gave a speech denying federal assistance to spare New York from bankruptcy. The front page of The Daily News the next day read: “FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD.”  President Ford never explicitly said “drop dead.” Yet those two words, arguably the essence of his remarks as encapsulated in the immortal headline, would, as he later acknowledged, cost him the presidency the following year, after Jimmy Carter, nominated by the Democrats in New York, narrowly carried the state.

Aug. 13th: Already “Catholics for Obama” are campaigning using posters of Obama’s invite to a major Catholic event by Card. Dolan showing wavering Catholics that they can vote for Obama since he has made things right with the Catholic Church.  I know God can bring good out of evil but satan can bring evil out of good intentions.  I pray Cardinal Dolan will realize the platform he is giving Obama and his anti-life, anti-Church agendas and at least postpone the dinner until after the election.

My suggestion if the good Cardinal doesn’t retract the invitation that all the Catholic invitees stay home and send their intended contributions direct to the Alfred E Smith Foundation. This way the needy won’t be harmed.
An otherwise empty hall will allow his eminence more time for a photo op with his honored guest

To all the faithful Catholics planning on attending the Smith dinner before they realized that his Eminence Cardinal Dolan invited the honorable guest to the soiree would take the position that unless the invitation is withdrawn they’ll pass on their invitations and send their donations direct to the foundation so that its recipients would still have the benefit of their generosity.
A near empty hall would speak volumes and put a damper on if not eliminate the inevitable photo op.

Our Bishop has called us to ‘battle.’  We have processed through the heart of our city to the courthouse behind the Holy Eucharist and behind the Pilgrim Virgin several times, praying the Rosary and worshipping God.  We have been called to be willing to sacrifice everything for God- Charity in Truth/Truth in Charity.  We stand ready to loose our business and have made ourselves vulnerable to the anger of our adult children and an elderly parent.  Now I look up in the midst of war and see one of our primary generals joking, snacking, and drinking with the leader of those who are doing everything within their power to destroy/subjugate Christ’s Church and our freedom to live our Faith?  I feel abandoned.

Dan Colgan has the best plan.  If the word could only get to those planning to attend the Smith dinner.  Let us all pray that they do get the message and understand the importance of staying home instead.  Would the Bishops get the message?

It is time for SOLIDARITY among Catholics. 
-The decision to honor Obama at this Dinner unfortunately shifts the burden of responsibility to the Catholic attendees.  We now look to all the invited guests to show SOLIDARITY in the fight for religious freedom by refusing to attend this dinner. If you wish, donations can be sent in AFTER the election.
-The charities themselves should show SOLIDARITY for religious freedom and speak out against the Obama invitation.

I have read the justifications for what seemed on first hearing was a very bad decision.  They are rather weak.  However, the fact that the invitation was not made twice before in election years makes this a clear mistake.  If it was unprecedented to dis-invite the candidates, perhaps there would be some justification but not if this was done before, and twice. If Cardinal Dolan denounces BHO in civil but strong terms, there is some hope he can mitigate the negative effects of this mistake.  Maybe his Eminence should have asked himself, “What Would John the Baptist Do?”.  As it is, he seems to have asked himself the question, “What Would the Hippie, Wimp Jesus Do?”

 
Charlie Sykes: Sykes Writes
UPDATED: ARCHBISHOP DOLAN KNOCKS NOTRE DAME FOR OBAMA INVITE
By Charlie Sykes
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(3) | COMMENTSMore Sharing ServicesShare EmailPrint Archbishop Timothy Dolan is the latest member of the Catholic hierarchy—to criticize Notre Dame’s decision to invite President Obama to be its commencement speaker. He appeared on my television show, “Sunday Insight with Charles Sykes” to discuss his tenure as Milwaukee’s archbishop. And when I asked him about Notre Dame’s decision to invite Obama, he minced no words, saying that the decision was “a big mistake.”

Dolan will become New York’s archbishop on April 15.

“There’s a lot of things that President Obama does that we can find ourselves allied with and working with him on, and we have profound respect for him and pray with him and for him,” Dolan said. “But in an issue that is very close to the heart of Catholic world view, namely, the protection of innocent life in the womb, he has unfortunately taken a position very much at odds with the Church.”

Dolan believes honoring and giving Obama a platform to speak at a premier Catholic University like Notre Dame sends a mixed message about the Church’s teachings.

In the same interview, Dolan said that if Congress passes a Freedom of Choice Act that compels Catholic hospitals to perform abortions, the church will have no choice but to refuse to obey the law, even if that means closing the hospitals.

You can watch him here.

**

UPDATE: Cardinal Daniel DiNardo is also criticizing the invitation…

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo has become the first American cardinal to denounce the University of Notre Dame for inviting Democratic President Barack Obama as its commencement speaker in May and to receive an honorary degree…

“I find the invitation very disappointing. Though I can understand the desire by a university to have the prestige of a commencement address by the President of the United States, the fundamental moral issue of the inestimable worth of the human person from conception to natural death is a principle that soaks all our lives as Catholics, and all our efforts at formation, especially education at Catholic places of higher learning.”

“The President has made clear by word and deed that he will promote abortion and will remove even those limited sanctions that control this act of violence against the human person. ...”