Monsignor Pope
He's the best priest online - the best advisor for mixed up Catholics - in my opinion. I don't care what anyone says about that - he preaches the truth. However, he just made me even more depressed - because I keep looking for a loophole to vote for Clinton. In my heart I know what he presents regarding a Catholic vote is true, and I accept and agree, and most of all believe in all the truths the Catholic Church teaches.
Which means ... I can't vote for Hillary. Even if I did not believe all that the Catholic Church teaches, I couldn't vote for Hillary after reading about the abortion process and leaving abortion survivors on the counter to cry themselves to death. I can't embrace that hypocrisy.
I can't vote for Trump either. Did you watch the debate? Did you watch the Frontline report, "The Choice" on PBS last night? How could anyone possibly support Donald Trump? Don't answer, because I won't believe you. The Republican Party Platform - he represents that? Really? I don't believe it.
Now I'm back to square one - I can't vote. If I could, I would vote for Clinton. But I can't. I can't vote for anyone who supports abortion and considers it necessary to maintain the status quo and equal rights for women. I cannot support evil, much less the less of two evils.
Read Monsignor Pope's good advice:
Among the moral issues that have been most politicized are non-negotiable issues for any Catholic: abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, and same sex “marriage.” These are non-negotiable issues because there is no room for nuance or degree of support. You are either for them or against them. There is no middle ground. They are outright forbidden by Church teaching and no Catholic may agree with or support abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research or same-sex “marriage” in any degree whatsoever. This goes for every Catholic from the highest political officials to the lowliest and most unknown Catholic in the pew. This precedes politics, party loyalties, political leanings or any such thing.I agree.
I say to every American, that we must come to our senses and stop peddling death through abortion, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research. The culture of death must end. Stop redefining sexuality and marriage and all other sins against the family and the body such as fornication, adultery, contraception, and homosexual acts. No candidate for office should be thought fit or deserve our vote who supports such deadly and confused practices. It is also true that we must find ways to welcome the immigrant, ensure economic fairness, and care for our poor more effectively. But in these matters there will be legitimate differences as to how best to accomplish such goals.I agree.
Mons. Pope urges Catholics to vote, but at this point, I still do not think I can - I've gone back and forth on this - but I can't vote for Trump in good conscience, and I can't vote for Clinton either. Monsignor wrote: To all Catholics I say, be Catholic. Vote as a Catholic with a Catholic moral vision. Advance the Kingdom of God. I do not believe for a minute that either party intends to advance the Kingdom of God, much less either candidate.
And I believe what the Catholic Church teaches.
Act of Faith
O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them who are eternal truth and wisdom, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. In this faith I intend to live and die. Amen.
My thanks to Monsignor Pope for teaching sound doctrine, with persistence, 'whether it is convenient or inconvenient;' he is faithful to the call to 'convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.'
My Lord God I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore I will trust you always
though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.- Thoughts in Solitude. Thomas Merton
It's so sad that Clinton and Trump are the best America has to offer.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the truth! Both represent the moral decadence of the nation ... whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones ...
DeleteIf the Donald wore his hair in a much more appealing manner, I'd vote for him. Shrillary? Not so much.
DeleteI won't vote for either Clinton or Trump. Some say to vote for the lesser of two evils, but why vote for an evil at all? And it's hard to say which one of them is the lesser evil. It's like playing Russian roulette: which one will blow our collective head off?
ReplyDeleteBecause I live in California, my vote in the presidential election doesn't matter. It's a foregone conclusion that all the state's Electoral College votes will go to the Democrat. I won't neglect other offices down the ballot. My vote there matters a bit more.
I live in the blue sunshine state as well and know exactly what you mean.
DeleteI'm with you. Terry 2016!
ReplyDeleteI'm voting Trump. He's our only hope to prevent Hillary!
ReplyDeleteI can't even bring myself to do that.
Delete