The Black Madonna

"...then the voter sins mortally."

This entry originally appeared in The Black Republican.

Apocalypse Weekend CD crack

The Catholic television network EWTN has a voter guide explaining the "Moral Duties Concerning Voting". It's an impressive statement of principle for pro-life voters, especially in this age when cardinals and candidates alike are telling Catholics they may have "proportionate reasons" to vote for a Democrat. (hat tip: Bettnet.com)

I can't help but wonder if the course of the nation could have changed in the 19th century, if twenty years before Lincoln the churches in America had been told they should vote against slavery with the same principles.

UPDATE: I just found several posts in our archives that I'd forgotten touch on the capital punishment angle. Note how much more hawkish EWTN seems to be on this issue, compared with Lopez and Dulles.

ANOTHER UPDATE: "Pro-choice agnostic" John Rosenberg makes a similar argument as I do regarding preantebellum morality. When people who would otherwise support you start showing the yellow caution flag over your political contortionism, you're in trouble. (Hat tip: Catholic[?] Kerry Watch)

I'll see impeachment and raise you HERESY

This entry originally appeared in The Black Republican.

A Los Angeles canon lawyer has filed suit against John Kerry for heresy in ecclesiastical court.

Mr. Balestrieri said he filed the heresy charge - plus an additional complaint charging "harm" to himself as a result of Mr. Kerry's pronouncements on abortion and related issues - because canon law entitles Catholics to "possession of the faith unharmed."

"By spreading heresy, he is endangering not just mine by every Catholic's possession of the faith," he said.

"I am inviting all baptized Catholics who feel injured by Kerry to join the suit as third parties" by reading the document on the Web site and then sending a certified letter of agreement to the Boston Archdiocese.

"People are saying you can be pro-choice and be a good Christian, that it is not contrary to the faith to support aborted murder," Mr. Balestrieri said. "This is a life-threatening heresy."

"Bishops have had 31 years [since the Supreme Court made abortion an individual right] to do something on this matter, but they've done nothing," he said.

You can view the complaint and join the suit at De Fide.

(hat tip Mark Shea, good analysis by Fr. Rob Johansen)

One man stands by his faith

This entry originally appeared in The Black Republican.

I'm tempted to move to St. Louis.