Forgotten
Truth and the Al Smith Dinner Scandal, a Commentary
His
Excellency, Cardinal Dolan’s article will appear in normal font,
and my
comments will appear in bold.
Last
week I was out in Anaheim for the annual Supreme Convention of the
Knights of Columbus. It was, as usual, a most uplifting and
inspirational event.
In
his rousing address to the thousands of delegates, representing 1.8
million knights, Dr. Carl Anderson, the Supreme Knight, exhorted us
to a renewed sense of faithful citizenship, encouraging us not to be
shy about bringing the values of faith to the public square. This
duty, he reminded us, came not just from the fact that we are
Catholic, but also from the fact that we are loyal Americans.
(Bringing
the values of faith into the public square is fantastic in terms of
defending religious liberty from state oppression, although I would
point out that it might be a mistake to focus too much on general
religion and general religious liberty in the public square as
opposed to Christendom and Her Truth being rebuilt in our nation and
in the West. This is just a small point since generic religious faith
as opposed to the Catholic Faith is not the main point of this
article from His Excellency, but I wanted to point out that our
loyalty within culture has to be to the building of a Catholic
Society, a society and a culture that are permeated with and informed
by true Christianity and Christian values. Everything we do, every
battle we fight, every goal we set, MUST be as the Church Militant
going about to establish the reign of Christ the Divine King in all
of society, as opposed to working, fighting, and establishing goals
to the end of protecting “freedom of religious expression,” also
known as religious liberty. This is something that is lost sight of
in the post-Vatican II days through an erroneous, hermeneutic of
rupture interpretation of Dignitatis Humanae. This is the difference
between seeing the contraception and abortion mandate as being
primarily a violation of religious liberty or primarily an intrinsic
evil that is witnessed to as evil by the Catholic Religion, which,
because it is the Revelation of the one true God, is the absolute
Truth.)
He
then went on to announce a promising initiative of the Knights of
Columbus to foster civility in politics. Quoting a very recent study,
he noted that over 80% of Americans are fed up with the negativity,
judgmentalism, name-calling, and mudslinging of our election-year
process, and eagerly want a campaign of respect, substance, amity —
civility!
(Note
very carefully, from this paragraph on, how His Excellency uses the
word “politics,” and what he applies it to. Keep in mind that
much of his focus in this article is on civility precisely because he
views the Al Smith Dinner very much in the light of politics. This is
why His Excellency trots out the political buzzwords of negativity,
judgmentalism, name-calling, and mudslinging in the context of “our
election-year process,” as well as his focus on the American people
wanting “a campaign of respect, substance, amity – civility.”
His Excellency’s language and manner here is reminiscent of a
commentary on political advertisements on television.)
For
seven decades, the Al Smith Dinner here in New York has been an
acclaimed example of such civility in political life. As you may
know, every four years, during the presidential election campaign,
the Al Smith Dinner is the venue of history, as it is the only time
outside of the presidential debates that the two presidential
candidates come together, at the invitation of the Al Smith
Foundation, through the archbishop of New York, for an evening of
positive, upbeat, patriotic, enjoyable civil discourse. This year,
both President Obama and Governor Romney have accepted our
invitation. I am grateful to them.
(“…an
acclaimed example of such civility in political life.” “The two
presidential candidates come together… for an evening of positive,
upbeat, patriotic, enjoyable civil discourse.” I’m afraid that
His Excellency may not be viewing this dinner in the correct light,
the light of a proper hierarchy of priority in the Church Militant.
What he is saying here would be a perfectly valid point if he were a
Republican politician who was inviting members of Congress from both
sides of the isle to a dinner, but he is not a politician of any
kind, or shouldn’t be. His Excellency is a Prince of the Catholic
Church, and the first and most important focus for him is the Divine
Faith. I will comment more on this in a later paragraph.)
The
evening has always had a special meaning, as it is named after
Governor Al Smith, the first Catholic nominated, in 1928, as a
candidate for president, who was viciously maligned because of his
own Catholic faith. Smith was known as The Happy Warrior, because
while he fought fiercely for what he believed was right, he never
sought to demonize those who opposed him. And, the dinner named in
his honor is truly life-affirming as it raises funds to help support
mothers in need and their babies (both born and unborn) of any faith,
or none at all.
The
Al Smith Dinner has never been without controversy, since, as Carl
Anderson reminded us, politics can inspire disdain and negativity as
well as patriotism and civility.
(This
is one of the most egregious and truly confusing statements in the
whole article. Am I reading this wrong, or is His Excellency saying
that the current controversy is of its essential nature a political
one? He seems to be saying exactly that, since is reminding his
readers that politics can inspire disdain and negativity. Your
Excellency, Catholics who are concerned about this dinner invitation
extended to Obama are not primarily concerned about politics. The
true Catholic in the United States should not be sold out to either
party, as both deviate from the Catholic Religion in some ways,
though the Democratic Party is by far the more horrendous party in
deviating from Truth and authentic morality. Thus the Catholic is not
dead set against Barack Obama because said Catholic is a partisan
purist on the Right who detests the current administration for being
Democrat. Nor can the Catholic Faith itself be primarily considered
to be a political stance; politics are merely the societal
playing-out of the Truth we hold. No, Your Excellency, Catholics who
oppose the invitation to Obama or who oppose Barack Obama himself are
not motivated to “negativity” by Right Wing politics. We truly
and deeply hold the Catholic Religion to be Truth, and we 1) Fight
with all our power any political force that supports or advances the
cause of intrinsic evil within society, and 2) Fight all the more
against a political force that has lied to us and repeatedly
marginalized us in the public sphere. The first reason is being a
true servant of Our Lord by holding Catholic Truth to a place of
primary importance in our worldview, and the second reason is just
being a man.)
This
year is surely no exception: I am receiving stacks of mail protesting
the invitation to President Obama (and by the way, even some
objecting to the invitation to Governor Romney).
(He
has simply confirmed my previous point by linking this year with the
past political controversies he referenced. If His Excellency
honestly believes that the stacks of mail he is receiving protesting
the invitation he extended to President Obama is politically
motivated, he doesn’t truly understand minds of the faithfully
Catholic men who are writing him.)
The
objections are somewhat heightened this year, since the Catholic
community in the United States has rightly expressed vigorous
criticism of the President’s support of the abortion license, and
his approval of mandates which radically intruded upon Freedom of
Religion. We bishops, including yours truly, have been unrelenting in
our opposition to these issues, and will continue to be.
(Your
Excellency, how can you be “unrelenting in your opposition”
against the President and his policies if you relent for a night to
laugh and joke on a positive, upbeat, enjoyable evening? Isn’t this
a self-contradiction? It is one thing to be politically opposed, as a
Republican is against a Democrat, and take a night off from political
divisions, but this is not politics we are dealing with. This is not
primarily about politics; this is about intrinsic evil against
natural law. Trust me when I say that this is not a political
statement: Barack Obama has the guilt of murder, persecution of the
Church, lying, and the promotion of contraceptive sex all involved in
his person. No-one can take a night off from decrying these evils as
if they were political talking points; we cannot act as if we are not
in a war for the soul of the West.)
So,
my correspondents ask, how can you justify inviting the President?
Let me try to explain.
For
one, an invitation to the Al Smith Dinner is not an award, or the
provision of a platform to expound views at odds with the Church. It
is an occasion of conversation; it is personal, not partisan.
(*Groan*
Why, Your Excellency, why do you insist on repeatedly referring to
matters of intrinsic evil as a partisan issue? Why, why do you
believe that enjoyable conversation is beneficial to the situation
the Church finds herself in, in the midst of a largely profane,
anti-Christian culture? And most confusing, why would a “personal”
event be any less damaging by any standard to the honor of Holy
Mother Church or to her witness to the Truth, since you are
“personally” a Prince of the Church?)
Two,
the purpose of the Al Smith Dinner is to show both our country and
our Church at their best: people of faith gathered in an evening of
friendship, civility, and patriotism, to help those in need, not to
endorse either candidate. Those who started the dinner sixty-seven
years ago believed that you can accomplish a lot more by inviting
folks of different political loyalties to an uplifting evening,
rather than in closing the door to them.
(“…our
country and our Church at their best: people of faith gathered in an
evening of friendship, civility, and patriotism, to help those in
need, not endorse either candidate.” This statement carries with it
the import of false ecumenism; the Church is not at Her best when she
unites with other ‘people of faith’ to help those in need, She is
at her best when She is absolutely faithful to and outspoken about
Her Lord, Jesus Christ, and offers His Sacrifice, together with Her
own, on behalf of all the world. Flowing from this Oblation of the
Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, undivided from our
Oblation, in prayer and thanksgiving to the Holy Trinity, comes
authentic help for the poor in the corporal and spiritual works of
mercy made possible by the working of the Holy Ghost, enkindling
charity in our hearts; lighting us on fire with His authentic love.
If it is possible, in a secondary sense, to cooperate in good will
with people in other communities and religions, great. But this is
not the substance of Who the Church is when She is at Her best, it is
merely a secondary behavior of the Church acting in good will toward
other men. If we are not primarily focused on Christ, His Person, His
Sacrifice, and His Truth, but rather on the gathering of “people of
faith… in… friendship, civility, and patriotism,” I’m afraid
we have missed the mark of what discipleship at Christ’s Feet
means. You will notice His Excellency also continues the
misunderstanding that the protest against this scandal is somehow
about politics.)
Three,
the teaching of the Church, so radiant in the Second Vatican Council,
is that the posture of the Church towards culture, society, and
government is that of engagement and dialogue. In other words, it’s
better to invite than to ignore, more effective to talk together than
to yell from a distance, more productive to open a door than to shut
one. Our recent popes have been examples of this principle, receiving
dozens of leaders with whom on some points they have serious
disagreements. Thus did our present Holy Father graciously receive
our current President of the United States. And, in the current
climate, we bishops have maintained that we are open to dialogue with
the administration to try and resolve our differences. What message
would I send if I refused to meet with the President?
(Culture,
society, and government are merely different facets of Western
culture in particular and the world in general. His Excellency seems
to be neglecting two very important things here, one that is known in
Faith, the other, in simple Reason. First of all, we know by Faith,
and it is a De Fide dogma according to Dr. Ludwig Ott’s famous and
wonderful work, “Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma,” that “The
Devil posesses a certain dominion over mankind by reason of Adam's
sin.” If the devil possesses a certain dominion over mankind by
reason of original sin, then why ought we to be primarily concerned
with engagement and dialogue? Should not our primary focus be on the
fact that we are in a perpetual war against evil in this world, with
engagement and dialogue taking the level of secondary importance? The
dualities His Excellency attempts to construct between ignoring or
inviting, talking together and yelling from a distance, and opening a
door or shutting one are rather nonsensical, since warring against
evil and taking a primary stance of manly resistance toward it is not
ignoring it, nor is it yelling from a distance or shutting a door.
Second, we know from Reason, just simple common sense, that you
cannot dialogue with someone or something that is unwilling to
cooperate. The devil will not ‘dialogue’ with us, and those who
repeatedly lie to the Catholic Church and persecute her relentlessly
have rendered service to the evil and have spoken quite loudly and
very clearly that they do not want a dialogue. Such is the person of
Barack Obama, and such is his administration. They have made it quite
clear that they are no longer interested in compromise. With all due
respect to His Excellency, now is the time for manful and serious
resistance, as soldiers of Our Lord, not pleasantries and dialogue.
You cannot dialogue with someone who refuses to compromise.)
Finally,
an invitation to the Al Smith Dinner in no way indicates a slackening
in our vigorous promotion of values we Catholic bishops believe to be
at the heart of both gospel and American values, particularly the
defense of human dignity, fragile life, and religious freedom. In
fact, one could make the case that anyone attending the dinner, even
the two candidates, would, by the vibrant solidarity of the evening,
be reminded that America is at her finest when people, free to
exercise their religion, assemble on behalf of poor women and their
babies, born and unborn, in a spirit of civility and respect.
(Again,
with all due respect to His Excellency, how can you have “vibrant
solidarity” with someone, Barack Obama, who supports intrinsic evil
and violation of natural law? That’s pure nonsense. How can you
dissolve the white and black of natural morality to an unholy, grey
pablum wherein we can all be ‘nice’ to one another and support
the same moral causes in solidarity? Does His Excellency honestly
believe that it is that simple, that we can band together as a nation
in support of women and infants regardless of that messy issue of
*how* we differ regarding what is support and what is harm? The
naïveté of thinking this way is beyond comprehension. That
paragraph stands out truly in the midst of the whole article as a
truly nauseating mush of ‘niceness’ and false solidarity,
considering the blood that is spilled and the millions of lives
contracepted or aborted out of existence every year with the full and
express approval and support of the President. No, we cannot have
solidarity with such a man; no, we cannot make nicey-nice and joke
and laugh with him as if nothing is wrong and take a night off from
the decidedly moral and not political fight.)
Some
have told me the invitation is a scandal. That charge weighs on me,
as it would on any person of faith, but especially a pastor, who
longs to give good example, never bad. So, I apologize if I have
given such scandal. I suppose it’s a case of prudential judgment:
would I give more scandal by inviting the two candidates, or by not
inviting them?
(Some?
Your Excellency, hundreds of thousands of Catholics feel this way, I
promise you. I take you at your word, Your Excellency, and I
appreciate your good will from the bottom of my heart, with
sincerity. What is painful to me, and what weighs on me, however, is
that you demonstrate that you still do not understand why the Al
Smith dinner is a scandal in the first place. If you had not invited
the President, you might have given scandal to non-Catholics, but you
know that by inviting him you give scandal to Catholics. Is this of
equal weight in your eyes?)
No
matter what you might think of this particular decision, might I ask
your prayers for me and my brother bishops and priests who are faced
with making these decisions, so that we will be wise and faithful
shepherds as God calls us to be?
(You
have my prayers, and the prayers of all faithful Catholics, Your
Excellency. We want nothing more than to get behind you and support
you with Rosary Crusades and Chaplets of Divine Mercy, Novenas to the
Sacred Heart and Litanies of the Holy Name of Jesus. Consider us your
prayer warriors and your army of support; we only beg that you make
the hermeneutic of continuity your guide and remember that we are the
Church Militant, and balance your worldview from one of dialogue and
pleasantries and politics to one of militancy against intrinsic evil
and one of zealous Faith above politics.)
In
the end, I’m encouraged by the example of Jesus, who was blistered
by his critics for dining with those some considered sinners; and by
the recognition that, if I only sat down with people who agreed with
me, and I with them, or with those who were saints, I’d be taking
all my meals alone.
(They
were sinners, Your Excellency. Christ dined with them, but He did not
make light of sin in the process. He never once treated evil as
politics or neglected hard truth and blunt or even offensive language
when charity demanded it. His Sacred Heart burned with the fire of
infinite charity such that He was willing to die for us, and flowing
from that charity He was offensive when He had to be to call out evil
and those who promote it.)
I
will continue to pray for His Excellency, Cardinal-Archbishop Dolan
of New York. Please join me, and pray for a restoration of Sacred
Tradition and a return of faithfulness, among the elderly and the
youthful, the clerical and the lay, to Catholic principles and
Catholic loyalties, to putting the sacred Faith first and not
dialoguing incessantly or acting like religion is politics and
politics is religion.
