Catholics must make own decision
5/2/09 | 9 comments
Guest Column

Catholics must make own decision


By Ken Fredette

I am a Republican and Catholic. I believe in Jesus Christ as the savior of my soul. I am a proud Franco-American. I am honored to have been nominated by Gov. John Baldacci and unanimously confirmed by the Maine Senate to serve on the Maine Human Rights Commission. I not only know Sen. Dennis Damon, I ran against him for the state Senate in 2006, and lost. Now, Sen. Damon has submitted LD 1020, more commonly referred to as the Gay Marriage Bill. It passed the Senate Thursday and will soon land on Gov. Baldacci’s desk.

It is widely believed by both Republicans and Democrats alike that Abraham Lincoln was one of our country’s greatest presidents, mainly because of his moral leadership during the Civil War. On the field of Gettysburg in 1863, he stated, “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Implicit is his belief that our “constitutional fathers” believed that “all men are created equal.”

A century later, Martin Luther King quoted Lincoln’s famous speech in his “I Have A Dream” speech, saying that the promise of “our founding fathers” has not been realized by all Americans, specifically preaching in his “Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool” sermon that “the vast majority of Negroes in our country find themselves perishing on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.” Today, both in the United States and around the world, many acknowledge that King’s call for racial equality was realized with the election of President Obama.

Bishop Richard Malone of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine recently stated during a legislative hearing on the gay marriage bill that “marriage as practiced in America today falls short of its ideals.” Bishop Malone is correct in framing marriage as an aspirational model of love, mutual respect and, yes, at times, forgiveness. However, as a lawyer, let me also tell you that divorce of a married heterosexual couple, particularly with children, is a harsh, cruel reality of American society today. Ask family law attorneys and they will tell you of the protection-from-abuse orders between married couples, or of the children of married couples who are placed in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services to protect them from harm from their own parents or the spouse who steals or spends all the marital assets of the marriage simply to deprive the other and their children of the economic wealth accumulated during their matrimony. This is not the reality of the same-sex marriages of which Bishop Malone spoke during his testimony supporting traditional marriage, yet divorce is the reality in some 50 percent of marriages in America today.

On Easter Sunday, I took my family to the local Catholic church for the traditional Easter blessings and spiritual enlightenment of the story of Jesus rising from the dead in recognition of the fulfillment of the spiritual rebirth we all seek upon our death. Unfortunately, the bulletin that was handed to my children on the way into the church spoke of Bishop Malone’s opposition to the gay marriage bill and, therefore, implicitly, all “Catholics’” opposition to that bill. In fact, Bishop Malone said very clearly in his testimony before the legislative committee: “On behalf of the diocese, and the nearly 200,000 Catholics in Maine, I urge the Legislature to support traditional marriage and vote against LD 1020.”

I consider myself able enough to listen to this debate and make a decision for myself on the merits or failings of the proposed legislation. I respect Bishop Malone and his position on this bill; however, I resent being told that he implicitly speaks for all Catholics in Maine. There is a constitutional principle of separation of church and state, and, I believe, I retain my own inherent right to decide such issues for myself.

Martin Luther King once said that blacks were complicit in their own segregation that surrounded them by doing nothing about it. I for one am proud to be a Republican and a Catholic, yet I will make my own decision on the merits of the facts on this emotional debate. President John F. Kennedy was the first Catholic ever elected president of the United States, and many had concerns about his decision-making processes as being either universally secular or as an elected Catholic taking orders from the pope in Rome.

I urge other Catholic political leaders, television commentators, newspaper owners and all Catholics in Maine to step forward and engage the community on this issue and display real leadership, not political cowardice.

Ken Fredette is a lawyer in Newport, graduate of the Muskie School of Public Service and a student at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

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Comments
9 comments on this item
On 5/2/09 at 7:47 AM, Mainecommenter wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Well said, Mr. Fredette. The GOP has been on the loosing side of so many of these social issues; deciding to be aligned with a small group of conservative social activists. On civil rights, we've lost the black vote seemingly forever. On the gay marriage issue, we're loosing the young people who simply don't care like their parents do about the issue. On immigration, we're loosing the growing Hispanic vote.

The GOP needs to disassociate themselves from the preachers and bigots within their midst and move into the 21st century. After the lost elections of 2006 and 2008, enough is enough.

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On 5/2/09 at 1:52 PM, chersully2000 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Mr. Fredette:

Excellent and thoughtful commentary. I am not Catholic, but feel as you do about having those pamphets handed out before the Mass you attended on Easter Sunday. Would have struck me the same way it did you. Jesus was about ministering to all, and especially the marginalized of His time. Why should things be different now?!

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On 5/3/09 at 6:59 PM, 4Him2day wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

chersully, while it is true that Jesus ministered to the lowly of His day, make no mistake He never condoned sin of any kind regardless of your social status. Homosexuality is still as sinful today as it was 2000 yrs ago. God doesn't change we do.

Mainecommenter if your suggesting the GOP needs to compromise it's morals to get the votes, I for one hope it never stoops so low as to sells its soul to the devil like the majority of the democratic party has.

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On 5/3/09 at 10:26 PM, arrogantdan wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

4 him 2 day your clearly a bible pounder, and have no clue about other religions, other than your own . think before you post. the gop is about as religious as charles manson.

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On 5/4/09 at 8:39 PM, Mike_Sweatt wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Mr. Fredette, you are an example of what we know to be true. Catholics today are better educated than in any other time in the history of the Catholic Church. We have minds of our own and are able to develop our own opinions and form our own conscience. We are able to make our own decisions and we don't need Bishop Malone to tell us how to vote or that he speaks for us. Nor do we need him to privide petitions with the expectation we will sign them while attending mass this past weekend. These actions cheapen what we are called to do and be as Catholics.

How respulsive it must have been this weekend for any one of our gay members or their parents or their grandparents who might have attended mass this past weekend or during the weekend where the bishop's message was read. Last weekend the parish priest in Gorham told the congregation that we needed to sign the petition to show our support for Bishop Malone!

In the early Church memebers of the local church participated in the selection of their local bishop. Bishop Malone was placed in Maine by the pope and pledges complete obedience to the pope. Therefore, he speaks for the pope.

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On 5/4/09 at 9:19 PM, chersully2000 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Mike_Sweatt:

I am not Catholic but have many Catholic friends and have once in a while attended the Catholic church with them (esp for special musical service,etc.) You , it seems, speak for a lot of intelligent and thoughtful Catholics today. You expressed this very well. Handing out a pamphlet telling someone how to vote at any Mass (and this one at Easter) did "cheapen" things. Unbelievable. I cannot imagine any priest, minister, pastor telling their congregants how to vote, or even suggest it. (whether it is during a Presidential election, same-sex marriage initiative,etc.)

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On 5/4/09 at 10:27 PM, BlueAmbience wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Mr. Fredette:

I am a Catholic and Republican and I have to say, as hard as it may be to swallow to other zealous "know it alls" out there, you're exactly right! Jesus wasn't busy trying to change Roman law to reflect his ministry and teachings nor was he rallying the troops to enact and pass laws. Today, we have alot of proud religious people in our state who feel so passionate about this issue that they will go to any lengths to prevent expanded rights for gays and lesbians. I happen to be someone who is proud of his relationship with Christ. My faith is firm and solid. I share my faith with others when I have the opportunity but never do I push it on others. So many religious/social conservatives are so busy trying to enact into civil law what reflects religious law. I thought this was America and isn't America for everyone? When was the last time someone stopped to think "its ok if my faith opposes same-sex marriage"? Well, guess what? It is ok! BUT! We live in America and in America not everyone is Christian or religious. In our time of respecting our faith and values we should also recognize that we are one among many and we live in a free country where people can live without religious persecution etc. I believe we should all take a step back and learn to appreciate the difference between religious law and civil law. Civil law is for ALL Americans (White, Black, Asian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Gay, Straight, Christian, & Atheist). Running around passing laws that reflect the bible is the same as cramming our faith down other people's throats. Think about it for a minute, if we go about passing civil laws that are the bible re-written for all of America to follow, aren't we basically forcing others to be Christian? They have to be, act, and live like them if we pass these laws. What if they don't want to be Christian? Don't they have the right to be who they want to be? Leave religious law to the faithful. Live, love, and learn. I hope that someday we can all come to terms with co-existence. One day all of us who are so caught up in writing the bible into our civil laws will learn that we are better served by doing as Jesus did.....witnessing our faith to others, preaching the word to those who would hear it and ABOVE all ....remembering the part in the bible that talks about Free Will....you know....that right God gave each of us....to either follow or not.....he left that choice up to us. Let's take our message to those who are open to Christ freely and in their hearts. Stop taunting those who don't think, feel, breathe, and see the world exactly as we do. Everyone deserves dignity and respect. I'm sure Christ would agree. After all, can someone point out where in the bible CHRIST himself said gay marriage and gay rights were wrong? No, I'm not talking about Paul, or you pastor, or the pope, I am talking about the BIBLE....I am talking about Christ's own words, he is Christ incarnate. (The Son of God). When you find it...let me know. Until then, much love & great respect to my fellow Mainers. (Straight, Gay, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Atheist, Buddhist, American Indian, White, Black, Asian, Latino, etc..etc.)

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On 5/5/09 at 9:45 AM, chersully2000 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

BlueAmbience:

EXCELLENT!!!

And to prove your point: I am someone who respects all religions and faiths and believes in a loving caring God.....and I have all my life. He would not want any of his children left out. He wants everyone treated with fairness and respect.

Because of my views (similar to yours) I am subjected, on the BDN letter comment forums, to the most despicable individual called 4Him2day (he is a phony and charlatan....and not a good person at all). He tells me I have to worry about when I face God because of my stances on abortion, gay rights,etc. He does this to others as well. He gives Christianity a bad name. Well, not really, as no one can do that, but he is one big insult to us tolerant and loving Christians.

Thank you again.

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On 5/5/09 at 9:46 AM, chersully2000 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

If I was 4Him, I would be very scared when I met my Maker....very very scared.

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