Were Was the Catholic Vote This Last Election?

Kevin Roeten

It is believed that ~24% of all Americans claim Catholicism to be their religion of choice. But the vast majority of winners in this last election were Democrats, albeit by a relatively small margin. According to William Buckley(Editor/National Review), 56% of Catholics voted Democrat. But the Catholic faith is very “pro-life”. As Bishop Michael Sheridan stated, “Any Catholic who votes for candidates who stand for abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, same-sex marriage, or euthanasia(“non-negotiables”) suffer the same fateful consequences---jeopardizing their salvation.”

The Catholic vote moved strongly towards the Democrats in key states: 20 points in Ohio, 11 in Pennsylvania, and 9 in Michigan. Interestingly, Pope Benedict XVI has earlier stated very clearly that pro-abortion politicians should be refused communion, until they change their political position. It should be repeated that abortion is a mortal sin(along with all “non-negotiables”), and that automatic excommunication befalls anyone directly involved. Canon Law 915 clearly states that those excommunicated--those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin--are not to be admitted to “Holy Communion”. This commonly misunderstood decision is not a sanction or penalty, nor is the minister of “Holy Communion” passing judgment on a person’s subjective guilt. But rather, they are reacting to this person’s public unworthiness to receive “Holy Communion” due to an objective situation of sin.

No Catholic can receive the “Holy Eucharist” for as long as they externally support the right-to-choose heresy. If no repentance and absolution is accomplished, the person commits the added mortal sin of ‘sacrilegious communion’. This is typical for those politicians who continuously mouth the “personally opposed…” line as well.

With the above in mind, does this mean that 56% of Catholics(27 million) have committed mortal sin and may be excommunicated? Maybe. Remember 21 of that 48 million, voted for “pro-life” candidates. Some of that 27 million had no knowledge of the above, and for some reason still think that they are in ‘communion’ with Catholic beliefs, or don’t even know what “excommunication” involves. In any case, if those 27 million would have voted true Catholic beliefs, there is no doubt election results would have been distinctly different.

Few of the 27 million alleged ‘Catholics’ are Catholics at all. The three conditions for censure are clearly stated:

o objectively understanding that a grave sin has been committed
o obstinate persistence
o manifest character of the situation of grave habitual sin

It seems highly likely that most of the major political figures that are on the record as publicly favoring abortion, euthanasia, fetal experimentation, or cloning, qualify under these 3 conditions for censure. This is also true for those that voted for those candidates. Hence, 27 million seem to have Catholicism as their ‘label’, instead of their Faith.

For those confused individuals, the Vatican makes very clear that the moral weight of abortion and euthanasia obviously outweigh capital punishment and waging war. It may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor, or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion, even among Catholics, but NOT about the “non-negotiables”.

Recent polls actually reveal only 20% of Catholics truly believe that the bread and wine is “transubstantiated”, or “totally” changed into the substance of Christ’s body and blood. This IS the ‘bulwark’ of the Catholic faith. Remember, in John’s gospel alone, he states this fact six times. It seems that it may be real Catholics versus ‘cafeteria’ Catholics. Those who really believe what Jesus said, versus those that give ‘selective consent’ to what Jesus said. But the Catholic Church fervently hopes that as many as possible will repent, and come back to the ‘Fold’.

Perhaps O’Brien(Plain Dealer/Editorial Director) got it right when saying that the statement, “I’m personally opposed, but I can’t interfere with the state,” is a good Pontius Pilate imitation. The Church doesn’t take hostages. People are free to come and go as they wish, and many have gone. So many forget that the Church’s leaders are themselves led by the “Holy Spirit”. Why would any true Catholic hang around a church with different beliefs? If you don’t think the bus has a destination, why get on it? The Church “dictating people’s politics”? If you don’t want to listen to what the Church teaches, you can go your own way. Catholic voters can vote as they wish without anybody looking over their shoulder. If you reject the moral values of the Church, go in peace.

But in fact, what this really means is you’re already gone.

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As a Chemical Engineer, I love politics, and am an orthodox Catholic. I am a "Guest Columnist"('Asheville Citizen-Times'), a regular columnist(North Carolina Conservative), and a contributor to the book "Americans on Politics, Policy, and Pop Culture". Politics are usually covered with a skew from a Catholic perspective.

roetenks@charter.net