Madre de Dios, Newt Gingrich will be received into the Holy Roman Church this weekend. Lapsed Catholic Christopher Buckley is amused. Excerpt:
His Web site's motto--"Real Change Requires Real Change"--seems quite apt to the present occasion, even if it sounds like it was lifted from Peter Sellers' Chance the Gardener in Being There. Gingrich is a protean fellow--continually evolving and re-inventing himself. He's like another of his fellow Catholics--Madonna--only, well, different.Personally, I'm looking forward to the R.C. Newt. And I'd pay a year's salary to have been a bug on the wall during his religious instruction. What an interesting catechumen he must have made! I think of Rex Mottram, Julia Flyte's determined businessman suitor in Brideshead Revisited, and his obligatory religious instruction from a skeptical Father Mowbray.
Um, Mr. Mottram, how many natures would you say our Blessed Lord had?
Why, as many as you say, Father.
I see....
Mr. Gingrich's brain is a 24/7 phenomenon: Half the time, you sit there just dazzled, the other half you want to stuff a baguette-end in his mouth to make him shut up. In the old days, the church would have assigned their best man to the case--a Fulton Sheen. When Clare Boothe Luce, one of the notable Catholic converts of her day, was asked whom she wanted to hear her first confession, she replied, "Bring me someone who has seen the rise and fall of empires!" They don't make converts like that anymore. Or maybe they do.
Newt Gingrich has certainly seen his own empire rise, and fall. Whether it will rise again is probably doubtful, but it will be interesting to watch.
Amen to that. Mazel tov, Newt. Rex Mottram, ora pro nobis.
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After 9/11 I started asking questions, like -- and why can't we protect ourselves? and say again, why did Terri Schiavo have to die? The final straw was when my daughter asked me to pray outside of an abortion clinic which brought another question. And why are all these young women taking the 'deperate' steps to kill their babies? (They didn't seem to be that desperate financially, I saw more SUV's and Humvies that day.) For someone, who was such a non-practicing anything, this was the final push. I looked at our society with open eyes. What I saw were priorities horribly misplaced and a societal weariness due to lack of moral fiber. That did it. After 28 years of holding off, I'm converting. I know I'm coming in the back door. But, any entrance is better than none. I'll see you at Mass, Newt Gingrich.
God Bless!
It saddens me to see how otherwise seemingly intelligent and thoughtful people would tarnish an entire Christian sect because of some bad Priests. The comments dated April 8, 2009 1:09 PM on this website does just that. Would that same person use broad strokes to condemn a vocation of let's say medical doctors who have also been accused of child abuse (i.e., pedophilia) and worse?
I associate myself with the remarks made by Lily. Full disclosure, I have been a practicing Roman Catholic for most of my life. There are certainly bad Priests who not deserve to wear their collar as with any vocation; however, thankfully they are an extremely small minority. Some Americans believe that the horrible child abuse took place because of the abstinence policy in America. I wholly disagree with this. Those Priests that misused their office to hurt children are not victims of the RCC policies in America, but rather are pedophiles.
Thanks!
Lee
Maybe this will help clarify the subject of Newt being married twice or more.. If a person is or has never been baptized, his marriage/s is not recognized. Also, if his first wife was never baptized and if of course Newt wasn't, that marriage isn't recognized, so on down the line. Baptizism takes away all original sin. All in all Catholic Cannon law relies on whether either party has been baptized and whether marriage was by a Justice of the Peace or whatever, anyone other than clergy of any religion. As you should know, other religions do not require a person be baptized before marriage. Also, annulment could be in the situation.
Please folks. Don't judge Newt so harshly. I think it is wonderful that he has found his true religion. He is a good man and a very smart man. Give him a break. If he is a good Catholic and practices his faith and upholds the beliefs of the church...non of that picking and choosing. I was thrilled to hear that he was becoming a Roman Catholic. We need more. Not like those of the likes of Pelosi, Biden, Kennedy and all others like them. They are Catholic in name only and should not be saying that they are Catholic. If you don't practice your faith or believe all of its teachings, keep your mouth shut about it. God Bless you Newt Gingrich! May his light shine upon you!!!!!
Judge not lest you be judged. That goes for both sides of these "arguments".
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