The AP has this item about Virginia’s new governor-elect — only the second Catholic one in the commonwealth’s history:
The new Republican governor-elect of Virginia brings to the office firmly conservative views that took root in the suburban, middle-class Irish Catholic home of his youth.
Robert Francis McDonnell, 55, was one of five children of a stay-at-home mom and a father he still describes as “a tough, Boston Irish-Catholic Air Force officer who wasn’t afraid to use the belt.”
McDonnell was hardly a rebel — childhood chums recall him as a straight-arrow type. As a teen, he scored the only touchdown Bishop Ireton High School could muster against the undefeated 1971 T.C. Williams High football team immortalized in the movie “Remember the Titans.”
McDonnell’s Catholicism drew him to Notre Dame University on a ROTC scholarship. But it was back home where he met Maureen Gardner, a Washington Redskins cheerleader who became his wife and mother of their three daughters and twin sons.
After college, McDonnell was an Army officer in Europe, then worked as an executive for a major hospital supply firm, moving as far west as Kansas City before settling his family in Virginia Beach.
Eyeing a career in law and politics, McDonnell juggled Army reserve duties, a part-time newspaper advertising sales job, and raising a growing family with studying for a combined law and master’s degree in public policy at CBN University. The school, now Regent University, was established by Christian Coalition founder and religious broadcaster Pat Robertson.
At age 34, he wrote a 93-page thesis for his graduate degree that called working women a detriment to society and argued that government was justified in discriminating against gays and unmarried “cohabitators” to shield traditional families.
Twenty years later, after a state legislative career spent advancing tough penalties for crimes and curbs on abortion, then a term as state attorney general, the thesis became the most potent issue against McDonnell in the race for governor. Still, he never trailed in polling behind Democratic state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, whom he narrowly defeated in the 2005 attorney general’s race.
McDonnell, 55, dismissed the thesis as a long-ago academic exercise. He said raising three daughters, one of whom was an Army platoon leader in Iraq, had made him an admirer of career women.
Meantime, U.S. News & World Report has some more information on him, and Deacon Keith Fournier (from Virginia) has some thoughts about McDonnell’s faith.
posted November 4, 2009 at 7:12 am
Interesting to learn about his Catholicism. You’d have never known by how the local press (e.g. The Washington Post) treated him. Until yesterday I thought he was a fundamentalist evangelical Baptist based on the news media here.
posted November 4, 2009 at 8:44 am
I was surprised by Deacon Fournier’s assertion that McDonnell is truly “Pro-Life”. As Attorney General he has been a staunch advocate of the death penalty and when the current Governor, Tim Kaine, also a Catholic, and a true Pro-Life advocate overturned attempts by the state legislature to expand the death penalty (twice) Bob McDonnell strongly criticized him and urged the legislature to overturn the veto, (see URL). Governor Kaine is personally opposed to the death penalty but stated that he was obligated to support the law of VA. However, in cases where there were flaws in the death penalty (mental defect) he commuted the sentences to life in prison. He was severely criticized by then AG McDonnell. VA law allows for life without parole sentencing which guarantees public safety and there is no justification for death penalty to protect public safety. Bob is not ‘pro-life’ but he was the best choice overall for governor and that is why I voted for him. (Also a Deacon in VA)
posted November 4, 2009 at 10:27 am
One voice can make a song. One life can change the world!
posted November 4, 2009 at 10:51 am
Another good reason to never take up residence in Virginia.
posted November 4, 2009 at 11:19 am
We need to pray he has a conversion of heart on the death penalty.
Here’s what Pope John Paul II said about the death penalty in 1999 during his visit to St. Louis:
“The new evangelization calls for followers of Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who will proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life in every situation. A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform (cf. Evangelium Vitae, 27). I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary.”
This is from:
http://www.usccb.org/pope/mass.htm
posted November 4, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I always have such high hopes for seemingly faithful Catholic politicians, but SO many have let the Church and their constituents down. I pray that he will do the right thing for Virginia, and continue to be faithful to the teachings of the Church.
posted November 4, 2009 at 4:33 pm
While I am genuinely happy for Bob in securing a long sought position of distinction in American politics, I take a cautious glance towards his commitment to the teachings of the Church. He is borderline disobedient on the issue of capital punishment and he has championed the demonization of registered sex offenders (many of whom have never harmed a soul) as a wedge for winning votes. These are not particularly righteous attributes in a man who often wears his faith on his sleeve (when it is most useful for him to do so). I pray that the good bishops of Virginia will not “cozy” too closely to McDonnell (no matter how singularly committed he is to the issue of abortion—the right to a dignified life extends far beyond the womb!!)
posted November 4, 2009 at 4:34 pm
While I am genuinely happy for Bob in securing a long sought position of distinction in American politics, I take a cautious glance towards his commitment to the teachings of the Church. He is borderline disobedient on the issue of capital punishment and he has championed the demonization of registered sex offenders (many of whom have never harmed a soul) as a wedge for winning votes. These are not particularly righteous attributes in a man who often wears his faith on his sleeve (when it is most useful for him to do so). I pray that the good bishops of Virginia will not “cozy” too closely to McDonnell (no matter how singularly committed he is to the issue of abortion—the right to a dignified life extends far beyond the womb!!)
posted November 4, 2009 at 7:51 pm
There is a world of difference between the issue of capital punishment for brutal murderers and the execution of innocent babies in the womb (or at birth). Until about 10 years ago most Christians had the ability to see the difference and church doctrine is still based on that great difference.
In the political campaign to replace Ted Kennedy most of the alleged Catholic candidates here are running ads touting their support for allowing babies to be executed while in the same breath-in their ads- bragging how they are in favor of protecting the lives of even the most sick, and brutal of savage murderers. Funny how our society has made the destroyers of life a protected class and innocent babies a targeted class. (Although I believe that as a prudential matter executions of murderers should be very, very rare and exceptional -like executing those in jail for life who kill a guard in an attempted -or successful–escape. However, even then, here in Ma. a returned murderer escapist who killed a guard to facilitate his escape was treated as a hero by the left because in the years he was on the run he had become a poet. Real cold comfort to the family of the guard who died to make those who oppose capital punishment feel noble. I wonder how many notches on his belt a murderer has to acquire to deserve execution to protect society and those who carry out its necessary protective functions.
posted November 6, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Dear Deacon John,
You made the following statement in your comment:
“There is a world of difference between the issue of capital punishment for brutal murderers and the execution of innocent babies in the womb (or at birth).”
Could you please refer me to the authoritiative theological text or the place in the catechism where I can find this preferred ranking?
Do you think God sees His creation this way?
From Matthew 18: 21-22:
“Then Peter approaching asked him, ‘Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.’”
posted November 6, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Hi, Paul…
I think Deacon John may have in mind this statement, from Cardinal Ratzinger, a few years ago:
“Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, 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 about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.”
You can read the full context here.
It’s also worth nothing that abortion is seen as always and in every instance being intrinsically evil. Capital punishment is not.
Blessings,
Dcn. G.