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The Holy See (the Vatican/Pope) has indicated that politicians who vote against Roman Catholic Church tenets should not receive Holy Communion and that faithful lay Catholics should refrain from voting for those Roman Catholic Church politicians who vote against Church tenets . . .
I believe such crap is contained in this edict which has as its introduction:
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, having received the opinion of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, has decided that it would be appropriate to publish the present Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in political life. This Note is directed to the Bishops of the Catholic Church and, in a particular way, to Catholic politicians and all lay members of the faithful called to participate in the political life of democratic societies.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20021124_politica_en.html(as last visited August 4, 2004)
Your issue about how such expected behavior may impact other issues including "the poor and disadvantaged" was not discussed by the Holy See. Could it be that the Vatican doesn't equate such with importance as is abortion and gay marriage?
Nice, huh? So much for Separation of Church and State. Ahh, but this is America and the Holy See/Vatican is a tiny sovereign country w/i the borders of that other small sovereign country in the EU entitled "Italy." Ah, yes.
___________________________________________
'"I believe in an America . . . where no public
official either requests or accepts instructions
on public policy from the pope, the National
Council of Churches, or any other ecclesiastical
source." -- Senator John F. Kennedy (D, MA) on the
presidential campaign trail, 1960.
"I want a chief executive whose public acts are
responsible to all and obligated to none -- who
can attend any ceremony, service or dinner his
office may appropriately require him to fulfill --
and whose fulfillment of his Presidential office
is not limited or conditioned by any religious
oath, ritual or obligation." -- Senator John F.
Kennedy (D, Massachusetts) in his address to
SOUTHERN BAPTIST LEADERS, while campaigning for
the presidency, September 1960.
Source: NYTimes, September 13, 1960
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/66.htmhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/rcc_poli.htm___________________________________________
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