Newt Gingrich, guardian of Catholic values
March 24, 2009 12:19 pm ET by Jamison Foser
FOX contributor Newt Gingrich is upset:
To which Matt Cooper replies:
That isn't really fair to Newt, though. Gingrich has only been divorced twice so far. There was Jackie, his former high school math teacher, whom he divorced as she was in the hospital recovering from cancer surgery, and Marianne, whom he married shortly after divorcing Jackie, and with whom he was still married when he began his relationship with Callista -- an affair that occurred around the time he was promising to never give another speech as Speaker of the House without mentioning the Lewinsky scandal. He and Callista are still married.
Anyway, in fairness to Gingrich, that's only two divorces.
UPDATE: Maybe Gingrich was just getting a head start on displaying the enthusiasm of the convert. Chris Cillizza reported today:
Gingrich To Become a Catholic Saturday: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will officially convert to Catholicism this Saturday at St. Joseph's in Washington, D.C. The move has long been planned -- the New York Times Matt Bai mentioned it in a profile of Gingrich last month -- and will allow Gingrich and his wife, Calista, to practice the same faith. (Gingrich was a Baptist for much of his life.) Let the "what does this mean for 2012" speculation begin!
So he isn't even a Catholic yet, and he's already lecturing Notre Dame about how best to uphold Catholic values. Nice.
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Well, of course right-wingers ALWAYS mean selective Catholic or Christian values. That is, those that match the GOP platform, naturally.
Death penalty, divorce, extra-marital affairs, unjustified wars, not so much.
That is one of the many reasons why I can never take cues from either Mr. Limbaugh or former speaker Gingrich.
Catholics, one of the biggest hypocritical religions ever perpetuated, have a very high level of stone throwing in the glass cathedrals.
Signed, MickD the recovering Catholic :o)
What "Catholic Values" are you talking about Newt? These values:
Yeah.......go ahead Newt, throw your hat in the ring. We're waiting for you.
He's another like McCain that doesn't understand how the world has changed
Catholics are not like Evangelicals that have to fall in line, or get the boot. We can form our own opinions, and still follow the church.
Say what you will about the Catholic church, but they are still anti death anything, and are consistent with that view (again, the leadership). As in, no death penalty (I wonder how Newt is going to do with that one), no war (again, wonder how Newt can square that one, you know if he's going to be a "good" Catholic and all). No abortions. And so on.
Anyway, Notre Dame is, yes a Catholic University, but alas, it is still secular, and Obama represents great values. As someone else said. Worked hard to get into college. Worked hard to get into law school. Worked hard to be top of his class at law school. Worked hard to be Senator. Worked hard to be President. Came from a somewhat broken family, didn't play the victim, and made out good with his life.
Notre Dame is a University? I thought they were a bottom-tier football team!
(I had to...)
It’s such a bad precedent to call out opposing or contrasting views as “anti.” Being a practicing and contributing Catholic, a gay Catholic at that, I would say that according to Newt’s assessment, myself along with 90% of my congregation and all the Catholics I personally know are “anti-Catholic.” To challenge an institution or disagree with their views keeps dialogue fluid and holds an institution accountable. A Church is of the people, and if Newt becomes a Catholic he will quickly learn that at the parish level the people have a say in their institution and are comfortable in challenging authority and are encouraged to do in a respectful way that promotes growth. I have heard speakers from all faith traditions; including non-Christians speak within my Church walls. Outside of the portrayal of Christian’s in the media, a true Christian welcomes challenge on a daily basis because they recognize spiritual growth is a never-ending process.
"will allow Gingrich and his wife, Calista, to practice the same faith."
Uh... since when are divorced and remarried folks allowed to take Communion?
Actually, no, that hasn't been true for decades. Trust me, I've been through the process of getting an annulment for a marriage made before my conversion, so I could marry a Catholic man.
One does have to assert (maybe under oath, I forget) that the marriage(s) one wants to annull were not undertaken in good faith, that there was some sort of impediment, spiritual or otherwise. It's been 20+ yrs, so I've forgotten precisely, but basically you tell the Church you didn't enter the prior marriages with faith in God.
Anyway, the Church does accept previous marriages, Catholic or Protestant, religious or civil, as valid unless you provide serious reasons for them to find otherwise. No free passes for not having been Catholic at the time.
Frankly, that was my first thought - astonishment that he could get an annullment with his history. I'd loooove to see what he put down on the request for annullment form.
Hah. Those Catholics who are 'more Catholic than the Pope" do tend to be rather selective in their adherence to official doctrine. I refer to those who are outraged by abortion but support the death penalty. And THEY talk about "Cafeteria Catholics".
I must say, know a whole lot of Catholics who have supported the GOP due to the anti-abortion rhetoric. Not all of them have caught on to the fact that they have been quite cynically manipulated. ( It is apparently necessary to say here that not all Catholics support the GOP!)
Oh, well, cynical manipulation is standard practice for politicians. But - my life was much bettered by the fact that my Dad belonged to a union. My mother benefits from receiving the pension that the union fought to put in place for firefighters like my Dad.
Now, I hear her talk about tax breaks and intelligent design and unions undermining the economy just because those things are supported by the same people who claim to be "pro-life". Sigh.
Believe me, I do remind her about encyclicals like Rerum Novarum which affirms social justice for workers and Fides et Ratio which affirms the importance of intellectual inquiry and philosophy along with faith. ( And rather specifically that there is no conflict between evolution and faith!)
Closer to home and to the recent American experience I have to bring up the Church' s vocal opposition to the death penalty ( with John Paul ll calling on Bush to stop executions - to no avail) and its opposition to the Iraq War!
Catholics are an unruly and varied bunch. I blame it on Jesus who was known to hang out with all the "wrong" people.
So, Newt Gingrich is welcomed into the Church, because they welcome anyone, but he does not get to be Pope! and he sure doesn't represent all American Catholics.