Cardinal Stafford Stands by Criticism of Obama

Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See, is standing by controversial comments he made about President-elect Barack Obama during an on-campus lecture last Thursday. In an address hosted by the John Paul II Institute on Marriage and Family, Stafford called President-elect Barack Obama’s policies “aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic,” said that his election was “a cultural earthquake” and that Obama campaigned on an “extremist anti-life platform.” (YouTube Video)

The story about the Cardinal’s comments was posted on CUATOWER.com on Friday and audio of his remarks was added on Monday. Since its posting, the story went viral online and has been picked up by CNN, CBS, ABC, Catholic News Service, National Catholic Reporter and the Drudge Report. Read more

Senior Got Personal Pitch From Obama

Most voters get pitches from presidential candidates through television commercials, prime-time debates and campaign websites.

Senior Irene Kelly got a pitch from President-elect Barack Obama in a personal phone call and meeting with the candidate.

Irene’s mother, Sarah “Sally” Kelly, became one of the first state representatives in New Hampshire to support Obama in summer of 2007, after attending a meeting in Manchester, N.H. with Obama and some of his early supporters.

Kelly’s mother invited her to go, but unfortunately could not attend due to a previously scheduled meeting. Her mother kept calling Kelly during the meeting, until she had to finally excuse herself, thinking it might be an emergency. Read more

Trustee Says Obama Election May Lead to Black Pope

The election of the first African American U.S. president may lead to the election of the first black pope, according to University trustee Archbishop Wilton Daniel Gregory of Atlanta.
The election of Sen. Barack Obama was “a great step forward for humanity and a sign that in the United States the problem of racial discrimination has been overcome,” Gregory, 60, said in a Timesonline article.

In 2005, after the death of Pope John Paul II, the media and members of the Church speculated that a pope from a third world African or Latin American country would be selected by the conclave. Possible candidates included Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze and Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras.

Gregory also mentioned that in the Vatican hierarchy, senior positions are held by all nations and races. Gregory is originally from Chicago, the home of president-elect Obama.

CRs Hosts Convention Party in Pryzbyla Center

The College Republicans hosted a viewing party in the Pryzbla Food Court to watch Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain’s acceptance speech Thursday night.

The College Republicans provided food and had their very own McCain cardboard cut out in attendance as the speech was projected on to a large screen for everyone to see.

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“We need to change the way government does almost everything,” McCain said in his speech. “Fight with me. Fight for what’s right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.”

“I thought it was really good, I thought it was extremely presidential. I don’t think his as good as a speaker as Obama, but he makes up for that in terms of what he said,” said College Republican member Matt Purble, who was at the viewing party.

Other students in attendance did not share the same view.

“It wasn’t as good as Obama’s. McCain doesn’t have the same energy. Talks about change yet he support the president 90 percent of the time,” said freshmen Scott McNeil.

Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, spoke Wednesday night at the Convention. She is the first woman to run for the office as a Republican. Since being nominated, Palin has been questioned about her experience and conservative viewpoints. Her family and pregnant 17 year old daughter have also been a source of controversy.

Governor Tim Pawlenty, Senator Sam Brownback, Representative Mary Fallin, Senator Lindsey Graham, former Governor Tom Ridge and Mrs. Cindy McCain, also spoke Thursday evening at the convention.

Bishop Refuses Communion for Dem. VP Candidate Biden

American Bishop Joseph F. Martino, of the Diocese of Scranton, announced on Monday that Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Joseph Biden, a Roman Catholic, would be denied communion in his diocese based on the Biden’s stance on abortion.

This statement comes a week after Archbishop Charles Chaput, archbishop of Denver and a member of the University’s Board of Trustees, announced that Biden should refrain from receiving Holy Communion.
Biden, a practicing Roman Catholic, received communion this Sunday in his home parish of St. Joseph on the Brandywine, by his pastor Msgr. Joseph Rebman.

In an interview with NBC News, Rebman said he understood Biden to be personally opposed to abortion, but he “doesn’t want to impose” his views on others.

Rebman stated that some priests and the bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington have spoken with Biden concerning his pro-choice votes in the United States Senate, but they have never refused him communion.

“The bishop’s conference has left it to the individual bishops to decide how they want to handle it,” Rebman said.

During his time in the Senate, Biden has often differed from his pro-abortion colleagues by voting for the ban on partial birth abortion, voting against governmental funding for abortion and voted for a 1976 bill that prevented Medicaid from paying for abortions.

Despite the stance taken by Martino there are some Catholic theologians who disagree with the bishop’s view of Senator Biden.

In an article by The Scranton Times, Jesuit Father David Hollenbach, Boston College chairman in human rights and international justice, as well as a professor of moral theology, said Biden “is clearly not pro-choice.”

“I think it can be seriously questioned whether Senator Joe Biden can be seen as involved in ‘formal cooperation’ in abortion,” Hollenbach said. “Formal cooperation is a technical term in Catholic moral tradition and must be interpreted with great care.”

The issue of Biden’s stance on abortion and whether or not he should receive communion has started much debate among Roman Catholic theologians and is expected to increase during the lead-up to November’s election.

If elected to the vice presidency, Biden would be the highest ranking Roman Catholic in government since President John F. Kennedy.