Vatican approach to Obama in contrast to conservative U.S. Catholics

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http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/vatican-approach-obama-contrast-conservative-us-catholics

The tone from Rome stands in obvious contrast to the ferment in some Catholic circles in the States, with the juxtaposition in Washington this week of the inauguration on Tuesday and the annual March for Life on Thursday offering a powerful illustration. (As one example, a contingent from the Ave Maria School of Law carried signs tweaking Obama’s campaign theme: “Yes we can … terminate abortion!”)

Benedict has now had three bites at the apple in terms of sending a message to the new president, with nary a mention of abortion or other “life issues” in the mix. So far, no prominent American Catholic has publicly objected, but that may be more an index of the void left by Neuhaus’ death than what’s actually on people’s minds. Anxiety is certainly out there; I recently had dinner with one American bishop identified with the pro-life cause, who wondered aloud: “What is it that Rome doesn’t get?”

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(Here's the money quote):

Inevitably, however, the situation also highlights a basic contrast in Catholic culture on the two sides of the Atlantic. Catholics in Europe, even the most ferociously conservative, generally do not have a single-issue focus on abortion. They’re no less pro-life, but perhaps because there’s no prospect of rolling back abortion rights in most European nations, it’s not their signature crusade. In the States, abortion is the elephant in the room during any conversation about Catholics and politics, but not so across the water, and not so for the pope.

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After Neuhaus sounded his alarm three years ago, I spoke to another prominent American conservative who offered a memorable sound-bite (about Benedict): “We thought we had elected Ronald Reagan,” he said, “but we ended up with Jimmy Carter.”

This is why I love to read international news. I have the privilege of hearing the former Cardinal Ratzinger compared to Jimmy Carter.


Though this article is ironic, in light of what just happened in Brazil.