MCC Congress Candidate Survey For Maryland

The survey results that you see to the right were included in today's parish bulletin.  The Maryland Catholic Conference continues its abominable habit of combining issues of widely varying moral weight into one ambiguous list - ambiguous because it makes the issues appear to have equal moral weight.  They don't.  Moreover, notice that there is no mention whatsoever about abortion, even though Maryland harbors a late-term baby-killer: Leroy Carhart.

However, the first issue regards an assisted suicide ban.  That of course does deal with a non-negotiable issue for one can never be involved in the deliberate taking of innocent human life.  That constitutes murder.  The second issue is also of immense concern, for that involves our right to practice our Holy Faith.  Such practice entails speaking out on moral issues of the day.  Those first two columns are key to understanding which candidates would be acceptable.  Indeed, between the contenders for each race, the choice is literally between night and daylight.

We see, for instance, that Kathy Szeliga would deserve the votes of faithful Catholics for US Senate whereas Chris Van Hollen would be completely unacceptable.  Please don't be fooled by that fourth column, for the MCC, like its national USCCB counterpart, has bought into the progressive lie that open borders is somehow Catholic teaching.  It is not.  In fact, CatholicVote has a handy list of what does not constitute binding teaching, progressive deceptions notwithstanding.

Note that five of them did not submit a response to the MCC survey.  All of these are Democrats - surprise!  They are all flaming pro-aborts and one of them, Steny Hoyer, is the current Minority Whip in the House.  Please cast your votes for their GOP opponents.  Elijah Cummings is another odious incumbent, implicated in several scandals (see here and here).

The list looks rather clear - the GOP candidates by and large are the ones whose positions align with Church teaching regarding the non-negotiable issues.  The only race that appears to have candidates of similar viewpoints is that of the First Congressional District (eastern shore).  I would have to recommend Andy Harris; he has proven himself as pro-life in the House and we do not want leadership in the House to fall to Democrat hands; we've had enough of Nancy "pope" Pelosi.

November 8 is Election Day.  Get out and vote.  Past readers understand why I urge a vote for Trump/Pence.  These local races are also crucial.  Trump can nominate Supreme Court justices but we need a decent Senate to confirm them.

Systemic Problems with Catholic Charities of Washington DC

The first problem involves a rather questionable member of the Foundation Board of Directors.  Scroll all the way to the bottom.  The third name from the bottom is Katherine Van Hollen - as in Mrs Chris Van Hollen.  She's the wife of the Representative from Maryland's 8th Congressional District.  He is a flaming pro-abort, to say the least, voting for every anti-life and anti-family measure that's come his way.  So let's assume that maybe Katherine isn't of that persuasion.  Why, oh why, is she a member of that board?  To perhaps curry political favor, or maybe just for the name recognition?  Either way, Catholic Charities is selling its soul by its salute to a pro-abortion congress person.  If any others on this board are similarly chequered, please advise. 

In today's Standard, the Archbishop tried to defend his position in eliminating health benefits to spouses of married employees in response to the new DC regulations as being "the only option left".  He said he didn't want to "walk away from the poor".  However, Catholic Charities has now turned its back on the families of its employees.  Go figure.  The courageous actions of the late John Cardinal O'Connor could have served as a brilliant example.  We must be faithful to God before we even begin to consider secular factors.