“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. I do not think that wide circles of the American society or wide circles of the Christian community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, of the Gospel and the anti-Gospel. This confrontation lies within the plans of divine providence. It is a trial which the whole Church… must take up.” Karol Cardinal Wotyla (Sept. 1976)

Friday, July 4, 2008

Lip Service...Not Even.

The Associated Press reported that John McCain stopped at the Basilica in Mexico City and paid a visit to the holy image of Our Lady of Guadalupe:

"McCain began the day at Mexico City's famed Basilica de Guadalupe, where he laid a wreath of white roses at the altar and stood atop the Papal balcony.

He was accompanied by President Bush's brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who was visiting Mexico on a business trip.

McCain's visit to the Basilica had clear political overtones as Catholic and Hispanic voters are expected to be key swing voters in the November election."

Now I ask all my pro-life friends out there, is there ever any better opportunity in the world for candidate to say something remotely pro-life than a visit to the Patron of the Unborn, Our Lady of Guadalupe?

We got nothing, zippo, other than a few pictures and a political strategist who crossed "Appeal to Catholic and Hispanic swing voters," off his list.

I have always been able to see clear contradictions in my life, at sometimes being tortured by them.Yesterday, we had John McCain who can't run away from the pro-life issue fast enough appearing in the presence of the Divine portrait of the Mother of God, depicted carrying our Savior in utero, who eternally and without cease focuses us on the sanctity of life.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are not God and should not judge the contents of another's heart when they are silent in the Temple of God.
"Judge not lest ye be judged."
Instead pray for him. He could turn out like Hezekiah for all you know...and do good throughout the land. God knows the future - and God knows the contents of the heart.

A Voice in the Crowd said...

But John, aren’t you judging me by this post? (joking, of course)

Here is why McCain’s visit is fair game. It is not a “silent moment in a temple of God”. There are hundreds of press core accompanying him, flashing pictures and sending this story to every home in America. It is a dog and pony show. It is not like McCain went to this shrine at 6:30AM in the morning for a silent prayer without fan fare. That would be off limits to me.

McCain’s Marian Devotion seems to coincide with his running for President and needing Catholic and Hispanic swing votes. Even the smaller newspapers have figured this out.

I tried to give McCain the benefit of the doubt by Googling his name with various Marian shrines to see if there was any history of visiting Marian shrines prior to his Presidential run. Nothing came up.

If I judge Senator McCain too severely, may God forgive me. I saw the opportunity of him being on a world stage with a prime opportunity to speak out for the +40 million babies that have been aborted, but remaining silent and smiling for P.R. pictures.