Link via the Corner to catholicnews.com.
A further development in the story RC wrote about below.
"His (Balestrieri's) claim that the private letter he received from (Dominican) Father Basil Cole is a Vatican response is completely without merit," Father DiNoia told Catholic News Service Oct. 19, declining to discuss the matter further.And Father Cole stated his was a private response:
"I have no relationship to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ... and the letter that I wrote to Balestrieri was purely private," he told CNS Oct. 19. "I wrote it as a private theologian, not with any authority. It has no authority whatsoever.I didn't think the CDF would make any statement, official or otherwise, on the matter so close to the US Presidential election. Not that a statement would influence the election in any substantive manner, but it was too hot a potato to begin with. I've read the matter is in O'Malley's hands. I think he'll let Balestrieri's suit die. It's a pity, because the Blessed Sacrament will continue to be profaned by Catholic politicians like Kerry and Catholics who support abortion "rights." What makes a scandal scandalous is when people think the sin being committed or encouraged is not sinful.
In case any of our readers ever become Vatican functionaries, please save this case as a lesson about the value of that great Roman tradition: discretion.
To quote another sticky Vatican situation where they let innuendo do the hard preaching:
"It is as it was."
Aside from the diplomatic nuances (as Mr. Kerry might say), I just think the real reason for this flip-flop is simply the fear that he might actually be elected president in two weeks....All the more reason to proceed with the case....but the Bishop(s) will cave...they always do...St. John Fisher excepted, Mr. Balestrieri has put us all to shame in that he has accepted the calumny that will befall him now as a sacrificial lamb.
Considering the laxity of discipline in the Church today, there was never any way that Kerry would be excommunicated whether he wins or not. If Father Drinan can support abortion rights in word and deed and still remain a priest in good standing, does anyone really expect a lay politician to be disciplined?
I think we're all ignoring the possibility that Mr. Balestrieri, clearly a Republican, is telling a giant lie in the great Republican Tradition. If the author of the letter says it was a letter from a private theologian with no authority, and not from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and if the CDF denies any involvement -- I'm inclined to think that they probably were not involved, and Mr. Balestrieri was lying.
I don't know why that's so hard for everyone to accept. I guess you're all in denial that the church won't officially interfere in our election process.
Nathan:
"Mr. Balestrieri, clearly a Republican ..."
Take that back. You have no basis for saying that.
I spoke with Marc Balestrieri some months ago, to clarify something for an article on the initial filing, and asked him point-blank: Are you a Republican? He said he was not a member of either political party.
Victor, I'm not going to take anything back. Marc has demonstrated by his actions that he is, indeed, a Republican even if he hasn't registered with the Republican Party. He's going after only Democratic politicians, with the only exception of one female Republican. He's certainly not going after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger or former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, both vocal pro-choice Catholics. Perhaps because they, unlike the female Republican I mentioned, are campaigning for our pro-choice Methodist President and Mr. Balestrieri doesn't want to draw attention to the fact that they're both pro-choice. The Republican woman he's going after is just a token Republican so that he can say this is a non-partisan deal.
Take that back. You have no basis for saying that.
It's useless, Victor. You can't argue with someone who's replaced rational discourse with threats and intimidation (which is what his expressed to complain to Pete's bishop was, no matter how he denies it). The best thing to do with such trolls is either to ban them (which is what I'd do if this were my blog, but it's not so...) or just ignore them. As they say on Usenet, "Don't feed the trolls."
"he is, indeed, a Republican even if he hasn't registered with the Republican Party."
Oxy. Moron.
(yeah, I know I shouldn't feed the trolls, but that sentence was a slow hanging curveball worthy of Javier Vasquez)
Don't you think that the bishop should know that one of his employees is calling the opposite political party "demoncrats" on a high traffic internet weblog?