More American Catholic Church Looks Like Organ of GOP Nonsense

There was a post over at Inside Catholic that is worth reading. See The Vatican and the U.S. -- A Failure to Communicate

The comments are interesting because it repeats a now regular line of thought I am seeing in comment sections at Catholic blogs( I think there is some political astroturfing going on) that I believe is false. Here is a comment I left (currently awaiting moderation and fixed bellow for misspellings.)

I have to say the comments have got me a tad confused. Again I think this post does show the cartoon version Europeans have of American Politics

Let me say NEOCON is a overused word that is becoming meaningless. I have no idea what it means nowadays

The Bishops sided with Bush on

Stem cell to a certain degree

The Defense of Marriage act

Abortion policy

Immigration Reform (why is never noted I thought this is a big issue in Europe too)
As to the ISrael/Palestine Issue was it noted that Bush advocated a two state solution and kept the the money going to the PA?

As to the war and Europe I think it would be wise to note two Europes. Eastern Europe and the Catholic Church located there were not nearly as hostile to Bush. Why this is glossed over I don't know

That being said, the Bishops must be careful to support pro life policies, but not become an organ of the Republican party, and must not take orders from GOP bosses.
This is a delicate balancing act, and requires some nuance [at which the Vatican is probably more adept]. If the Bishops can be outspoken about abortion [which they should], they should also be outspoken on issues of war and peace, etc. You can support pro life candidates, but be critical of them in other areas of policy. Perhaps the US Bishops need to be a little more outspokenly pro peace?

Austin I always wonder why no one was concerned when for most of last Century the Bishops were known as the Democrat party at prayer and the UAW and Teamsters was seen as something as infalliable

Catholics have finally gone more into a two party system and people are in a uproar all of a sudden.

How can anyone get the impression the Bishops are taking orders from GOP bosses in beyond me.

Austin,
I think you're on to something with this. War, peace, the death penalty and blatant human rights violations such as occur in Gaza, Sri Lanka and other places in the world are not topics one hears such an outcry against from the US. I think greater outspokenness on abortion along with other issues would help dissociate US bishops and Catholics from being an extension of the Republican party. Remember, too, the Christian Democrats in Italy are a failure. They are no more "Christian" than others. The perception that US Catholicism is associated with the Republican party doesn't help.

What? The Bishops are not outspoken against the Death Penalty? Chaput who is widely criticized by some was critical in anti Death Penalty legislation in Colorado. What about New Mexico and Richardson?

As to the war I note the Bishops were critical. But they also issued a second statement (that I suspect had the view of the Vatican on the war) that is often ignored. That is a new set of moral questions dealing with the consequences of rapid withdrawal.

One final word on GOP Bosses. I can not help but notice that the attitude at America magazine and others is to reach out to the Obama administration. That is not a bad thing but I think it shows at times we forget who Caesar really is in this Republic.

The Republican Catholics on issues as abortion, stem cell, etc seem to have the opposite approach. That is holding their GOP Bosses feet to the fire. See the Catholics against Rudy movement , and the actions of Catholics on the possibility of a GOP VP pro choice pick.

Look at the conduct of organizations like Catholic Democrats and Catholics United. It is all praise praise praise for Obama. They are closely linked to the Democrat party. There is no similar "Catholic Republican" organization that has such power.

Can you really imagine Catholic GOP pro-lifers defending a President Giuliani visit to Notre Dame?