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THURSDAY January 27, 2000 vol. 11, no. 19 SECTION THREESee why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!"
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WORLDWIDE NEWS & VIEWS with a Catholic slant:
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In this vital election year, ZENIT provides a capsulized profile on each of the remaining nine candidates still in the running for President of the United States with the emphasis on issues that are most important to Catholic voters, especially the pro-life issue. continued inside
ROME, JAN 26 (ZENIT).- As the U.S. primary season gets underway,
Americans are reviewing the stances of the candidates to choose the
right person to govern the country for the next four years. This
election is especially important, as it is probable that the next
president will appoint three Supreme Court justices, establishing the
balance of power in that body for some time. The Court currently has 4
strongly pro-choice members, 3 strongly pro-life members, and two "swing
votes."
As a service to our American readers, ZENIT presents here a review of
where the candidates for the major parties stand on several typically
"Catholic" issues. Since many of the issues are more political than
moral, and there are many non-quantifiable issues, such as integrity,
ZENIT cannot make a recommendation of who to vote for, but we hope that
this information will be useful in making an informed choice. More
information on the candidates and their stances, as well as a "Candidate
Chooser" program, is available at www.selectsmart.com
In general, the Republicans favor less government involvement in
businesses and the states. Poverty programs tend to be in the areas of
education rather than direct handouts. In recent years, they have also
been more consistently pro-life and pro-family than the Democrats,
though there have been notable exceptions. Some Republicans are now
pushing for the party to downplay its pro-life stances (as "divisive"),
but this risks alienating their "religious right" constituency.
The son of former President George Bush, George W. Bush is the
frontrunner among the Republican candidates. He is against abortion, but
supports exceptions for rape, incest, and to save the life of the
mother. He has, however, indicated that he would not have problems with
appointing Supreme Court justices or a running mate that differed with
him on this issue. He proposes spending at least as much on abstinence
education as on contraception programs.
Bush has promised to be tough on crime, increasing the lengths of
sentences. Texas is well-known throughout the world for its notably high
numbers of executions. He opposes gun control, but supports a ban on
automatic weapons.
The Texas governor also supports increased military spending, including
a missile defense system; he is prepared to cancel the ABM treaty with
Russia if necessary to install such a defense system. In foreign policy,
he is interventionist, and sees China as competitor, not a strategic
partner; however, he supports China's admission into the WTO. In
general, he wants to eliminate trade barriers and tariffs.
Bush does not support the extension of hate crime laws to protect gays,
nor the recognition of same-sex marriages. He has no problem with gays
in the military, supporting Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
Bush supports education vouchers for students in private schools, which
would enable parents who choose this option to receive tax rebates.
The publisher of "Forbes" magazine is also seeking the Republican
nomination. As to abortion, he is pro-life, supporting the procedure
only in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. He
says that he would work to "restore the severely weakened moral
foundations of our country."
Forbes wants to get tougher on crime, with a "one strike and you're out"
policy for violent felons, eliminating all possibility for parole. He is
interested in victims rights as well. Felons should not have the right
to buy guns, but he does not support a wider ban. Armed crimes would
carry mandatory jail time if Forbes enacts his plans.
Forbes is concerned about recent cuts in military spending, which he
claims have reduced America's military readiness. He leans toward
isolationism, saying that U.S. troops should not be on foreign soil. He
is cautious about extending China's Most Favored Nation status. He
supports free trade, and wishes to limit the use of U.S. money in the
International Monetary Fund.
On the issue of homosexuality, Forbes is more severe than Bush, stating
that openly gay men and women should not be permitted to serve in the
military. Gay Republicans call him "hypocritical," since his father was
openly homosexual.
School choice is supported by Steve Forbes, who would create K-12
educational savings accounts to help parents. He is especially concerned
that low-income parents are unable to choose under the current system.
Alan Keyes was an official in the Reagan administration. He is the only
African American seeking the nomination of a major party. He is also a
practicing Catholic. As such, his stance on abortion is tough -- the
only exception made is the case where fetal death is a collateral
consequence of efforts to save a mother's life. He supports school
prayer, but is against sex education. He wants to reintroduce moral
education into the curriculum.
On defense spending, Keyes feels that some cuts have gone too far. He
would reduce spending in some areas of defense while increasing others.
He supports a non-interventionalist foreign policy, guided by national
interests, not the U.N. He would move to withdraw from the U.N. if it
threatened American independence on international affairs. He believes
that free government is more important than free trade, and that the WTO
was a big policy mistake.
While Keyes is concerned about crime, he said that "I've never been
somebody who thought that you should be applying capital punishment
indiscriminately." However, he believes the procedure is necessary in
certain instances in order for society to show respect for life. He
would impose capital punishment for convicted international drug
traffickers. He opposes gun control on the basis of the Second
Amendment.
Keyes strongly opposes recognition of same-sex relationships as
marriages. He considers this a destructive assault on the heterosexual,
marriage-based family."
Keyes also strongly favors school choice to empower parents to send
their children to schools reflecting their faith and values.
John McCain is a Senator from Arizona. During the Viet Nam conflict, he
served 5 1/2 years as a POW in Hanoi. He is against abortion, except
for cases of incest, rape, or when the life of the mother is endangered.
He specifically targets partial-birth abortion. He made some comments in
the early campaign however, that have some pro-life activists doubting
his sincerity on the issue. On moral issues, Senator McCain voted with
the "Christian Coalition" 73% of the time.
McCain wants to broaden the application of the death penalty at the
federal level. He opposes parole for violent crimes, and would increase
spending to build prisons. Youths accused of felonies would be tried as
adults. Senator McCain opposes gun control laws, saying that the
necessary laws are already on the books. He does support instant
background checks at gun shows. He would remove all federal restriction
on the purchase and possession of firearms for law-abiding citizens.
Defense spending would be increased under McCain, who wants to
"restructure" the military. Force should only be used to protect U.S.
interests, and only with clear rules of engagement, according to his
campaing material. As Senator, he demanded a ground invasion of Kosovo
and counselled coercive action against North Korea. He criticized "the
extremely limited scale" of bombing raids in Iraq. He supports the North
American Free Trade Agreement.
McCain has met with gay Republicans during the campaign, and supports
the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
McCain supports school choice and wants to give more control to parents
and teachers. He would support vouchers to allow parents to send their
children to any publicly funded school.
The Democrats are labeled as the "liberals" in U.S. politics, though by
European standards, most are "center left" or even slightly
conservative. They typically support increased governmental control over
industry, as well as welfare subsidies for the poor. On moral issues,
they are normally pro-choice and pro-homosexuality.
&bnsp;
Bill Bradley is a former Senator from New Jersey. He also played in the
NBA and was a Rhodes Scholar in college. He is strongly pro-choice,
seeking strong measures against clinic terrorism. He is concerned about
hate crimes, and wants to make tolerance and racial unity "a common
sense notion."
Bradley supports a federal death penalty for first-degree murders in the
District of Columbia and voted against restricting capital punishment in
some crimes. However, he supports the right of those convicted to appeal
in the Federal courts. He voted against funding international narcotics
control programs, but supports tough gun control measures.
Bradley feels that by eliminating unnecessary weapons systems, the
country can get by with modest increases in defense spending. He says
that the U.S. should depend on international organizations to respond to
ethnic conflicts. He sees relations with Mexico, Japan, China, Russia,
and Germany as key to American economic interests and advocates free
trade and open markets.
Bradley supports gays serving in the military openly. He feels that
civil rights also applies to sexual orientation. However, he is cautious
about giving state sanction to same-sex marriages.
Bradley is strongly against any plan that would divert funding from
public schools to private schools (vouchers). He says that after
approving various experiments, he does not believe that vouchers will
help public education.
Al Gore is Clinton's Vice-President. He was previously a Senator from
Tennessee. He is pro-choice, saying that abortions should be "safe and
rare." He wants to increase security around abortion clinics. As
Senator, Gore's votes on moral issues coincided with "Christian Voice"
only 9% of the time.
Gore's web site says that he helped to design one of the most successful
anti-crime strategies in modern history: more community police, tougher
punishment, and smarter prevention. He supports gun control and
background checks.
Gore supports a strong military and development of advanced weaponry. He
believes America should lead the way in promoting universal freedom and
democracy. He would expand U.S. investments abroad and supports free
trade.
The Vice President supports ENDA, a federal employment
non-discrimination law for gays and lesbians. He is also willing to
support legal protections for "domestic partnerships." He considers the
military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy to be discriminatory.
Gore opposes school vouchers, saying that they would hurt public
schools. He wants every classroom connected to the Internet. He also
wants to expand after-school care for children as a solution to the drug
problem.
The Reform Party was formed by Ross Perot as an alternative to the
traditional two-party system. Reform Party candidates and members can be
all over the map as regards the various issues, as is clear from this
year's two candidates. They tend, however, to be fiscally conservative.
Pat Buchanan is a political commentator on CNN. He was an aide to
President Nixon, but has since left the Republicans for the Reform
Party. He believes that life begins at conception and would push a
Constitutional amendment to protect the rights of the unborn. He would
consider pro-life stance as a "litmus test" for potential running mates
or Supreme Court nominees. He feels that "America is locked in a
cultural war for the soul of our country." He supports the
re-establishment of traditional values: patriotism, loyalty, courage,
and decency.
While general tough on crime, Buchanan would allow medicinal use of
marijuana by the terminally ill. He opposes gun control, believing that
it would not curb violence.
Buchanan holds that America must restore its military might in order to
contain threats abroad. He also supports deploying a missile defense
system. However he favors an isolationist policy. Once a firm supporter
of sanctions against "rogue nations," he now says that the U.S. embargo
is the main pillar of Castro's power. He cited the Holy Father's and
U.S. Bishops' opposition to the embargo in a speech last December:
"These clerics are giving witness to the deepest traditions of Christian
ethical teaching on the most difficult of human problems." He is in
favor of tariffs to protect American jobs.
Buchanan supports tuition vouchers and tax-free education savings
accounts. He wants to abolish the Department of Education, returning
control to the communities.
Donald Trump is a real estate developer. He joined the Reform Party
because Democrats were too liberal and Republicans too far to the right.
He has not presented positions on all of the issues. He supports
abortion rights, but says that he is personally uncomfortable with the
procedure. He is not a moral crusader by any means, having "talked sex"
with shock radio host Howard Stern on a national program.
He supports isolationist foreign policy, agreeing with Pat Buchanan that
the U.S. is overextended. He "hates" the North American Free Trade
Agreement, and would repeal Most Favored Nation status for China.
ZE00012620
George W. Bush
Malcolm (Steve) Forbes Jr.
Alan Keyes
John S. McCain
The Democrats
Bill Bradley
Albert (Al) Gore Jr.
The Reform Party
Patrick J. (Pat) Buchanan
Donald Trump
In his regular Wednesday Papal Audience the Holy Father emphasized the the beauty of creation, tracing it to the Holy Trinity and citing the wisdom of English Catholic writer extraordinaire G.K.Chesterton. The Pope also extended his sympathies to Seton Hall University and their families over the terrible fire that killed three students and injured several others. continued inside.
VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- In his public audience of Wednesday, January
26, Pope John Paul II continued his catechetical series on the Trinity, and
cited the English Catholic writer G. K. Chesterton as he spoke of "the glory of
the Trinity in creation."
The Holy Father quoted Chesterton's observation that today's society "does
not lack for marvels, but lacks a sense of the marvelous." The Pope said that
main is called to contemplate the beauty of creation, and marvel at the way
in which creation reflects the glory of God. He added that "when nature is not
violated and humiliated, she becomes a sister to mankind."
At the conclusion of his audience, the Pope offered his personal greetings to
some of the 7,000 pilgrims who had gathered in the Paul VI auditorium to
hear him. Speaking in English, he offered his prayers and condolences to the
American students at Seton Hall University, in New Jersey, where a fire in a
dormitory killed three undergraduates last week. He also greeted a group of
Belarussian youngsters who are now living with Italian families.
The chasm between liberation theology and the Holy See is getting bigger in Chiapas, Mexico after several priests criticized the Pope for not appointing the man they wanted to succeed Bishop Ruiz whose retirement ceremony Tuesday the Vatican snubbed because of the protests. continued inside.
MEXICO CITY (CWNews.com) - The papal nuncio to Mexico
refused to attend the retirement ceremony for controversial
Chiapas Bishop Samuel Ruiz on Tuesday because of "serious"
statements made by the bishop's supporters, according the
nunciature.
Archbishop Justo Mullor said he decided not to travel to
San Cristobal de las Casas following statements made by
Fathers Gonzalo Ituarte and Felipe Toussaint that were
"very serious for the Vatican." By contrast, he praised
Bishop Raul Vera Lopez, the former coadjutor bishop of San
Cristobal, on his transfer to the Diocese of Saltillo.
Archbishop Mullor said Bishop Vera's comments were instead
not "gratuitous and void of all ecclesiastical sense."
Bishop Ruiz was to step down on Tuesday after 40 years as
head of the diocese in a ceremony attended by nearly 1,000.
The bishop became controversial in recent years for his
perceived adherence to Liberation Theology and support of
extremist Indian groups fighting the Mexican government for
independence. Bishop Ruiz announced his retirement on his
birthday last November upon reaching the canonical age
limit of 75.
Meanwhile in Cuba, Fidel Castro's awarding of the "Medal of Friendship" to a dissenting Brazilian theologian who espouses liberation theology has the Cuban bishops upset and feeling betrayed by the fact that the Dominican priest in question has a double standard by accepting and not speaking out against violations of human rights in Cuba.
continued inside.
HAVANA (CWNews.com) - A source of the Bishops' Conference
in Cuba described as "frustrating" the decision of
well-known Brazilian liberation theologian Frei Betto to
receive a medal from the Cuban government.
On Friday, January 21 , Dominican Father Carlos Alberto
Libanio Christo, widely known as "Frei Betto" became the
first Catholic priest ever to receive the "Medal of
Friendship," given by Cuba's State Council -- which is
headed by President Fidel Castro -- to those who express
"public and open support to the Socialist Revolution" in
the Island.
The medal was given to Frei Betto by Cuban Vice President
Carlos Lage. During the ceremony, the Brazilian-born
Dominican priest, who published an interview with Castro in
1990, greeted Cuba for its "support to the Third World
Countries by sending doctors and nurses and expressing
always great solidarity."
A source at the Cuban Bishops' Conference who asked not to
be named said that the Cuban bishops felt "frustrated by
the fact that Frei Betto did not use his great influence
and friendship with the regime to speak in favor of the
rights of Cuban Catholics," but also said that they were
"not surprised," because "for many years he (Frei Betto)
has openly supported the system and ignores or simply
rejects the Church in Cuba," the source added.
Frei Betto, a strong supporter of Liberation Theology in
Brazil, became famous in Latin America when he became an
outspoken critic of the Brazilian military dictatorship
during the 1970s. Nevertheless, he is frequently criticized
for not expressing concern for human right violations in
Cuba.
Just when you thought the case of Bishop Juan Gerardi's two year-old murder was going to finally proceed without a hitch, all of a sudden the files for the case are mysteriously missing. Add to that the fact that prosecutors want to rearrest Father Mario Orantes who was arrested prior and accused but no proof forthcoming and now is no longer in the country. Who's in charge in Guatemala? continued inside.
GUATEMALA, JAN 26 (ZENIT).- Information related to the murder of Bishop
Juan Gerardi, which was obtained by the Secretariat for Strategic
Analysis of the Presidency of the Republic, has been lost.
The denunciation, which appeared in today's issue of the newspaper
"Prensa Libre," was reported by Edgar Gutierrez, who is responsible for
the Secretariat, and who first realized the dossier was missing when
Guatemala's new President, Alfonso Portillo, called for information on
the crime, committed on April 26, 1998.
According to the above sources, the folder was found in the Secretariat
"but not its contents."
Within the next few days, the head of the Secretariat for Strategic
Analysis will request the Ministry of Public Affairs to investigate the
dossier's disappearance, and deduce the criminal responsibilities of the
person responsible. For the moment, everything seems to point to Howard
Yang Luke, Gutierrez's predecessor in the post.
Moreover, yesterday the Guatemalan authorities reordered the arrest of a
priest, Fr. Mario Orantes, who was implicated in the murder of Bishop
Juan Gerardi. It is the second order of arrest in four days in the
murder case of the Bishop who defended human rights.
Gerardi died in his garage from a blow on the head on April 26, 1998,
two days after presenting a report in which he stated that military and
paramilitary groups were responsible for the deaths of civilians during
Guatemala's civil war, which lasted 36 years and ended in 1996.
Fr. Orantes, an assistant of Bishop Gerardi, was jailed not long after
the crime, but was freed last February as their was no evidence of his
culpability and groups for the defense of human rights protested his
imprisonment.
The Vatican announced that the Holy Father will preside over a special Mass for religious traveling to Rome from all over the world in celebrating and giving thanks for the consecrated life on the Feast of the Purification next Wednesday. Also taking part in the Mass will be the Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo continued inside.
VATICAN CITY, 26 (NE) Pope John Paul II will preside a solemn
Eucharist in occasion of the fourth World Day for Consecrated
Life. On Wednesday, February 2, feast of the Presentation of Our
Lord, the Pope will celebrate a Mass to take place at St.
Peter's Basilica at 10:00 local time. During the celebrations,
the Pope will specially pray for the Institutes of Consecrated
life and the Societies of Apostolic Life. Mass will be preceded
by the blessing of candles and a procession. Following the
Pope's homily, there will be thanksgiving to God for the gift of
consecrated life. Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, Prefect for
the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and
Societies of Apostolic Life will also be present. Members from
different Institutes and Societies have been specially invited
to the celebration.
