Thou shalt not flub thy photo op, Sen. Kerry
By David R. Guarino - Boston Herald
Read Guarino's Road to Boston Blog
Wednesday, April 7, 2004
Photo ops are the saving grace of many political campaigns, but Bay State Sen. John F. Kerry [related, bio] gaffed one recent opportunity - flouting Catholic doctrine by taking communion at a non-Catholic church.
The Democratic presidential candidate invited the press to services at the AME Charles Street Church in Roxbury Sunday. But the photos showed Kerry taking communion.
That, Catholics say, is a catechism no-no.
``Catholics should not receive communion in a Protestant church,'' said Sister Mary Ann Walsh of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. ``It's standard church teaching.''
Deal Hudson, publisher of the conservative Crisis Magazine, said, ``Kerry's attempts to woo the Catholic voter with such photo ops will ultimately turn off Catholics who value sincerity and honesty above superficial and vacuous symbolism.''
Kerry spokesman Michael Meehan said Kerry was merely participating in an ``ecumenical'' Christian service. ``He came at the invitation of the pastor, who invited all Christians to celebrate,'' Meehan said. ``Sen. Kerry is a Christian. He celebrated.''
Stephen Pope, a Boston College theology professor, said, ``As a matter of church law, Kerry broke the law of the church,'' but added that Kerry was in a ``no-win situation'' since taking or refusing communion would have offended someone.
CINCINNATI, April 6 -- At his first avail in 11 days, Kerry made a brief statement on Iraq, then took 10 questions in just over 13 minutes.
In response to talk by the Catholic Church that Boston parishes will not serve Communion to public officials who disagree with the Church's positions such as abortion, Kerry discussed the separation of church and state and said, "I will continue to practice my religion separate from my public life."
He is expected to attend Easter mass in a Catholic church this Sunday in Boston. |
