Former Altar Boy Veep?

At NRO online earlier this month Kathryn Jean lopez wrote:

"A priest friend points out that Tim Pawlenty is a fallen away Catholic and wonders if that's a liability. I actually don't think it makes a difference to Catholics, even if they're sorry to hear he's left the fold. I assume evangelicals would welcome a convert running. But that assumes social-conservative evangelicals are kinder to religious converts than they were to a Mormon political convert."

What do you think? If Governor Pawlenty is chosen as McCain's VP, will his status as "former" Catholic bother you?

Comments

[Rondo McGrave]

Unless he changes, Pawlenty will receive eternal punishment, because he had every opportunity, but instead rejected the Catholic Church and it's Holy Sacraments. Apparently he believes his wife's earthly ramblings are more important than Christ's true teaching through the Holy Catholic Church.

[The Catholic Knight]

If he's a pro-life Evangelical now, than that makes him a better "Catholic" than Joe Biden - Obama's VP pick.

I would much rather vote for a pro-life Evangelical (who happens to be a fallen away Catholic) than a supposed "Cafeteria Catholic" like Joe Biden who champion's so-called "abortion rights."

[Rusty]

Heck yes it bothers me.

[ASimpleSinner]

All fallen away Catholics bother me... But while they breathe, we hope!

An ex-Catholic turned Evangelical who is pro-Life is worth 10X a John Kerry or Joe Biden who is pro-death.

[The Catholic Knight]

"An Ignorant Catholic is a future Protestant."
-- Chris Aubert, Jewish convert to Catholicism

Look, I'm an Evangelical convert to Catholicism, and I've got to tell you that we really shouldn't come down so hard on this guy. There is a reason why he fell away from the Catholic faith and converted to Evangelicalism. I'll tell you what it was - ignorance! Maybe it was his fault. Maybe he didn't pay attention in his catechism class. Or maybe he had a bad catechism teacher. His mother died when he was young, so she obviously didn't get the full opportunity to teach him. His father worked hard as a truck driver, trying to pay the bills. Maybe his priest didn't give him the best Christian witness, or maybe his extended family didn't give him the Christian love he needed. Whatever happened, on thing is certain. The man had such a poor understanding of Catholicism by the time he married, that his wife easily converted him, rather than the other way around.

Here is what we know about the man. If he's a Pro-Life Evangelical, then we know he still has the spark of Holy Mother Church in his bosom. If he converted from the full expression of Christianity (Catholicism) to a lesser one (Evangelicalism), then we know something of the Catholic faith took root in his soul. Otherwise he would have given up on Christianity completely, or perhaps gone the route of "Cafeteria Catholicism." If he converted to Evangelicalism because of his wife, then we know that he must have seen a fire of faith in her that he felt was missing in many of the Catholics he knew.

I've got news for you. People don't give up the full expression of Christianity (Catholicism) for a lesser one because they want to "take it down a notch." It's quite the opposite. People give up the full expression of Christianity (Catholicism) for a lesser one, because they mistakenly believe the lesser one is somehow more full.

That's the problem we as Catholics face on this continent. Catholic children must be educated in apologetics and mysticism from their youth. They must be able to defend their faith vigorously, answering the Evangelical challenge, and at the same time they must be offered a level of spiritually that surpasses anything contemporary praise and worship music can offer.

Pawlenty is not a villain. He's a victim. He's another casualty in the U.S. Catholic Church's sad decay into a pseudo-Protestant style of religion. He shouldn't be looked down upon. Rather, we should be grateful Holy Mother Church planted enough of a seed into him to keep him from falling away from Christianity completely.

Beyond that, we should be looking at how to revive the U.S. Catholic Church, and as an Evangelical convert, I'll tell you that you can't do it with contemporary praise and worship music. We must go back to our roots - specifically the middle ages - and offer to our youth a religious experience that feeds both the mind and the soul.

[carlos]

I agree with The Catholic Knight. Tim Pawlenty is probably a victim of a crappy CCD system.

I've got no problem with the guy's religion (or even lack of one) AS LONG AS he's pro-life, pro-marriage, and pro-gun (in that order).

[Jimbo]

Well, it's moot now. However, I agree with the sentiments voiced above that I'd prefer a faithful Protestant than a non-Catholic Catholic Vice-President. We don't need more Nancy Pelosis and Joe Bidens distorting Church teaching and scandalizing Christians of good faith from considering a conversion to the Church.

[Sam]

It is Sarah Palin and I am delighted for any number of reasons. She put her pro-life beliefs to the test and gave birth to a Downs Syndrome child. I rate her 95% perfect. If she were Catholic I would say 100%.

[Liptor]

Last time i checked the majority of Catholics in congress are pro-abortion. But hey after a 4 year expereince at a typical catholic university if your not pro-abortion and in favor of same sex marriage your probably in the minority.

[Lee]

Now we know it's Governor Sarah Palin who may not be Catholic but is staunchly pro-life, and who seems to hold more Catholic views on issues than "Catholic" Biden.

[Bonnie]

God is the ONLY one that decides who will receive eternal punishment. Be a Catholic or evangelical, the way to salvation is through Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ only.

[Marie Harty]

Salvation comes by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Shame on the catholic church for playing God and judging His people. I am ashamed to be part of the catholic church knowing it has leaders that believe lies from the devil.