Washington Prism

Saint Paul, MN – A group of Republican conservative Catholics gathered at the Cathedral of Saint Paul on Sunday afternoon to take a guided tour of the church, go to the 5 o’clock Mass and network amongst themselves, as part of an effort to coordinate and make sure that the Catholic voice has a platform in the upcoming presidential elections. “Our end-goal is to find the candidate that is going to stand for Catholic values,” Dorothy Fleming told me during the reception that followed Mass.

Ms. Fleming is Deputy Chair of the Minnesota State Republican Party and a national delegate to the Republican Convention. “There are certain issues that are non-negotiable for us, such as marriage, abortion, active euthanasia and embryonic stems research,” she explained to me, emphasizing the joy of most conservative Christians in hearing that John McCain’s had picked Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate. “We’re very proud of John McCain’s strict pro-life record,” Ms. Fleming said, “and Sarah Palin definitely sealed the deal.” Many of those gathered at the Cathedral on Sunday see her staunch advocacy against abortion as Gov. Palin’s strongest credential: “Moreover she really put her money where her mouth is: she knew her boy was going to have problems but she gave life to him nevertheless and loves him no less than the others,” Dorothy Fleming argued, referring to the now well-known story of the Governor’s youngest being born with Down Syndrome.

“We are thrilled with Sarah,” agreed Sheryl Holland, an alternate delegate from Texas, “she proves that we are not the same-old Republicans.” Many of the arguments Republicans make for Gov. Palin resemble closely those that Democrats advance in support of Barack Obama: “I’m impressed at how quickly she rose from very humble beginnings; she really shows that in America everybody can make it,” Ms. Holland said. “I’m in love with our Republican ticket,” echoed life-long Republican Toni Anne Dashiell, delegate and President of the Texas Republican Women, “I can’t imagine any stronger team of President and Vice-President to represent change and reform.” According to Ms. Dashiell, Gov. Palin has already had an enormous effect on women voters, including on those Democrats who supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries.

“I’ve already met three Democrats that are going to vote for Sarah. She is a well-rounded person, a woman that is a mother, a leader and willing to challenge corruption. And she can tell our young girls, yes you can be strong women,” Ms. Dashiell concluded.

Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin appears to have warmed the hearts of all Conservative Christians and not just the women: “I’m extremely happy with this year’s ticket,” Mike Fleming, husband of State Party Deputy Chair Dorothy told me, “and Sarah is exactly what we needed.” During Mass, volunteer usher at the Cathedral and Republican voter Michael Seitz also confessed to be thrilled with McCain’s Vice-Presidential pick. “What Sarah has been able to do in just two years is impressive. And the way she has shown love for all forms of life is fantastic. Democrats use rape, incest or deformation of some kind to justify abortion. Instead Palin, knowing she was going to have a baby with Down Syndrome, decided to keep him. Having someone who can show the world what Americans are like and what love really is, is incredible. She is the best person on the planet, she is like Mother Theresa,” Mr. Seitz gushed.

Moreover, nobody seems concerned about Gov. Palin’s young age -- she is only forty-four -- and little experience in politics. On the contrary, many see it as an asset and, once again, they offer the same reasoning that Democrats have when defending Barack Obama from precisely the same accusation: “Look at Lincoln,” Michael Seitz said, “he was only in Congress for two years and yet he’s considered one of our best presidents ever.”

Beyond the enthusiasm for Sarah Palin, the delegates gathered at the Cathedral also shared a deep appreciation for President Bush -- whose approval ratings are at historic lows. “I’m very pleased with President Bush, I think he handled some very difficult situation very well, which he will only be given credit for twenty years from now,” Sheryl Holland told me.

Barack Obama’s decision to run in 2007, combined with the Illinois Senator’s plan to withdraw troops from Iraq, was precisely what motivated Ms. Holland to get actively involved in Republican politics. “My husband died in Iraq and I really don’t agree with Obama’s plan of getting out of there,” Ms. Holland said.

“I think George W. Bush has been our best President and the one who is more like Lincoln than any other, because he looks at the big picture,” Michael Seitz believes. He said he is particularly pleased with Bush’s Middle East policies: “Despite the fact that the terrorists behind September 11^th were all Saudis, you couldn’t really start with Saudi Arabia. You had to start with either Iraq or Iran. President Bush decided to start with Iraq and I think that if we can bring democracy to Iraq then Saudi Arabia will also be forced to become a democracy. And it is also one more country between Israel and Iran,” Mr. Seitz explained. His son is in the Army and served three different tours in Iraq, and he acknowledged “that’s my personal sacrifice.”

Even on the economy, conservative Christians defend President Bush’s record, assessing that, after all, the economy is not in as bad of a shape as the media depict it to be.

This mix of faith and politics is as evident as ever in this gathering of conservative Christians active in national politics. Inquiring with both the Cathedral Public Relations point person Caroline Will and, later, with the Archbishop John C. Nienstedt, about the fact that the event took place in a church and how it came about, I was told that it was the Republican delegates who had reached out to the Church, and not vice-versa, and had made all the arrangements for the reception. “They have been extremely careful to make sure that the Mass would only be a regular one at a regularly scheduled time,” Ms. Will added.

Nevertheless the reception took place on the Cathedral ground and it was the Archbishop who gave Mass, something he normally doesn’t do. During his homily he openly greeted the Republican National Convention and welcomed the delegates. Talking with him at the reception, the Archbishop assured me that he would have done exactly the same with a group of Democrats and that he is happy that the Republican Convention is in Minneapolis only because it gives locals a chance to show visitors some of the Minnesota’s warmth and hospitality. “We came here to pray, this was not political, our job is to bring people to Heaven” the Archbishop said. “If you heard my homily,” he added, “you noticed I said that the Church stands ready to help all people finding the way to serve God.” In his homily, the Archbishop also talked about the “ongoing defense of the rights of the unborn, without which all other rights will never be truly fulfilled.” The question is whether abortion issue can be viewed as politically neutral. Considering the heated debate between pro-life and pro-choice activists, that is, at least, debatable.