Massa - pro-choice Catholic - to resign

Congressman Eric Massa - a pro-choice Catholic - has announced he will resign effective Monday.

One reason is apparently a recurrence of cancer. That is terrible. I hope he can beat it.

Initially, he said just that he would not run for reelection. But now he's suddenly announcing that he is resigning - as news of an ethics probe has emerged. He has admitted that he made mistakes and said some inappropriate things - though at this point just what he did or said is not specified (some news sources report it involves allegations of some kind of sexual harassment).

I remember interviewing him back when I was a reporter and he was making his first run for Congress. There was something about him that made me uneasy. I did not vote for him either time that he ran.

Now this.

Interestingly, another of my pro-choice Catholic public officials, New York Governor David Paterson, is also facing ethics charges and may have to resign office.

Pro-choice Catholics who have betrayed their faith - lack of ethics: A link? Hmm.

If those two go, I'll just be left with one pro-choice Catholic public official representing me - New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. She hasn't been linked to ethics charges so far (though Paterson did appoint her). We'll just have to wait until the fall election to remove her from office, and hopefully give her time to consider the state of her soul.

Hooray for Archbishop Timothy Dolan

According to news reports, New York's Archbishop Timothy Dolan told a New York television station that pro-abortion Catholic politicians will not receive honors at events like the Al Smith dinner.

“Everybody's welcome,” he reportedly said. “There's a difference between being welcome and providing someone who is dramatically, radically, publicly at odds with the Church on a particularly given issue to have a place of prominence and receive an award.”

So that means pro-choice Catholic politicians like New York Governor David Paterson, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, or Congressman Eric Massa - how did I end up with a trifecta? - should not expect any Catholic honors in New York.

At least not until they actually vote and act like responsible Catholics.

Senator Gillibrand responds

I have been critical of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand because of her stands on certain issues - particularly abortion - that go against the teachings of the Catholic Church even though she describes herself as a Catholic.

BUT

When I wrote to her, she not only responded - or at least her office did - but actually addressed the concern I raised.

Dear Mr. Strong,

Thank you for writing to me with your concerns about coverage of abortion and health care reform. I appreciate your concerns, and I will keep them in mind when the bill comes to the floor of the Senate.

While we have differing views about reproductive rights (sic), I believe we can still agree that the final health reform bill should do more to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions, and make a commitment to supporting young mothers. ...

(The rest of the e-mail goes on to talk about health care reform in general.)

This letter is unlike some of the form letters I've gotten from some of my other representatives. It suggests that someone actually read what I wrote. So I give her nod of appreciation. Her response showed respect for my opinion. Thank you.

But I still say I find it unconscionable that one of my Senators (Gillibrand) and my Congressional Representative (Eric Massa) describe themselves as Catholic, yet vote against the teaching of the Church.

I'd suggest they either follow the teaching of the Church when those teachings are clear - as they are on abortion - or that they stop describing themselves as members of the Church.