The Al Smith Dinner: With friends like these...

For quite some time now, there has been a big brouhaha over the fact that Cardinal Dolan had invited Barack Obama to the Al Smith dinner. The big issue here was very simple: how could a Cardinal invite a man who not only is for same-sex marriage and abortion but, his very own administration is currently in a lawsuit with over 40 Catholic institutions due to the HHS contraceptive mandate? This controversy came to a head last night when both presidential candidates were seen roasting and poking fun at themselves and one another at this white-tie Catholic charity event.

It's all fun and games until the government forces you marry homosexuals!

I managed to catch some of live feed from the event and what I noticed, threw me aback. Right there on my T.V., sitting with a Cardinal was pro-death advocate and U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. Oh, and look! There’s pro gay marriage “c”atholic and governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo! And there’s Obama-lovin’ “c”atholic Chris Matthews as well! The more I looked, the more I noticed that a lot of the people within camera view – never really saw all of the other audience members – were all mostly well known CINO’s , that is Catholics In Name Only.

But, it wasn’t until I saw the list of last night's attendees and CINO celebs, that I realized something; why was there even ever any controversy about inviting Obama to begin with, if all of these wannabe Catholics were going to be there? But then it hit me, if Cardinal Dolan knew that these people where going to be there, WHY WAS HE THERE??? Why would a Cardinal, whose very job is to shed his blood for the Church, sit down and laugh and guffaw and be caught up with the very same people who not only undermine the Church and her teachings but, flagrantly and publically demonstrate the exact opposite of what the Church believes?

Here are just some of the people that the good Cardinal sat down and ate with yesterday:

Tom Moran, writer for NJ.com, lapsed former catholic who supports same-sex marriage and who recently wrote an article lambasting Newark Archbishop John Myers for having the audacity to tell Catholics to vote against same-sex marriage as well as abortion and that Catholics should refrain from Holy Communion if they don’t agree with the Church’s teachings. Imagine that, getting mad at an archbishop for upholding Catholic teaching!

Christine Quinn, candidate for NYC mayor and staunch pro-gay and pro-abortion supporter. A “married” lesbian herself, she urged NYU to evict Chick-fil-A off campus earlier this year over the company’s stance on traditional marriage earlier this year.

Thomas P. DiNapoli, NY State Comptroller, is a huge proponent of same-sex marriage.

Ed Koch, former mayor of NY, is a huge supporter of Planned Parenthood.

David Dinkins, former mayor of NY, is also a supporter of gay marriage. 

Chris Matthews, the left-leaning host of MSNBC’s Hardball, stated earlier this year that the Catholic Church is a ”haven for conservative bigots” and a few days later, scrutinized the bishops with dissident nun, Simone Campbell, by inferring that all the bishops might be republicans because they oppose the HHS contraceptive mandate! He even went as far as saying that if one wants to really be anti-gay, they should become Catholic right away. 

Charles Schumer, U.S. Senator, is a dedicated vote in favor of abortion, embryonic stem cell research and he’s pro-contraceptive. 

Andrew Cuomo, NY Governor, this “c”atholic lives with his mistress, is pro-gay marriage and pro abortion.

Michael Bloomberg, NYC mayor, recently donated $250,000 to help same-sex marriage in Maryland and he is a long time supporter of Planned Parenthood.

Mary Kay Henry, head of the SEIU, is a lesbian who also considers herself to be Catholic and has been with her partner for 20 years; she is an adamant supporter of gay rights and gay marriage as well as the founding member of the SEIU’s gay and lesbian Lavender Caucus. She first caught national attention late in 2009 when the USCCB learned that she was a member of their Subcommittee on Catholic Health Care.

Like I said, this is not taking into consideration the rest of the people sitting on the stage nor those in the audience. Indeed, if a full roster were ever to be posted, I would bet that there would be more than a fair share of attendees who are not only against the Catholic Church but ardent anti-Catholics as well. I didn't think I'd ever really ever want to say this but, it is time for the Catholic Church in the U.S. to exercise Canon 915, which states:

"Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or the declaration of a penalty as well as others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to communion."

If these so-called Catholics cannot abide by the simple, basic and fundamentals of the Church then they have deliberately placed themselves out of communion with the Church and therefore out of communion with Christ. I really do hope that the USCCB grows a pair and starts imposing this upon lukewarm, cafeteria "c"atholic celebs and politicos, it's time that the Church flexed her authoritative muscle and trumpeted the Christian truths found only in Christ's one, true Church!