145 Comments

• seanomelb | Nov 07, 2012, 06:05 PM EST

  Catholics broke even in the election win of Obama I hope Patrick has not slit his wrists at the outcome.

• lokionline | Nov 06, 2012, 03:12 PM EST

  There is a undeniable cultural fact that upsets Patrick's fond hope here that Irish Catholics will support Romney. That is the very real cultural "meme" that most Irish carry -- a distrust of authority and a tendency to do the exact opposite of what an authority figure suggests they should do. The most effective thing to do to get Irish Catholics to vote for Obama is for a bishop to tell them they ought to vote for Romney. Obama should be thanking the bishops for sending all those Irish authority skeptics his way.

• occassio | Nov 06, 2012, 01:21 PM EST

  Mr. Roberts’ article may have some basis in fact. However, before you condemn President Obama’s stance on any of the previously mentioned issues, you should do thorough research into how the Mormon Church feels/felt about Catholicism ("The great whore of all the earth") and Catholics. Voting for a candidate with such a narrow perspective (religion only) hides the broader view (or lack thereof) of the man. This election is not about religion. It is about electing to office a sentient, thoughtful, reasoning leader who will represent all people. A vote for the Romney/Ryan ticket may not serve Catholics as well as Mr. Roberts contends.

• Los Leandros | Nov 06, 2012, 12:09 PM EST

  By and large fair comment by Patrick Roberts. As a Catholic I would say that Barack Obama comes across fine, but when one examines his voting record in terms of issues like partial birth abortions & other horrors, it's difficult to comprehend how such an apparent decent person, can vote in this manner. That's the problem with the Democratic Party. If they mellowed their approach & possibly even allowed conscience votes on these life/death social issues, they would'nt alienate so many of the socially conservative voters. But at present they seem too much in awe of the extreme liberal/feminist elites.

• modochartaigh | Nov 06, 2012, 11:12 AM EST

  Jesus made Christianity relevant for 2,000 years not because HE invited the moneychangers into the temple, but because HE threw them out, not because HE told the poor to take care of themselves, but because HE told us all to be our brother's keeper. If Romney wins it is another nail in the coffin for Catholicism and those who would make Catholicism into an evilgelical parody of Christianity.

• Smyrnian | Nov 06, 2012, 03:47 AM EST

  The second sentence of this article sets up it's biased content/liberal agenda in typical IC style. I must admit it was nicely slipped in there. Just for the record, IC, Catholics are NOT at liberty to define their faith. It is already defined.

• MichaelMcGrath | Nov 06, 2012, 01:35 AM EST

  As a neutral Irishman who actually likes Obama I think that Romney would be more capable for the economy, with Obama more experienced on International Affairs. So it depends on whether you want jobs and wages ( Romney) or to be more popular in the world ( Obama) . That's my take on it, so if I needed a job or better wages I'd vote for Romney today.

• EphraimKibbey | Nov 06, 2012, 01:01 AM EST

  handsome68 - If your big concern is the debt, you are putting your vote on the wrong side. The Boehner/Obama deal that Paul Ryan and the Teabaggers scuttled in favor of the comission/sequestration would have reduced the debt by FOUR TRILLION dollars. The Ryan budget that has been passed TWICE by the house, cuts the rug out from under the poor and gives massive tax cuts to billionaires like 0% on capital gains, does not reduce the debt one penny until 2040. The Romney Plan does not touch the debt until 2035. The "great" (NOT!!!)republican statesman Dick Cheney once said, when told that his tax cuts would bankrupt the US, that deficits don't matter. The deficit is now only useful to the GOP as a club with which to attack Obama. Once elected (HEAVEN FORBID) it will no longer matter and they will continue their historic disregard for it. Clinton was the ONLY president to actually reduce it.

• handsome68 | Nov 05, 2012, 10:25 PM EST

  The USA has a 16 trillion dollar deficit. Romney sounds like he is going to really do something about it, like pay it down. There are other reasons to vote for Romney/Ryan, but that is a major one.

• liam44 | Nov 05, 2012, 09:20 PM EST

  Willard Mitt Romney, is actually a BISHOP of the Mormon Church,his Bishopric is located at 133 Brattle Street in Cambridge,Massachusetts,directly opposite the home of the poet Longfellow,.......why this fact has not been discussed in the Press, is beyond me !

• liam44 | Nov 05, 2012, 09:11 PM EST

  This is FOOLISH...the Mormons are NOT even Christians...they acknowledge Jesus as simply a prophet, and disclaim any connection to Christianity. Mormons believe that Adam is god, and that he lives on KOLOB, a supposed planet, with his Prime Wife, Gonoraa, and the "other sister-wives". Mormons believe the sons of god,Nephites,visit Earth often, to have sex with Mormon women,and they believe that Humanoids occupy the Moon and the SUN, they grow to 10' tall,live to be 1000 and dress like Quakers.... Further, Mormons believe i is OK to lie,so long as YOU believe that your lie will benefit Adam,er..I mean god...so, a lie or 203 lies are ok in certain circumstances,...ok...

• seanomelb | Nov 05, 2012, 08:58 PM EST

  It's easy Mairead they protect life in the womb and then send them out to war to be killed.The Right love to send your children to war and school their own children to dodge the draft like Romney Bush Rumsfeld Cheney and the rest og the warmongers.

• AncientSeeker | Nov 05, 2012, 06:44 PM EST

  This article is so ridiculous that even a third grader could spot the problem, Romney is a member of a cult, and american cult! That and the german pope and whoever is steering this paper are not recording the battles between Catholics here who are democratic and the their total resistance to dogma that threatens democracy that is spilling out of every dark hole from Rome, and now even Ireland? Never thought I would hear the Irish siding with the masters orders, wondering who is writing this bile for you Irish to read? None of my working relatioves that have Irish desendents vote with the oppressior class, whichis what all these gop types are, they are Tories here, traitors to the very principles of a secular democracy, by this paper backing the right you have alienated millions here, do you care? Supporting cults, very great leap, to far for Americanized Catholics to even consider.

• maireadinmelb | Nov 05, 2012, 05:52 PM EST

  One of the reasons I do not go to church anymore is because of the hypocrisy of a man in a dress standing in front of a group of people telling them what is "right" for their bodies and their situation! And to Mitt - How can you be anti abortion (pro life) and allow people to carry guns??

• MarkMary73 | Nov 05, 2012, 05:02 PM EST

  As Ted Kennedy said during the debate with Romney when Romney failed to take his Senate seat: "Everyone knows I'm p[or-choice, but you are multi-choice". Romney has had more flip-flops then a dying fish out-of-water. No one should believe a word he says--he obviously doesn't.

• EphraimKibbey | Nov 05, 2012, 04:37 PM EST

  eiriamach - you beat me to the punch again, that will teach me to take a lunch break! Sorry about the misspelling of your name the last time I quoted you. From the small tax sample that Magical Mitt the Mendacious of the Many Positions has given us, weren't all of his gifts given to the Church of Latter Day Saints and are members not REQUIRED to give a tenth? Maybe he won't release the other years because he was skimping on his REQUIRED tenth and does not want to be kicked out.

• eiriamach | Nov 05, 2012, 02:49 PM EST

  @Pecos, where is your documentation? From Paul Solman, PBS. for 2010: "the Obamas reported an adjusted gross income of $1,728,096, about $3.78 million less than the year before (thanks to lower earnings related to book sales). They paid $506,297 in federal, state and local taxes. And they donated a little over $245,000 to charity- about 14 percent of their income." That's more of the Obama's money going to charity than Romney-- with what? 20 times the Obamas' income?-- paid in taxes the one year for which he has released his returns. Not that money is the measure of charity, but the truth is important.

• Pecos Kid | Nov 05, 2012, 11:38 AM EST

  Who really cares about his fellow man? Hummm, Mitt gives millions every year to various charities. Obama?$ 2-3000. I guess it depends on whose money you want to use. Some will use their own money (Mitt), others (Obama) want to use yours!Which one truly cares about his fellow man?

• norinalundy | Nov 05, 2012, 11:33 AM EST

  Why should I, as a Catholic, worry about voting for Romney because HE does not believe in abortion? I'll answer that later. We as Americans believe in the separation of Church and State. Therefore, if I vote, I vote on issues, and one issue I will oppose until my death, is that the government stay out of women's control over their own bodies, especially in the case of rape. There are many issues that I do not agree with when it comes to Romney and his team. They are listed in the multitude of comments below; no need to reiterate. However, again, my faith and my politics are separate, as will be my vote. If a woman makes a decision with regard to abortion, the decision is between God and herself and has nothing to do with the government. The decision is tough enough. So, to answer my own question, I will vote against Romney so that he does not make it a law along with all the other scary things he wants to control.

• pilib04 | Nov 05, 2012, 10:56 AM EST

  A wee scrap of paper 2"x2" was placed under my wife's windshield wiper this weekend. It read: "I believe Mitt Romney is a good and decent man... In the past he has taken sensible positions on Climate Change, immigration, illegal guns, abortion rights and health care. But he has reversed course on all of them, and is even running against the health care model he turned into law in Massachusetts." Michael R. Bloomberg VIEW, November 1, 2012

• eiriamach | Nov 05, 2012, 10:52 AM EST

  There's a whacked-out kind of truth to this article. Roberts writes, "Yet despite all that, Catholicism has continued to prosper and expand." Right, the Vatican is the wealthiest city-state on earth, ever. Its prosperity shows us that crime does pay. Right, RC has expanded--its political power--by silencing debate, censoring priests, sending in bishops to manage nuns, shedding universities that don't toe the magisterial line, promulgating lies about a US president using public money to fund abortions, lobbying against equal rights for gays and lesbians, seeking to deprive women of control over their reproductive lives, spending millions of dollars to enshrine papal anti-science in US law, while complaining-- get this! --about loss of religious liberty--their 'liberty' to deprive us of our liberty! Roberts writes, "Romney recognizes and acknowledges that power and his responsibility to it far more than Obama does." Right again, that's why a vote for Romney endangers freedom. Maybe Roberts intended to write a satire?

• TommyJoe | Nov 05, 2012, 10:47 AM EST

  As a lifelong resident of Massachusetts, I want people to know what a dangerous fraud Mitt Romney is. He is a heartless venture capitalist who could care less about the vulnerable in society. As an Irish-American, Massachusetts native and Roman Catholic, I will proudly vote for Barack Obama and Elizabeth Warren (US Senate) tomorrow.

• JimmyJK | Nov 05, 2012, 10:33 AM EST

  Faith in God and love for God is equal to faith in humanity, earth, good will and always trying to be a better being... Romney/Ryan do not want want to be better humans they want to be powerful humans. They want to reduce and eliminate aid to the elderly (medicare), poor (medicaid) and those in need (FEMA, food stamps. As a side note the largest recipients of food stamps are in Republican voting districts. There is room for reform but I can not cast aside those in need, can you? Pray, please pray for Good to prevail

• Arthur Cola | Nov 05, 2012, 10:29 AM EST

  Since the days of our pre-civil wars years, Catholics have been an important thread in the fabric of our nation. Not all of us adhere to every doctrine of the Church at a 100% level. Nevertheless, faith, which is being degraded and ridiculed under the notion of separation of Church and State, is still important to most Americans. The Catholic population can and should swing this election in favor of Romney and here's why. We a a religion based on love not revenge. So vote for candidates who espouse a vote for Love of Country. And that is Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.

• MarybethC.P. | Nov 05, 2012, 10:18 AM EST

  This headline and this story are the very most irresponsible thing I've ever seen published in IrishCentral.com! There has NEVER been any Republican office-holder who has ever done anything to make life livable or at least viable for the poor, the working class, the middle class - and certainly unborn babies! Few people could possibly be more "pro-life" than I, but I will NOT make this one non-issue of a red herring the deciding factor in my vote for Obama. As the Sisters of the Holy Child taught me, "Actions - Not Words" are all that count. And Republicans have never performed ANY action that could save a struggling infant, whether that's keeping their parent's utility bills down, making affordable housing available, or preserving the lives of our grown children, whom they use as cannon-fodder for their wars - from which they profit hugely on every level! And yes, this country NEEDS to keep Church and State separate, not just the Catholic Church!

• NYCsheridan | Nov 05, 2012, 09:53 AM EST

  The Catholic church is "holding it's own and even gaining in America"? What are you smoking? Of course, there are many Latinos coming here, but many are illegals and don't vote...and the ones who are here legally or are American citizens are voting overwhelmingly for Obama.

• NYCsheridan | Nov 05, 2012, 09:50 AM EST

  Why would I vote for a Mormon and his faux-Catholic stooge sidekick? They display nothing but hatred and disdain for the poor and the weak.

• seanfer7 | Nov 05, 2012, 08:06 AM EST

  Because republicanism is contrary to catholic dogma wherein we are all in it together "I am my brothers keeper" not You're on your own.

• Fall River | Nov 05, 2012, 03:58 AM EST

  If the premise was not so sad, I'd just consider your position as silly. Or are you trying to make Catholicism irrelevant?

• christinao't | Nov 05, 2012, 01:38 AM EST

  Vote for freedom of religion. Vote for justice for those in Benghazi and Afganistan killed by callous negligence, and for the 50,000,000 babies killed by abortion by Obama and his pals in planned parenthood.

• Tom Mo | Nov 05, 2012, 12:46 AM EST

  Patrick Roberts thanks for your article. But this election is not just about Catholiscism, but also about Americanism. God Bless America

• christinao't | Nov 05, 2012, 12:31 AM EST

  Yes Catholics should vote for Romney/Ryan it is a "no brainer". This election is about choosing life or death, light over darkness, right over wrong...that simple. I knew this man was a fake, phony lying Communist in 2008, but many did not. Everyone now knows he is an incompetent president,whose Marxist agenda is ruining the country...on a fast track and on purpose. As for the Catholic Church...Thank God for it! Thank God for a voice of truth reason and sanity in an increasingly troubled world that is desperate for a beacon of light in the dark. My parents, and their parents and their parents were no fools!

• michealcollins | Nov 04, 2012, 11:39 PM EST

  Mr. Patrick Roberts, You are having a laugh!!!! I would be willing to bet you a pint (on me) that when you were creating this article, you don't even believe this yourself!!!! Sheer bloody devious (kinda like that BTW)on your part. Seriously though, sorry cannot vote for Governor Romney. As for abortion, the Republ;ican party could have taken action in the last decade when they controled the Congress, White House and they (still) had 5 votes to overturn Roe v. Wade. The party is very good at trotting this emotional issue out every two, four and six years. I personally don't support abortion, but i would never let one issue sway how I vote. PS. Your article was entertaining none-the-less.

• zagloba | Nov 04, 2012, 10:35 PM EST

  This is moronic. First, why would anyone in the 21st century want a medieval and corrupt corporation like the Catholic Church to be more relevant? Second, in the USA, there is a grand tradition of separation of church and state. Romney and Ryan would seek to end that. The Founders remembered the evils of religion in command of government. They knew the evils of religious wars. Does Mr Roberts (the fool) remember Drogheda?

• jb66ss396 | Nov 04, 2012, 10:26 PM EST

  I'll take Romney on the abortion issue as he will return the abortion issue back to the states to decide. That will give the unborn babies a better chance vs. Obama and Sebilius support of abortion on-demand right up to he point of a natural birth or what is called "Late Term Abortion". Late Term Abortion is when a baby is removed from the mother's womb except for the head and a is hole is driven into the back of the babies skull and the brians are then vaccumed out until the skull collapses. During the hideous act the baby is rigid in pain until the murder is complete and the baby dies. Obama should be ashamed but finds it acceptable. He is no Christian. If you read his books you will find in his own words than he is a Muslim.

• rangehr | Nov 04, 2012, 09:38 PM EST

  Unfortunately, if it is decreased abortions you want, Romney and the Republicans are not the answer. The rich will only get richer while poverty will continue to contribute to increased abortions. Roe v. Wade is a long way from being overturned. The best way to decrease unwanted abortion is the availability of contraception. Obamacare wisely increases that availability.

• liam44 | Nov 04, 2012, 09:34 PM EST

  This story is hogwash....in 2005, as governor of Massachusetts, Mitt and Ann Romney, at a Press conference for the Lowell Sun and Boston Globe newspapers...Mitt Romney stated "Ann and I strongly support a woman's right to choose and abortion. Although we are not in favor of abortion, we believe that abortion is a deeply personal decision for a woman to make on her own. We believe that government should play NO role in these matters." At the same time, Romney stated his support for Stem Cell research......Romney is such a snake that he could rip your eyes out and convince you, you look better without them.

• JoePatAl | Nov 04, 2012, 09:09 PM EST

  DISGUSTING POLITICS!!! INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS AND A REAL INSULT TO CATHOLICISM!!!!!!!!! First off rum-nee is a MORE-Mun. While the Jewish faith views Christianity as a 'cult,' the LDS is absolutely such a phony religion beyond all (excluding *only* scientology). As a relative, via marriage, to 'the pro-fits' first wife, I am well aware of that organization via records going back in the 1830s and how they, excluding only Emma, knew it was a joke beyond all else. So, having RC folks wanting to follow a guy like that certainly shows the Catholics following the leadership of a false prophet. Yes, one can easily call me anti-More-MON-EY, but knowing the faith very deeply, I understand its total idiocy. Dear G-G-Aunt Emma Hale, we all know you were wrong to follow your hypocritical (longtime money scheme follower) husband. However, due to your actions, we cannot forgive you because your 'faith' has harmed many Blacks, Gays, and other non-Whites over the years. Furthermore, if anyone tries to disagree with my comments, check the history of the LDS and see their early beliefs and what is being currently done with their $

• SCVMalcolm | Nov 04, 2012, 09:07 PM EST

  Bonjouryall....re your comments. IGNORANCE IS A CHOICE!! Holy crap. I've had health care provided for my by my employers throughout my entire life, and I had to kick in my share too! Before you write about European health care, Europe is NOT a country! Each of the European nations have their own health care programs! With which one are you most personally familiar? Speaking of "no clue", you have an advantage over our current Commander in Chief!

• Magdaleno | Nov 04, 2012, 09:07 PM EST

  Religion has a value system for each individual... all of us are accountable on that great day w/ God. God alone will determine for us who is what. But i hate when religion is imposed on a person... for he/she alone can make a choice right or wrong.What you should look at is how Catholic religion has been introduced into our election process -- so that Catholics would vote for Romney. In other words a religion has been used to persuade and /or create a voting bloc of votes. The value of a person has no bearing on this vote-- just get the Catholic vote. Strategy cooked up by the GOP and you are the target. Don't let the Gop and / or the Democrats manipulate your thought process... stand up and vote with your own convictions--yours.

• SCVMalcolm | Nov 04, 2012, 09:01 PM EST

  WHADDA CROCKA CRAP! A single issue motivates the male writer to endorse Romney over Pres. Obama who IS a Christian. The Mormon religion has absolutely NO basis whatsoever in the Christian Faith! Mormons use the name of Jesus Christ in the formal name of their Cult as a sales/marketing tool! Romney's grandfather moved to Mexico so he could have his multiple wives! Mormons & the Roman Church may be PRO-LIFE, but they are NOT pro-living! Neither is against the death penalty. Neither is for single or same-sex parental adoptions for these babies they want to be born. Morman and Roman Churches are so opposed to abortion, they need to relax a bit on their anti-contraception laws! Mr. Single-Issue Roberts, if you are so against abortion, get a damned vasectomy! Irish Central, get another writer, or I'm unsubscribing with Newrone!!

• DrMcHugh | Nov 04, 2012, 08:58 PM EST

  Mr Roberts says that Cardinal Timothy Dolan is a true prince of the church. Is Patrick Roberts aware that Cardinal Dolan has been complicit in the sexual abuse of innocent children by fellow priests? I read that Cardinal Dolan gave $20,000 to each abuser priest to leave the priesthood, and gave each priest a monthly stipend of $1250. Cardinal Dolan did not notify the police. Therefore these predators are free and more children are at risk of being sexually abused, because of the actions of Cardinal Dolan. Jesus never considered himself a prince, even though he was the Son of God. Jesus was a servant-leader. Why do the Pope and hierarchy want to be princes and not servant-leaders like Jesus was? The Pope and Cardinal Dolan are afraid that Obama will make them accountable for their complicity in the sexual abuse of children. I believe that the hierarchy see Romney as weak, and someone who will not make them accountable for the harm that they have allowed to happen to vulnerable children. As a Catholic physician, I vote for the re-election of President Obama. Obama is a true leader who wants to do the right thing for the American people, including Obamacare, which is so important to coordinate care for the American people. Sincerely, Dr Rosemary Eileen McHugh

• bonjouryall | Nov 04, 2012, 08:42 PM EST

  jb... I take issue with your statement Obama is the worst US prez. That is USGrant who made war on his countrymen and disenfrancised the southern whites. Obama is #2. One of my major criticisms is his lack of common sense and of govenment financing. Ex: To have business pay for health care puts it at a competitive disadvantage with European countries where it is a general tax burden. It will slow hiring and prompt longer employee hours instead. A general tax increase to pay for it is also the cheapest way to collect the money; we have the bureaucracy in place. His cost numbers are sheer fantasy. None of this was discussed or addressed by the Democratic controlled Congress. The financial burden this Prez will place on this country is staggering and he has no clue what to do about it.

• Newrone | Nov 04, 2012, 08:24 PM EST

  Is Irish Central a Republican/Romney standard bearer?
  
  Let me know now so I can save you some space on your subscribers database (or remove the "Irish" in your title as you clearly don't represent us).

• cillowen | Nov 04, 2012, 08:21 PM EST

  Romney's Saxon brethern - who knew? In 1670 the Governor of Virginia said that he had 2000 Negro and 6000 White slaves Hundreds of thousands of Whites in colonial America were owned outright by their masters and died in slavery Even the blacks knew this. If they were made to work too hard they accused their masters of "treating them like the Irish"

• jb66ss396 | Nov 04, 2012, 08:10 PM EST

  Obama has been he WORST president in American history: *He has created more debt than all previous presidents COMBINED. *He has lied repeatedly on all issues. One repeatedly lie is his creation of jobs. The NET result during his tenure is a loss of 900,000 jobs. Obama talks about the jobs he created (which he didn't actually create) but never speaks to the jobs he lost. *He has reduced the number of balistic weapons in the USA from 5,000 to 1,500 with plans to take it to 300 then "0" bu had not required all our potential enemies to do the same. In fact Russia, China and others have actually added weapons. *He has interfered with the teachings of the Catholic Church thus breaking the separation of Church and State by forcing the Church to pay for [inexpensive] contraceptives and paying medicals cost for abortions. Catholics need to vote Romney to stop these Obama attacks. *Romney presidency will end the Obama apology tour. The USA has been the greatest country that has helped people worldwide and Obama wants to take America down financially and militarily. This has invited our enemies to loose their fear of attacking America. *Obamas policies have made more people dependent on government handouts than than anytime since the Depression.He has relaxed requirements for food stamps in essence to buy votes. We will soon be Greece.

• Newrone | Nov 04, 2012, 07:42 PM EST

  God put the fetus in the belly of the woman & gave her total responsibility for it for 9 months. If it was anyone else's prerogative to decide IN THE PLACE OF GOD, the fetus would be in THEIR belly, not hers. For GOD's sake, vote Obama.

• Tschetter | Nov 04, 2012, 07:41 PM EST

  Great comments,I have already voted and for the best man Pres. Obama he is for the middle class. Romney for the super rich like himself.

• Tom Mo | Nov 04, 2012, 07:28 PM EST

  Great article Patrick. You have restored my faith.The misfortunate Irish of Breezy Point and the Rockaways should heed your advice. It's time the Irish dumpted the so called democrat party. They are not us

• Tschetter | Nov 04, 2012, 07:19 PM EST

  If you want another war in the Middle East vote for Romney .I'm sure he will be happy to send a few of His Sons over there. I'm totally against Church and State involvement.

• cillowen | Nov 04, 2012, 07:18 PM EST

  cause the vodoo religion of Bishop Romney's prophet Joe Smith Junior is suited for an American polygamy slant.

• garbo55 | Nov 04, 2012, 07:12 PM EST

  Tomdoh345 the best thing any politician in Mass. could have done was to fire Billy Bulgar. Probably the most corrupted politician in Mass. history. He wasn't known as the corrupt midget for nothing. Also Romney left office in Mass. with a balanced budget with Patrick dismantling the budget the day he took office.

• alisaann | Nov 04, 2012, 06:47 PM EST

  are all you RELIGIOUS people going to HELP SUPPORT the babies, that raped women and young girls are gonna be FORCED to have?....RELGIOUS BELEIFS ARE A PERSONAL THING,AND SHOULD STAY THAT WAY.....AND KEEP RELIGION OUT OF POLITICS....AND BY THE WAY: GOD MADE EVERYONE...AND THAT, INCLUDES "GAYS".

• seanomelb | Nov 04, 2012, 06:35 PM EST

  Blackstone is more intelligent than a liberal voter!! If that is so he better write a better article,for what he writes below is puerile nonsense.

• alisaann | Nov 04, 2012, 06:33 PM EST

  RELIGION HAS NO PLACE IN POLITICS....and you should NOT vote for someone, just because they share your religious beliefs....we should NOT be making laws according to the bible....which was written by MAN.....with the GOP-BIBLE THUMPERS, women will LOSE their rights...and a group of people will NEVER have their EQUAL RIGHTS....i'm SICK of bible thumpers shoving their religious ways DOWN everyone's throats. alisa

• buffaloirishman | Nov 04, 2012, 06:30 PM EST

  Vote for President Barack Obama. He has done an admirable job these past four years. He is a leader who addresses the tough issues. We need him - he addresses health care, climate control, leveling the playing field economically - there is much more work to do here. President Obama will lead us. Republicans will not. Republicans and Rommey do not tell the truth, they foster racism (they hate it when you call them on it but this is an example of their "outsourcing" approach - they get others to toss the racial comments), and they obstruct when they are outvoted. How Unamerican of the republican legislators to take the oath of office to serve our nation then make a pledge to a wacko economist to serve him and the 1%. They act like whinny little kids who don't get their way or rich, dictators who think they are better than the rest of us. Vote for President Obama and every Democrat on the ballot.

• faberm1 | Nov 04, 2012, 06:19 PM EST

  The reasons given in the article are reasons why ANYONE and EVERYONE should vote for Mitt Romeny, not just Catholics. If Pres Obama is re-eliected we will survive it, but we are on a path to economic disaster. I'm not sure Romeny or Ryan can stop the train if they want to.

• blackstone | Nov 04, 2012, 05:22 PM EST

  Great article Patrick. No intelligent person could reelect Obama after his past four years. He has divided the U.S. beyond recognition with his class warfare rhetoric and race baiting. Both his domestic and foreign policies have been a disaster. And as for social issues you don't have to be Catholic to be horrified by his abortion stance. This is a man that voted against the born alive protection act.If a baby survives an abortion it receives no medical treatment and is left in a storage room to die according to Obama. What kind of monster would vote against protecting life? He's going to lose this election because the American people are finally learning who this man truly is despite the efforts of mainstream media to intentionally block the truth about Obama.While we have record high unemployment he and Michelle have spent millions of dollars entertaining celebrities at the White House.And as more truth comes out about Benghazi, the murder of four brave Americans ,as the White House watched in real time,and then chose to lie to the American people,we know that this administration must go.They blamed a video and the guy who made the video is still in jail on some trumped up charge. What about his first amendment rights? Why isn't anyone talking about that? We have freedom of speech but not under the Obama administration. I want my country back. Go ROMNEY!!!!!!!!!

• mehtael | Nov 04, 2012, 05:13 PM EST

  Are you kidding me? Who are you to tell me who I should vote for. You have never walked in my shoes. You do not know my story and yet you expect me to vote for someone who does not believe in womans rights and is taking away the medical I am finally getting. So, let me this straight Patrick Roberts I should vote for Romney because he is not Obama? Well when he shows me his birth certificate and 10 years of tax returns maybe I will think about it until then talk about issues that relate to Ireland and leave the American Politics to the Americans that can vote. I was born in Belfast and became a citizen of the USA in 1989. I unlike yourself was not born in the USA I came here for a better life and that is what I have done without the likes of you.

• seanomelb | Nov 04, 2012, 04:49 PM EST

  Mr. Roberts seems to believe that this is a one issue election,but that is not the case. If you are catholic and believe in social justice you most probably should vote Obama,after all Jesus was a social justice person whom according to scripture is the son of God. Writing as an atheist I'm a social justice person. Mr. Roberts article is a load of poppycock.

• tomdoh345 | Nov 04, 2012, 04:48 PM EST

  Mitt Romney does not deserves your vote on 1 and only 1 issue. He was a pro -war draft dodger. He is a vulture capitalist. He was a bad gov of MA. He fired Irish American Billy Bulger, a great statesman and educator, when he was president of the University of Mass System just to be popular with the rich upper class in the Boston area. The very same ones that use to proudly display "No Irish Need Apply" but I guess you forgot your history. Why is it that 96% of the voting population of Ireland understands how bad Romney truly is while only 50% of Irish Americans do ? I could not believe that this endorsement of a very shady corrupt ultra rich job exporter was the lead article today.

• seagreen | Nov 04, 2012, 04:37 PM EST

  Perhaps it is time for the church to start paying taxes, if they are going start influencing elections without paying their fair share like everyone else that has a vested interest in the ultimate effect of a certain person being elected. I am sure the IRS would welcome the revenue derived from the billions worth of property owned by the church throughout the United States.

• fedupirish | Nov 04, 2012, 04:25 PM EST

  To Oli, assuming you are referencing my comment. Delusional, perhaps you are right, I was being kind. Romneys donation, annually all Mormons are required to give ten percent of their income. A cult, yeah, you are right.

• AnneChambersUSA | Nov 04, 2012, 04:24 PM EST

  The pledge of allegiance to our flag says, "one nation under GOD". Does Romney believe in GOD? Does Obama believe in GOD? The USA has always been generous beyond reproach, standing up for human rights, and an equal opportunity place to live, work and vote. Two more days until the election, vote your conscience, we will all be Americans together when this tight race is over. Enough said.

• AnneChambersUSA | Nov 04, 2012, 04:23 PM EST

  Difficult to say. Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. I do not agree with abortion but I do not think I have the right to dictate to others how they should think or act as regards personal morality. Jesus tells me not to judge or throw stones. I think we must look at the gospel of Christ and decide what our priorities are. Personally I could never endorse a party that considers might is right, the rich are more important than the poor and Americans are superior to all others. On the subject of jobs and the economy people conveniently forget that Republican greed and philosophy was responsible for impoverishing millions of Americans,(while in many cases increasing the obscene wealth of the superrich). That the economy is better today than 4 years ago is of no hope since those that wrecked the economy claim they would have undone the damage and rebuilt faster. If you believe that, you may be a good Catholic but you are also a fool. A voting system that can turn a majority of votes by overseas servicemen and women into a minority. They can die for their country but they cannot have their vote. That's their mistake for having the same name as a felon.

• trconnors | Nov 04, 2012, 04:10 PM EST

  as a lifetime (and soon to be ex )catholic, I am embarressed to even read where these pedophile protecting miscreants would stick their dirty noses into politics.Its one thing for the fox news fake christian huckabie telling people his god said we'll go to hell for voting for obama, the pathetic bishops one up him. May they burn in hell!!!!!!

• EphraimKibbey | Nov 04, 2012, 04:05 PM EST

  greengurl - The RCC position on abortion USED to be exactly what YOU current believe. Isn't it strange how "NATURAL LAW" seems to have changed recently for Rome? I guess that it is not quite so immutable as they would like us to think.

• phinsman | Nov 04, 2012, 04:01 PM EST

  No Romney, please... he has a very narrow mind and limited view on women's rights and mid and low income people's rights. Many Catholics that I know are very liberal and won't vote for him. If he ends up president in the US, this will significantly ruin our country and return it back to what it was like several generations ago. He should move to one of the archaic Middle East countries, which much better fits his point of view.

• EphraimKibbey | Nov 04, 2012, 03:58 PM EST

  I'm a Presbyterian. My Church preachss the values left to us by Christ's teachings, expects us to be able to read and understand the bible ourselves and be smart enough to figure out how to vote on our own. Most of the Catholic commenters so far and my Catholic friends seem to be quite intelligent and perfectly able to make decisions on their own. So how come the RCC thinks that they must be told who to vote for in violation of the tax laws of the United States of America? This is what my folks were scared of back in '61. A voting block wielded from outside the US and blindly following orders without regard to American interests. While I realize most Catholic Americans are able to decide for themselves, the impression that the RCC thinks it CAN or SHOULD try to influence their votes is giving me the chills and a new understanding of my parents concerns.

• AnneChambersUSA | Nov 04, 2012, 03:50 PM EST

  Oli, would you please tell us your thoughts on Obama and his 20 years with his "christian" church, the one with Rev. Wright?

• greengurl | Nov 04, 2012, 03:47 PM EST

  I will stick with what my very religious Granny always said: life begins when the soul enters the baby and the mother will know when that happens because she feels the quickening. I have carried a child and I have felt that quickening. It's different than when you feel them kick. It's special and loving and feels you with wonder at life. The babby is not a person and has no soul until that happens. Until that time you're not murdering anyone if you choose to have an abortion. An abortion is between a woman and God. It's not between you and the woman. Stay out of our reproductive systems. Keep church and state separate. If someone is going to go to hell because they aborted some cells then that's their choice and you should stay out of it. Stop pushing your agenda on woman. After all, I don't go out trying to pass a law that demands that no one have a child and every pregnant woman must abort. How would that law go over? You'd feel about the same way that all of us feel when we hear you tell us that we must have a child no matter what the circumstances. By the way? Some of you more militant anti-abortion people would have already killed my little sister and myself if you'd had your way about women not being able to abort even for the life of the mother. We'd both already be DEAD. Just let it go. And also try googling the history of abortion in America to find out exactly how, why and when the anti-abortion crusade started. It might shock you to learn the truth.

• Oli | Nov 04, 2012, 03:42 PM EST

  Patrick, With all due respect your article is delusional. The Mormon religion is a cult masquerading as a christian religion. It doesn't accept Christ is the Son of the one God, the Trinity, in fact it rejects the entire basis of Catholicism but regards the Bible as corrupt and Catholic's as well as all other Christians as evil. Its trade mark as with most cults is deception. Now lets look at Bishop Romney of the Mormon Cult. Look at his record. Regardless of your political leanings most of us agree he talks out of both sides of his mouth on almost every issue depending on time and place and what is expedient. He donated over $1.5 million to the Mormon cult last year. Where do you think his loyalty lies? Of course he will throw in some conservative values. He will do and say anything to get elected and fulfill the White Horse prophecy of his Mormon cult. Shame on the GOP for giving us this choice for a candidate.

• AnneChambersUSA | Nov 04, 2012, 03:24 PM EST

  A spirited debate is good, Irish have always lead the way:) However, lest we all forget, as a Catholic, abortion is wrong. I am alive and voting because I was born to a poor Irish, Catholic family, one of ten children and many times my mother told me about comments made to her and my father, "being with child, AGAIN", and suggestions made by those who did not hold true to the Irish Catholic beliefs. We always knelt down with Bishop Sheen on the radio, for the Rosary Hour. I shall stand firm in my Irish Catholic belief and hope other's will give this some thought.

• phobrien31 | Nov 04, 2012, 03:18 PM EST

  Did you ever hear about Rerum. Novarum or the sermon on the mount or Catholic social justice? It is not that easy a call for Catholics.

• lewpoorman | Nov 04, 2012, 03:14 PM EST

  What utter bulls----! When in irish or other history has the church shown any moral authority? Was it when they were Selling Ireland to England, being a partner to all of the horrors that england perpetuated, virtually kidnapping yound women and stealing babies, keeping silent during the "famine" when england exported food? Was it when it supported the geniside of native peoples? Maybe when it exported and protected pedophiles? Give me a darn break. And this pope's inquisition against women and men of faith is that the moral hi-ground that these "men of god" would have the gaul to tell me who to vote for? And Romeny is nothing more than a profiteer, a bald face liar and his boy wonder is no role model for anyone - whos career has been to obstruct congress and defy the oath he took. No thank you. To much of this is truthfully stated in the tshirt from the R convention "lets put white back in the white house". and pure greed-

• CitizenWhy | Nov 04, 2012, 03:12 PM EST

  The Catholic theory of Natural law, on which its opposition to all forms of abortion, contraception and gay marriage, are based, is a menace to the US Constitution. The Catholic theory of Natural Law, a philosophic theory not based on theology or Scripture,claims that all human beings, of all religions or none and all all human beings living under any Constitution, are subject to the unchanging rules of Natural Law. In addition the Catholic Church claims that the Pope is the Supreme Interpreter and Judge of this theoretical law, and his decrees are above all other laws and Constitutions. In effect the unproven and unscientific theory of Natural Law makes the Pope the King of the World.

• Nicoletta | Nov 04, 2012, 03:07 PM EST

  Excellent article Mr Roberts. You are a beacon of truth and light in the darkness of the IC.

• CavanAncestor | Nov 04, 2012, 02:58 PM EST

  Sorry, define yourself as you may, but you CANNOT be Catholic and pro-abortion. It is infanticide pure and simple. This disaster would not be in the White House were it not for feckless Catholics who seem to think they can define the rules.

• fedupirish | Nov 04, 2012, 02:54 PM EST

  Mormons. Have you ever dealt with them? Google Mormon underpants, or "magic" underwear. Google Mormon planet, they all get their own if they are good. Revisionist history, see Mormon. I am not being critical, as I have known many Mormons over the years, most are very good people, but their religion has a lot of question marks. Jack Kennedy took a lot of grief when running, he had to answer to congress about his religion. Why has Willard been exempt, Mormons are certainly a "fringe" religion compared to the Catholic Church.

• 19bajspwn | Nov 04, 2012, 02:39 PM EST

  Obviously, you have not been following the campaign, and the lies told by the flip flop Republican candidate. He is pro abortion,,,,he says,,ONLY IN CASES OF....but..abortion is abortion. So...a critical voter in the US election must then decide which candidate follows the precepts of consideration of our lesser brothers...and the love of neighbor as oneself. And,,,,Mr.flipflop republican candidate...only cares for his own ilk. You should study all sides of an issue before you speak.

• AnneChambersUSA | Nov 04, 2012, 02:19 PM EST

  As a Irish, Catholic, I don't buy into the notion of having to choose between "civil rights movement, caring & promoting legistlation for the general welfare population, women's rights in America", bottom line, many of us are alive and voting today because of the foundation of our Catholic faith and the fact that our mothers did not abort us. Go back to our Roman Catholic faith and our Irish history. A good start would be to read (the book is available on line), John Mac Hale, Arch Bishop of Tuam.

• ballylanger | Nov 04, 2012, 02:16 PM EST

  The greater the catholic vote, the more thorough the occupation of the 'greatest country' in the world by the smallest...the dirty little vatican. God bless America!

• borefield | Nov 04, 2012, 02:13 PM EST

  Great article Patrick. My opinion of IC is partially restored to "good", thanks to your good opinion.

• Gearoid4 | Nov 04, 2012, 02:12 PM EST

  A very pertinent and well-argued article, Patrick, that goes to the heart of the choices that a Faithful Catholic and indeed any religious person, should make in this election year in the U.S. You go against the political grain on this site, but that is no bad thing.

• TheNetherlands | Nov 04, 2012, 02:01 PM EST

  Thank you commentators for restoring my faith in humanity, I was kinda mad since all I seem to notice lately on this site is pro Romney articles.

• tempranillo | Nov 04, 2012, 01:56 PM EST

  Alls of youse guys disagreementing with the writer aint real good cathlics. Yuose guys shuld kning that the church is always right even when it aint. The cardnil O’dolan is a good leader of men and shud be listened to instead of dem pinky commie treehuggers who don’t want to repect nothing conserviceative cuz it aint not poplar. Well I got something to say. Don’t misunderestimate the laws that the real president is going to makes you obay and i aint kiding here. you cant be catlic and be disobeetient

• Cyn | Nov 04, 2012, 01:12 PM EST

  I completely disagree with this position, as it reflects the extreme right wing takeover of a party, a religion and in fact all those who call themselves christian. The Catholic church I was raised in was in the forefront of the civil rights movement, the forefront of caring for and promoting legislation for the general welfare of the population, and even women's rights here in America. A vote for Romney promotes segregation of the classes, the races, the haves and have nots. This is not at all Christlike.

• rugbyplayer | Nov 04, 2012, 01:09 PM EST

  Catholics vote for Romney? Pure garbage and the GOP USA RC bishops actively urging Catholics to vote for Romney for President are a disgrace. No Catholic should listen to any of them!

• Nicomax | Nov 04, 2012, 12:56 PM EST

  Catholics wanting to vote in concert with the true message of Jesus Christ will find the decision is not that clear cut. Helping the sick and poor as a way to eternal salvation was core in Christ's message. Even today the Vatican is against capital punishment, launching unprovoked wars, deporting families, cutting programs promoting the general welfare, etc. Not sure the super-Catholic, Paul Ryan, supports much of this message since he has found salvation in the tome of the confirmed non-believer, Ayn Rand.

• MOTOPAC | Nov 04, 2012, 12:53 PM EST

  I am CATHOLIC and I support abortion rights.

• PatriciaMarya | Nov 04, 2012, 12:53 PM EST

  Just yesterday morning, I came up with a one word reason to choose which candidate is the righteous one: and it is this TRUST. Who would you trust to tell the truth and also to admit when an error or mistake has occured. So simple: the incumbent, President Barack Obama. He has proven himself time and time again. All we have seen from Willard Romney is obfuscation and denial and refusing to stay on target and on focus. During the primaries, even his own Party did not wish him to run as the GOP candidate! Now all of a sudden, we should follow them into voting for Romney?! Isn't this blunt enough a reason to not trust this man? He has flipped and flopped so many times, he is like a fish out of water, struggling to breath. Fact: the Business section of the New Jersey Star Ledger on Sunday 10/28/12 had an article researching how the Stock Market fared under various presidents in terms of stability and productivity: No. 1 - Our President, No. 2, Clinton; No. 3 Eisenhower(!) and so on down the list. Carter was there and above George W. Bush who did not make it into the top ten! Thus blowing a hole in Romney's theory that our President is not sufficiently able to run the country economically. Remember: Trust - who do you trust to be honest!

• MOTOPAC | Nov 04, 2012, 12:51 PM EST

  I am Catholic and I am NOT voting for Romney!

• JoeCogan | Nov 04, 2012, 12:47 PM EST

  Anyone who bases their vote solely or even primarily on a candidate's position regarding abortion is so dangerously politically naive that they really shouldn't be voting. The GOP has no intention of ever actually overturning Roe v.Wade: its value as a bogeyman to rally socially conservative voters against is too great. Wake up: you're being played for fools.

• mreinhar2001 | Nov 04, 2012, 12:47 PM EST

  Tess328: Why should Catholics vote for a pseudo-protestant, like Obama, either? I like this article!

• Tess328 | Nov 04, 2012, 12:38 PM EST

  Romney is not Catholic, he's a Mormon! Why should Catholics vote for a Mormon? Now, why we should not vote for Romney: His company, Bain Capital, took over other companies, then ran the companies into the ground and declared bankruptcy, only after he and his corporate cronies took out their profits. He then then laid off thousands of American workers, after profiting from their companies' closures. His campaign has been nothing but continuous lies, changing his stance on different political issues with the wind. His campaign has continued to refuse to acknowledge the fact that the Bush administration had run the economy into the ground into near collapse, and instead has blamed the country's economic problems on President Obama's policies. Romney's company, Bain Capital, had taken over a company called Sensata Technology, a healthy manufacturing company in northern Illinois that employs 200 workers. Bain Capital intends to shut the company down, lay off the workers, and outsource production to China. This is of course bad for the workers, but not for Mitt, who owns a sizable amount of stock in the company and still makes millions in income each year from Bain. In 2011, Romney transferred $701,703 worth of Sensata stock to Tyler Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)3 tax exempt nonprofit, that is controlled by Romney. This is from his recently released 2011 tax return. On form 8283, page 323. He was able to deduct the value of the stock off his income taxes, and also avoided paying capital gains taxes on the stock price increase. Pretty shrewd. Out sourcing jobs, laying off workers and directly profiting from their loss is not to my knowledge a Catholic ideal.

• cillowen | Nov 04, 2012, 12:16 PM EST

  cults of a feather stick together.

• cillowen | Nov 04, 2012, 12:10 PM EST

  I am Catholic of Irish descent and am proudly casting my vote for the next President of the United States Barack Obama!

• Riley1987 | Nov 04, 2012, 12:03 PM EST

  Mr Roberts' flawed logic that "Irish = Catholic" is ridiculous and only serves to show what little understanding these plastic paddies have of what it really means to be Irish today

• carrickcourt | Nov 04, 2012, 12:00 PM EST

  A narrow one identity vote is just too narrow.

• Parents | Nov 04, 2012, 11:41 AM EST

  Well to vote in a president on one issue is very very risky, it's bigger than that and if you don't know it then the US is in big trouble. Romney is not catholic, he is mormon, he is rich, he believes women belong in the home and apparenty with child as was the case 100 yrs ago. The UK economist says vote for Obama so guess he does know a thing or too about the economy, he just went through a bigger downturn than in 1929 along with all the other very imp issues. The repubicans have tried to prevent him from accomplishing anything and they have control of the house. Everything I have seen and read make me fear Romney. I am catholic and voting Obama.

• peterquinn | Nov 04, 2012, 11:37 AM EST

  Whoops...that should be "wait" not "wit." My enthusiasm got ahead of my spelling.

• patrickesq | Nov 04, 2012, 11:36 AM EST

  This is a terribly flawed rationale for voting for Romney. The lasting endurance of the Church has much to do with their fostering and spreading the central ideal of Christianity, which they have done admirably through their charitable program, hospitals and schools. But their hierarchic belief that they have absolute authority on what they label as morality, is a totally different matter. This is a Church with a long history in past centuries of killing dissenters from their version of doctrinal truth. Moses did not give us any commandment to abstain from using artificial birth control, or to forbid voluntary sterilizations. The vast majority of Catholics do not accept the Church's arbitrary teaching on these issues. The President is not an advocate of abortion. He has supported programs to reduce abortions by expanding the availability of birth control measures, which the Church has opposed. The Supreme Court made some abortions legal in the U.S. President Obama is a strong supporter of social justice in terms of basic economic issues of fair pay,equal pay for women, and in making health care available to over 30 million millions more Americans. Mr. Romney would repeal the Affordable Care Act despite the ill effects this would have on the health and lives of millions of Americans. And he would let the market place determine whether large employers paid a living wage and compensated women equally for doing the same job as a male. Voters who respect life will be well served to judge a candidate on all issues involving the sanctity of life and not just on the narrow issue of whether the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade should be overturned. Voters should also remember that in past political campaigns Mr. Romney supported abortion rights.

• peterquinn | Nov 04, 2012, 11:35 AM EST

  I just got back from Mass. What a terrific gospel: Jesus on how the Law and the Prophets all come down to two commandments: love God and love your neighbor. I can't wit for Tuesday when I will vote to re-elect President Barack Obama.

• Robbie69 | Nov 04, 2012, 11:27 AM EST

  Let me see if I have this correct: Vote for the Mormon bishop because that will be good for Catholics. I don't follow the logic here. Mitt Romney says something different each day of the week. Is he for a woman's right to choose or not. It depends on the week, and whether he figures he might garner a few extra votes. There is no question that Romney is a sleeze "deal maker" who would help ship jobs to China and out of the USA, and then complain about it. It is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house. President Obama is a man of ideals and integrity, and if he has one fault, it was his efforts to "reach across the aisle" to the Republicans, many of whom would rather see this black man lynched and the USA go down in economic ruin than to work with Democrats for the common good of the nation. This editorial is ridiculous! I have a degree in Economics, and I predict that a Romney administration will bring about the SECOND GREAT DEPRESSION, by re-instituting the policies that George W. Bush brought in during his horrible administration. VOTE FOR OBAMA for sanity and the betterment of not only the USA, but of all the world. That is why 96 percent of Irish polled voted in favor of Obama. VOTE FOR OBAMA. I already have in early voting.

• joeg2028 | Nov 04, 2012, 11:26 AM EST

  Says Mr. Roberts, Catholicism "is holding its own and even gaining in America." Says a recent Pew Research study: "While those Americans who are unaffiliated with any particular religion have seen the greatest growth in numbers as a result of changes in affiliation, Catholicism has experienced the greatest net losses as a result of affiliation changes. While nearly one-in-three Americans (31%) were raised in the Catholic faith, today fewer than one-in-four (24%) describe themselves as Catholic. These losses would have been even more pronounced were it not for the offsetting impact of immigration. The Landscape Survey finds that among the foreign-born adult population, Catholics outnumber Protestants by nearly a two-to-one margin (46% Catholic vs. 24% Protestant); among native-born Americans, on the other hand, the statistics show that Protestants outnumber Catholics by an even larger margin (55% Protestant vs. 21% Catholic). Are we experiencing the same kind of truth from Mr Roberts that we get from the 'pub presidential candidate?

• kathyodonnell | Nov 04, 2012, 11:24 AM EST

  What a bunch of crap. How about helping the poor, providing car for the sick, ending unjust wars? Obama is a man of character. Romney says whatever he thinks you want to hear. Can't believe people fall for it- time and time again.

• redhand32 | Nov 04, 2012, 11:22 AM EST

  As a Roman Catholic I believe the Church's tax exemption should be investigated and withdrawn based on alleged violations of IRS tax exemption prohibitions against partisan politics at the pulpit. The most egregious example id Bishop Jenks' ORDER that priests deliver an anti- Obama /pro Romney sermon. The other outrageous behavior by the pedophile enabling hierarchy smacks of the Franco's Spanish Fascist State ! Separation of Church and State for a Strong and Free America !

• odubslaine | Nov 04, 2012, 11:21 AM EST

  Romney for President would be absurd, and I am catholic, with a small "c" !!

• slainte9 | Nov 04, 2012, 11:20 AM EST

  Mr. Roberts is theologically quite ignorant. Catholics must vote their conscience, even if this means disagreeing with the "official" Church. Conscience is paramount for Catholics, theologically speaking. According to Bishop McElroy of San Francisco, speaking as someone who knows the position of the US biships as a group. There are no Catholic candidates, Republican or Democrat. There are seven things that the bishops think are important this election. Abortion is at the top of the list, but it does not trump the others. The poor and health care are important, too.

• slainte9 | Nov 04, 2012, 11:14 AM EST

  For a very good and theologically sound discussion of how Catholics should vote. Go to the Holy Cross College website and listen to Bishop McElroy's talk: academics.holycross.edu/crec/events/2012/mcelroy

• slainte9 | Nov 04, 2012, 11:09 AM EST

  I don't know what kind of President Romney would be. I know what kind Obama is. Interesting that all the comments here talk about what terrible things would happen with Romney instead of how Obama has, and would continue, to do to our country.

• bunkerisland | Nov 04, 2012, 11:09 AM EST

  Catholicism is irrelevant to 80% of those baptized.

• jerrydonovan | Nov 04, 2012, 11:06 AM EST

  I would much rather have to deal with a man of conviction as opposed to a man of convenience. The man of conviction comes to his position through the conviction of facts.I believe that if I can show him alternate facts I may be able to change his position.This is how I view President Obama.Mitt Romney is a man of convenience who tells you what he thinks you want to hear.His positions are better suited to an Illusionists show in Vegas.

• fmcevoy | Nov 04, 2012, 11:05 AM EST

  Mitt Romney, with all his wealth and power, is attractive to all Catholics who realize how stupid Catholic social movements are. Dorothy Day burns in hell!

• BarbaraB | Nov 04, 2012, 11:03 AM EST

  I believe that President Obama's character is far and above that of Mitt Romney. President obama is more intelligent, more honest and more worthy of being called "President" than is the weak and less-than-straightforward person that Romney is. I do not believe in voting on one issue because the world is too complex to do so.

• slainte9 | Nov 04, 2012, 11:03 AM EST

  Apparently I am being censored by Irish Central.

• TomDem55 | Nov 04, 2012, 10:53 AM EST

  This Irish American Democrat will proudly cast his vote for our current president in early voting today. I will not vote for the guy who wears magic underpants and thinks we WANT him to send our jobs to China. I wonder where his tax returns are??? Oh, he is above custom and law, he is a One percent er

• Rebelforce | Nov 04, 2012, 10:47 AM EST

  If anybody believes that if neoconservative Mitt Romney is elected president abortion is going to be outlawed in the US they're being extremely naive. More likely, if Mitt Romney is elected we'll be fighting more senseless, idiotic Wars in the Middle East. Jesus said, "Blessed are the Peacemakers". Romney says he's open to invading Syria and bombing Iran.

• SyndiHolmes | Nov 04, 2012, 10:44 AM EST

  Romney has one God and one God only-MONEY. If you truly follow the teachings of Christ you will NOT vote for this man and his inhumane policies.

• ternmo1 | Nov 04, 2012, 10:39 AM EST

  When I opened the website a little while ago to see Mr. Robert's pro Romney endorsement I was ready to unsubscribe. I counted to ten and relaxed. Everyone is entitled to their opinion since we are a free people allowed to form our own thoughts. If one thinks abortion is murder then by all means vote for the guy you feel will outlaw it. Don't be surprised that many young girls and women will likely die from abortions in the coming years. Too bad. They committed murder and should spend eternity in Hell along with the doctors or nurses who secretly assisted them. However, they will be comforted by a large number of priests, bishops, and a few cardinals (maybe a Pope or two) who raped and sodomized little boys and girls while admonishing us to walk the straight and narrow. Is there a majority of good priests and nuns ministering us to follow Christ? You bet there is...they are the ones encouraging us to love and aid our fellow man; or, as Pat Roberts says to do those "feelgood social justice issues".

• bimjimmy | Nov 04, 2012, 10:36 AM EST

  Why would any citizen of a country pin their Presidential vote on a SINGLE item? That's just stupid, but go ahead and believe Romney - always remember, however, that if he gets elected maybe he will flip on that one too and you will wish you had voted Democrat. TOO LATE!! Doesn't the word "liar" mean anything to Americans any more? And Romney is a Mormon, not a Catholic, but it seems his faith is in the Almighty Dollar - for the last four years it was the Republicans who stopped Obama from making progress in almost every area of bettering the country. And now they want to blame that on him too. Tsk tsk.

• hermitTalker | Nov 04, 2012, 10:35 AM EST

  The article is the kind that reminds me of the old line "with friends like this, who needs enemies." The Church is like each of us, a flawed vessel " a clay pot" as St Paul calls it and has no flaws in its teaching and overall demonstrates that- as Paul also says - where Sin abounds, Grace did more abound. The Consistent Life Ethic of the Gospel has quarrels with both parties and their platforms and track record. So, we do what is reasonable, which one most closely identifies with the Natural Law which is planted in our hearts by the creator (St Paul in Romans) and echoed in the "all are created equal..endowed with inalienable rights by their Creator" of the preamble to the US constitution. "Lies by the GOP"? without comparing them to the current leaders of the Demo. Party in their debates alone, apart from their record for 3.5 years invites derision. You gotta do better to be taken seriously, Sad for the usual crop of anti-Jesus/Church who have another chance to show your bigoted ignorance. "Kick the player, not the ball." Whoopee!

• Joe Kelsall | Nov 04, 2012, 10:34 AM EST

  Anybody who votes from Romney is asking for at least 4 years of unnecessary military action in the Middle and Far Easy, and it won't be Romney's sons in the action, that's for sure. Obama is the greatest black man since Jesus!

• Joe Kelsall | Nov 04, 2012, 10:26 AM EST

  I guess all that separation of church and state was a waste of time then eh? I would never vote for Romney, he has money stashed world wide (including Ireland), he sent jobs abroad when he worked for Bain capital, now he claims he can create them? He wants to stop funding for public television. He does not care about 47% of the population (who represent retired elderly and retired vets who served for us). He plays to the audience and flip flops on really important issues even on the likes of Obamacare that he passed in mass while he was govener. He CLAIMS he will be bi-partisan, but his record in mass proves otherwise with over 800 votes AGAINST Democrats. He thinks that children should get money from their parents for education but with college costs at over $40,000 per year per child, who the heck has that kind of money? Obama's placing so much emphasis on class size and federal funding for education grants and loans will mean so many more children can attend college. His choice for vice president was the most vocal in his criticism of Stimulus package yet begged for them at least three times for his state and LIED about it when confronted. No pettiness,no lies just the facts,

• katie55418 | Nov 04, 2012, 10:18 AM EST

  I am not sure where you get the idea that "Catholicism has continued to prosper and expand. . . . " From this side (US) of the pond, I would say that it is losing ground rather than gaining.

• BigDaddy | Nov 04, 2012, 10:15 AM EST

  If anyone wants to know what Willard Romney would be like if elected, read Leo Strauss (or a critique of his beliefs, Philosophy of Deception) and you will understand why Roberts is using the RCC pap to try to get you to vote for Willard.

• TheNetherlands | Nov 04, 2012, 10:14 AM EST

  Another Patriot and Tax paying citizen who voted Early! Absentee for the swing state of Nevada!! Love it, Go President Obama Go!!

• hardshoe83 | Nov 04, 2012, 10:14 AM EST

  Hi all, I'm Protestant, a christian just like all of you and there is no way I'm voting for Mitt Romney. He's only for the rich and he does not care about the issue of climate change and he is definitely not for women's rights.

• BigDaddy | Nov 04, 2012, 10:13 AM EST

  Patrick, if the RCC is expanding in America, why are they closing down parishes all over the country? Can you name anything else that is extremely flawed, filled with cracks, more problems than a NY psychiatrist could deal with but you would still describe as "magnificent"? I can wait for your answer.

• GerryMaine | Nov 04, 2012, 10:08 AM EST

  I'm voting for Romney because Obama is an economic illiterate. He doesn't know anything about economics or human nature and the desire to keep what you earn. I think he's ignorant. Joe Biden on his best day is simply stupid. On his bad days he's senile and stupid. I'm sick of poverty in the United States. I'm sick of the booming deficit. I don't the U.S. to become Greece (or Ireland). I want prosperity to return to the U.S. Obama/Biden = a national nightmare.

• charlie0491 | Nov 04, 2012, 10:06 AM EST

  What a sorry piece of trash. This election is for the Pres of all Americans not just Catholics. Aborting is just a red herring. No Catholic is required to have an abortion. The Church needs to stay out of politics. History show that potitical power in the hands of any church is dangerous. The Church has enough problems of its own to work on. How did we wind up with all these right wing nut bishops?

• LadySusanFan53 | Nov 04, 2012, 10:02 AM EST

  So, Patrick Roberts, you would support a candidate who lies, flip flops and misleads voters. You would have us support a candidate who: Is a puppet for the wealthy 1%... Lacks essential understanding of the world at large... Encourages voter suppression and other nefarious means of illicitly obtaining a vote advantage... Would gut the programs that help the poor... All to focus on one antiquated doctrine. Selling the collective Catholic soul in such a way kills the basic tenant of Christianity, Love one another, and makes Catholicism less relevant.

• haasny007 | Nov 04, 2012, 09:59 AM EST

  Like most Catholics, I am merely a cultural Catholic who views the church hierarchy from the Vatican all the way down to the parish level an utterly anachronistic and male-dominated organization, which has lost touch with the average faithful many decades ago. What the clergy preaches does not matter anymore much to most Catholics.

• TheNetherlands | Nov 04, 2012, 09:58 AM EST

  Truly it's pathetic how most Irish I spoke with including one from Ireland said how he hates Obama because he's Black. If you were true Christians you wouldn't keep persuade people with such garbage or judge people by the color of their skin. I grew up in Boston and know all too well how racist the Irish were and still are there. Disgusting. I won't vote for Mitt, oh And I am an American living overseas so you can be sure I got my swing state absentee vote in and It counted! And it's not Mitt, he was a terrible Governor why on earth would I want him for a President! Your pro right wing promotion is getting me sick of your site!

• ui maine | Nov 04, 2012, 09:53 AM EST

  Irish Central I liked yo better before you ran slanted conservative slop. Why would a catholic believe anything from a mormon american capitalist politician? Really? Are you that scared ( which is what they are hoping for) or just that stupid ( which is what they are counting on)? A vote for Romney is a vote for a return to the surf class, before the days of Magna Carta. Think of your children if you can't think for yourself.

• stonethrower | Nov 04, 2012, 09:48 AM EST

  While i personally am against abortion,this is a non issue,just like gun control both candidates only pay lip service to this & pander to their respective audiences as whoever wins will not change the status quo as it is political suicide & thats the reality.Vote on the issues that both will attempt to fix,but beware of R & R policy of feed the rich & bury the poor,the long term effects of what they propose will put the final nail in the middle/working class of America.

• stonethrower | Nov 04, 2012, 09:43 AM EST

  Nice example of tolerance and understanding Hollabackgurl, Thank you for your example of "the ends justify the means" politics of your democratic obama machine.

• RootsPursuit | Nov 04, 2012, 09:42 AM EST

  Pick up a copy of Grace Halsell's "Forcing God's Hand" and find out what's REALLY behind today's Republican Party. Those made-in-America religions including the Jerry Falwellian Dispensationalist Rapturists who fully expect to be watching the rest of us "burn on earth" (why wait for Hell) are NOT the group that MY church leaders should be following - get back to following Christ, please! The Christ that I believe in would have accepted an invitation to visit Carl Siciliano's Ali Forney Center to mingle with the other-than-straight occupants who have been rejected by their ultra-right parents, unlike Cardinal Dolan.

• seanaci | Nov 04, 2012, 09:37 AM EST

  The Catholic Church left its followers behind around 1,700 years ago when it was acquired by Constantine and became just another corporation. So, yes, if believe corporations care about you then vote for Mitt. If your relationship with your god is personal and he (or she) believes in individuals your vote should go elsewhere.

• MiMi | Nov 04, 2012, 09:09 AM EST

  If life is so sacred -- and begins at conception -- how can we be OK with IVF for having babies? Didn't Paul Ryan have a bill to make the practice illegal? What happens to all the leftover eggs? If God wanted women to become pregnant why would they need science?

• hollabackgurl | Nov 04, 2012, 09:08 AM EST

  Yes because your magic underpants will transport you to planet Kolob, where Jesus and his brother the devil will guide you on your way to your personal home planet filled with your multiple wives. Sounds exactly like what St. Peter had in mind for the Catholic Church.

• pranyf | Nov 04, 2012, 08:57 AM EST

  I believe St Vincent dePaul would vehemently disagree with the notion that Catholics should vote for Mitt.

• JimmieM | Nov 04, 2012, 08:40 AM EST

  People of any religion that does not sanctify the killing of non believers should vote for Mitt.

• like2tweet | Nov 04, 2012, 08:34 AM EST

  I agree strongly Go Mitt

• thetint | Nov 04, 2012, 07:56 AM EST

  Is this the same church where children were abused and the bishops and cardinals routinely covered this up?