Rick Santorum puts his Catholic faith front and center of his presidential campaign, regaling crowds with tales of his personal worship and unabashedly injecting religion into his conservative brand of politics, evidenced most clearly by his opposition to abortion and gay rights. But he’s also been careful to avoid mentioning or visiting the Illinois Catholic high school from which he graduated in 1976.
Joan Walsh at Salon points out that Santorum, traveling around Illinois ahead of Tuesday’s primary, visited the Christian Liberty Academy in Cook County, but failed to pop in on his alma mater Carmel Catholic High School or a local catholic center named after his friend and supporter, Al Salvi. Walsh speculates, based on an article by another Carmel Catholic High School graduate, Brian Herman, that Santorum doesn’t want to be associated with a comparatively liberal school that celebrates academia:
Why has Santorum avoided Carmel Catholic? Well, it’s a college prep school that boasts “respect for diversity, mutual growth and development.” A full 99 percent of its graduates go to college, and a quarter pursue science degrees, so they presumably don’t share Santorum’s belief that college is for “snobs” (nor his interest in the “intelligent design” theory of creation.)
In his Arlington Heights Tribune op-ed, Herman notes, “Listening to Rick Santorum, one would think he’s the product of some shady institution created by a televangelist during the age of disco to provide an academic pretense for challenging scientific consensus and reversing decades of social progress.”
A number of other Carmel-based Catholics agree, and have formed a “Carmel Catholic Alumni Against Rick Santorum” Facebook page that has over 400 likes and organized a protest outside of a Santorum event in Arlington Heights Friday. Many of them specifically called out Santorum’s anti-gay politics.
“Rick Santorum has really built a career on discriminating against the LGBT community,” one alum told the local Daily Herald. “That’s the thing that’s really rallying alumni against him. We’ve been shocked and embarrassed by it.” The same may be said about Catholics at large.
Despite the Vatican and other church leaders’ admonishment of same-sex love, two-thirds of Catholics support legal recognition of gay relationships, with 44% supporting actual marriage, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll released last month. A Public Religion Research Institute survey found similar results last year: “nearly three-quarters of Catholics favor either allowing gay and lesbian people to marry (43%) or allowing them to form civil unions (31%). Only 22% of Catholics say there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship.” This puts Santorum in direct conflict with Catholic voters from coast-to-coast. They’ve been more inclined to vote for Mitt Romney, who has won the Catholic vote in every state but Tennessee.
But, you know, Santorum reaps what he sows.
March 17, 2012 at 3:46 pm, Tabitha Curtis said:
this article link down here on the bottom about santorum saying race and homesexuality are different is funny. yes they are the same because not only can you not be ex-black but you can't be ex homosexual either. this man is a moron and we must not nominate or elect him.
March 18, 2012 at 2:38 pm, Patrick Hammon said:
crap – vote for santorum – only anti God people are against him.
March 18, 2012 at 2:38 pm, Patrick Hammon said:
crap – vote for santorum – only anti God people are against him.
March 18, 2012 at 2:50 pm, Tabitha Curtis said:
whatever.
March 18, 2012 at 7:14 pm, Victor Boucher said:
Patrick Hammon , I am not anti-God. I am anti-zealot, and that is why I will vote against Rick Sanitarium, if he gets the GOP nomination.
March 19, 2012 at 4:21 am, Stanley James said:
TAbitha – maybe the best thing that can happen is he gets the nomination and the repubs lose big in the election.
March 19, 2012 at 4:23 am, Stanley James said:
Patrick Hammon Which god – the same type as the nut cases who hang gays and btw gave us 9-11. F…. your god of hate. BTW which was the same "god" / church that hated the Jews for a thousand years
Paving the way for a catholic named hitler to win election and then the holocaust and WWII and 55 million deaths
March 19, 2012 at 7:32 pm, James Peacock said:
Patrick Hammon go sit in a corner. 3 minutes quiet time for you, you naughty boy.
August 01, 2012 at 4:19 am, Stanley James said:
Patrick Hammon hell of a god you have – people who hate part of his creation.
March 17, 2012 at 4:01 pm, Otto Olivera said:
As someone who left the Catholic Church, and all religion, at age 15, here's my theory… Senator Sanctimonium probably got his hands smacked by ruler-wielding nuns too many times; thus leading to his deep-seated hatred for women, having his own kids home-schooled, and the combination of shame and bitterness which turned him into the narrow-minded, hompophobic asshole we've all come to know!
August 01, 2012 at 4:18 am, Stanley James said:
an asshole that almost certainly gets lots of, well u know…………input.
BTW people like santorum are part of the reason the third largest religon in the USA is EX catholic
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/30/7-reasons-catholics-leave-church-in-trenton-1-is-sex-abuse-crisis/comment-page-24/#comment-1149732
March 17, 2012 at 5:55 pm, Victor Boucher said:
In conversation with many of my former classmates at Catholic grammar and high school in Illinois, we agree unanimously that not one of us were taught the kind of intolerance and bigotry that Rick Sanitarium projects. He is an embarrassment and a disgrace to Catholics.
March 18, 2012 at 2:35 pm, Patrick Hammon said:
crap – he is a true catholic.Catholic teaching is that homosexuality is a grave sin against God and against moral and natural law. You are in the wrong church mate – try the obama abortion church – you might fit in there.
March 18, 2012 at 7:11 pm, Victor Boucher said:
Patrick Hammon , I went through 12 years of Catholic school education, including two years in the seminary, so don't question my knowledge of Catholicism. The Catholic hierarchy may be against gays, abortion, birthcontrol and a number of other things, but the rank and file Catholic membership is much more in tune with reality. In fact, until just a few years ago, nearly all the gays I knew were Catholic, and most of them were still still practicing their faith.
March 18, 2012 at 8:08 pm, Patrick Hammon said:
Victor Boucher if you were catholic in the true sense of the word you would know that it is the church ,her hierachy and her infallible teachings that are in tune with reality not by the sound of it your friends- I repeat my statement you have an incorrect and distorted and false idea of what catholicism is – try listening to,following and obeying the holy father pope benedict and the catholic catechism of christian doctrine instead of your gay friends.If your idea of reality is to be for gays,abortion,birthcontrol and a number of other things i once again recommend you join the obama church of abortion,homosexuality,liberalism,pornography and idolatary.To call yourself catholic means nothing and is a falsehood unless you are practicing what the church and not your friends teach.Christianity is not a democracy – it is the obedience of and practice of Gods teachings with love and gratitude.
March 19, 2012 at 4:19 am, Stanley James said:
Patrick Hammon the other thing catholics need to understand is that the pope in 2009 UNexcommunicated a holocaust denier. HOw can you as a catholic give a cent to such a backwards person.
Who btw is being listened to less and less, as we see more and more catholics support gay marriage. , at least in the civil sphere.
Here's a couple of links about Pope Benedict from valid news services
http://articles.cnn.com/2009-01-26/world/pope.holocaust.denial_1_bishop-richard-williamson-bishop-bernard-fellay-holocaust-denier?_s=PM:WORLD
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23369148-pope-led-cover-up-of-child-abuse-by-priests.do
Cut off the money flow until the church puts him in a nursing home, and gets modern.
March 19, 2012 at 7:27 pm, James Peacock said:
Patrick Hammon You know – if you read the teachings of Jesus – His version (and later Paul's" was that Christianity – (before christianity) was more like Communism. "Each according to what he has to each for what he needs" You can write all the long posts you like – Reminds me of that TV preacher I once saw who banged real loud on his podium as if that made him more right. (And forgive me – all of you real Christians – I don't practice that religion – But I studied the Bible for many years with a well published Christian Scholar. So I feel I have some right to opine.
March 19, 2012 at 7:32 pm, James Peacock said:
Patrick Hammon, you little devil you, if you knew anything about the Catholic Church – and I'm assuming that you mean Catholic and not catholic as you spell it – Just to flesh out your education a tad – Small c – catholic, has a totally different meaning. Anyhow – you would know that there are few so called 'infallible teachings' in that church. Most of the popes make remarks as 'infallible' rarely and only after great thought and prayer.
March 20, 2012 at 4:41 pm, Patrick Hammon said:
James Peacock here is the catholic teaching on the act of homosexuality page 505 section 2357 which is agreed by most other christian churches: ''based on sacred scripture homosexual acts are acts of grave depravity and are intrinsically disordered.They are contrary to natural law and do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complimentary.Homosexual people are called to chastity and by self mastery are called to christian perfection.They do not choose their homosexuality and for most of them it is a trial.They are to be accepted with respect,compassion and sensitivity and if they are christians are called to unite the sacrafice of Jesus's cross to the difficulties of their condition.''
March 22, 2012 at 3:38 am, Victor Boucher said:
what book are you quoting from, Patrick? Is it the same one that denied that the earth is round, and proclaimed that the sun revolves around the earth? Is it the same book that for centuries taught that in order to enter into heaven, one must be of the Catholic faith, only to have that overturned by Vatican II?
March 22, 2012 at 3:41 am, Victor Boucher said:
No one in the Church is infallible, not even the Pope. Throughout history percentage of popes guilty of moral depravity is about the same as the population at large.
March 24, 2012 at 12:34 am, Marcus Stockley said:
Patrick Hammon
"Love and gratitude". But only for Christains, am I right. All the other non-christains should be forceably converted or failing that shot, am I right? No? Of course not because that would BE REALLY F**KING STUPID!!
March 24, 2012 at 12:40 am, Victor Boucher said:
Patrick Hammon , I no longer call myself Catholic, because I have witnessed the hypocrisy that exists in the Church, and in organized religion in general. I have the intelligence and common sense to draw my own moral conclusions, and that is the way it should be for all people. I do not need a government or a church hierarchy to tell me what is right or wrong. And if the world should end tomorrow, I am comfortable with my standing with God, are you?
March 25, 2012 at 2:56 pm, Jd Kostyk said:
Patrick Hammond is clearly being a satirical troll. I mean no one can say the things like "- try listening to,following and obeying the holy father pope benedict and the catholic catechism of christian doctrine instead of your gay friends." with a straight face can they?
April 13, 2012 at 10:52 pm, Laci Bradshaw said:
Patrick i just hope that you will find it in your heart to let people marry anyone they want and not judge them on it
August 01, 2012 at 4:16 am, Stanley James said:
Patrick Hammon Hammon and Santorum is of the same type of catholic as the pope – who UNexcommunciated a bishop williamson, a holocaust denier in 2009
Some people just have to pay for their own ticket to hell or purgatory
Given the German pope grew up there in the 1930s one would think he wouldnt have UNexcommunicated an abomination – Bishop Williamson but……………
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/erbe/2009/02/05/pope-should-excommunicate-holocaust-denying-bishop-williamson
March 17, 2012 at 11:50 pm, James Peacock said:
I'm neither a Catholics – nor am I a Christian – my religious beliefs are elsewhere – but I sure would not want Santorum on my team. I can't seem to get away from my feeling that the Santorum run – is simply about increasing name recognition – so that he can increase speaker fees.
March 19, 2012 at 4:30 am, Stanley James said:
Unfortunately, Santorums appeal is to the same relgiious culture that gave us slavery, the kkk and segregation
now they have gays in their gunsights.
How many realize that America was the 2nd to last of the western nations to end slavery. And the only one to need a war to do it
And for many of the above described evangelicals / so. Baptists – they are now fighting the civil war all over as their worst nighmare has come true – a black president.
March 17, 2012 at 9:04 pm, Rick Santorum Protest: 2 Men Kiss During Rally, Are Thrown Out – Huffington Post « godissatan.com said:
[...] 'Barraged' By NegativityABC News (blog)PerezHilton.com -Chicago Daily Herald -Death and Taxesall 54 news [...]
March 18, 2012 at 3:46 am, Dbone Garms said:
He was setup and he failed. No way can you run for president and not accept all three genders in America. Go home and cry because, it is all Over!
March 18, 2012 at 2:37 pm, Patrick Hammon said:
all 3 genders – you are one sicko.Turn away from your filth and turn back to GOD!!
March 18, 2012 at 8:13 pm, Patrick Hammon said:
God is love and it is offensive to Him for you to embrace or support sin.
March 19, 2012 at 2:22 am, Hilary Beth Jarvis said:
Patrick Hammon You know, I respect your beliefs because everyone is entitled to their beliefs. But seriously, would your Lord and Savior like your statements?
Jesus taught us about love and tolerance. He said that we're all God's children, no matter if they're lepers, Samaritans, Romans, or Jews.
Your comment says "God is love." Do you follow that statement always? Or do you follow "God is love, but only to Christians. Everyone else is going to Hell just because they think and believe differently than I do."
If that is the case, then I believe that Hell is a better place than Heaven, if Heaven is going to be full of bigoted homophobes.
March 19, 2012 at 2:23 am, Hilary Beth Jarvis said:
Also, I'd like to see if Jesus ever said "Love your neighbor, unless he's gay."
March 19, 2012 at 4:25 am, Stanley James said:
Patrick Hammon btw hammon (isnt Hammon some bad biblical persons name???
there you are calling gays filth etc. Sick pig you are. Whats the matter or what are YOU HIDDING – how nice that kids butt looks to you?
BTW so often people like hammon belong on this list (mostly repubs btw)
http://www.ranker.com/list/top-10-anti-gay-activists-caught-being-gay/joanne
March 23, 2012 at 4:44 am, Benedikt Girardi said:
The Catholic Church and Jesus Teaches love for all. but it teaches to love the sinner not the sin. Homosexuality is wrong to be practiced and is a sin, but we still love everyone. Everyone is a child of God but we choose which path we're going to take and it seems like more often than not God grieves over our choices.
August 01, 2012 at 4:24 am, Stanley James said:
Patrick Hammon Hammons all over the blogs showing his hate of gay people and his attempt to force them to follow his "beliefs"
His beliefs are rooted in Leviticus, as are all xtian and jewish anti gay beliefs
Maybe we should first enforce the other parts of leviticus on Hammon, Santorum etc
wearing clothers of different clothes, eating pigmeat of shell fish, working on the sabbath (which one btw)
If we enforced these on Hammon and Sanitorium, we 'd be rid of them for good.
Maybe they will solve their problems for us.
March 18, 2012 at 5:18 am, David Fowler said:
Santorum is obviously not really interested in getting the Catholic vote. It's the hardcore lunatic Protestant Evangelical vote that he's going after with all the bile he can spew.
August 01, 2012 at 4:20 am, Stanley James said:
the same bible that justified slavery as per the bible and justified bans on inter-racial marriage to protect the sanctity of the white race.
March 18, 2012 at 3:10 pm, Jasmine Rivvy Jobe said:
Patrick you're sad. God is Love.
March 19, 2012 at 4:28 am, Stanley James said:
jasmine – for some its a crutch for them to hide behind. They should be hopping there is no heaven or hell, because it sure wouldnt be heaven they are going to in the end.
IMHO we are kind of like annual plants. We are born, we live, we create our next generation, and then we die. Maybe its so simple – the price of living is dying.
Just something to ponder while we laugh about the god zealots. Hopefully they dont know how to fly planes
March 23, 2012 at 4:45 am, Benedikt Girardi said:
The Catholic Church and Jesus Teaches love for all. but it teaches to love the sinner not the sin. Homosexuality is wrong to be practiced and is a sin, but we still love everyone. Everyone is a child of God but we choose which path we're going to take and it seems like more often than not God grieves over our choices.
August 01, 2012 at 4:21 am, Stanley James said:
Benedikt Girardi So many people read the love the sinner hate the sin as hate the sinner.
I'm sure the bishops understand that issue and still push the saying, which btw is not rooted in any christian tradition.
they made it up and I told you why
March 19, 2012 at 10:46 am, In case you missed it: crowd chants ‘U-S-A’ as two men interrupt Rick Santorum speech with a kiss | Death and Taxes said:
[...] weekend away from the internet, well done. But if you want to catch up, check out this video from Rick Santorum‘s stump speech at the Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights, IL on Friday. Two men [...]
March 19, 2012 at 3:49 pm, Tennerson Fox said:
Patrick Hammon
"crap – he is a true catholic.Catholic teaching is that homosexuality is a grave sin against God and.
against moral and natural law. You are in the wrong church mate – try the obama abortion church – you might fit in there".
Catholicism and Christianity is a Religion of Convenience, norms and Customs. It has nothing to do with the Worshipping of "GOD," boys "A**S**SES could be violated, Muslim Women and their Daughters Can be Murdered and Rape Once these things are done in the "NAME OF JESUS" bla**s*t*e*d Hypocrites.
THY WILL BE DONE:11112011-11112929.
March 20, 2012 at 4:29 pm, Patrick Hammon said:
What are you smoking mr.Fox?
March 20, 2012 at 7:04 pm, Tennerson Fox said:
Patrick Hammon : The Same thing you Smoke to be a Hypocrite.
April 02, 2012 at 12:32 am, Chris Griebert said:
As a man who went through the same Catholic school system that thousands of other children went through, I find it appalling that in this day and age we find people who encourage people like Rick Santorum to continue to run for office. It is not out of political animosity or a difference of social beliefs that I can't believe what he says. It is out of moral discontent that he shames what I was taught, that a man such as Christ who accepted all underneath his faith is being represented by a man who uses his name to exclude and destroy the lives of people. That is the difference between the true Christians and Catholics as well. We are brought into a faith of unending forgiveness and safety for anyone who wants regardless of who they are. It doesn't matter if I agree with the sexual orientation, the color of someone's skin or their creed. I understand the teachings that I grew up with and Rick Santorum makes me feel nothing but a deep sense of sadness for those who listen to his speeches that denounce my friends, people who are gay and have saved lives inside of shelters and clinics and call them godless.
April 09, 2012 at 10:29 pm, Eddie Sullivan said:
Rick Santorum Stars in an 80's New Wave Video : http://digg.com/news/politics/rick_santorum_stars_in_an_80_s_new_wave_video.