{"id":24922,"date":"2013-07-25T21:05:23","date_gmt":"2013-07-26T01:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/?p=24922"},"modified":"2016-01-29T09:06:00","modified_gmt":"2016-01-29T14:06:00","slug":"should-priests-endorse-candidates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2013\/07\/should-priests-endorse-candidates\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Priests Endorse Candidates?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

With all the frenzy about the unfortunately-named\u00a0Anthony Weiner<\/a>,<\/strong> it can be easy to forget that there are other people running for the mayor of New York. \u00a0One of them is John Catsimatidis<\/a>,<\/strong> a Greek American businessman. He\u2019s not that well-known to many New Yorkers, so he\u2019s trying to get his name and image out there with a lot of TV ads, including the one below.<\/p>\n

It features something I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen before: a priest speaking on behalf of the candidate. I\u2019m not sure this qualifies as a full-fledged endorsement, but it\u2019s certainly pro-Catsimatidis and gives the unmistakable impression that the priest is in his corner.<\/p>\n

Now, there\u2019s nothing in canon law that says a priest can\u2019t do this. And, in context, this is very mild. But it seems perilously close to violating the political activity guidelines of the IRS<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>(particularly since he\u2019s doing it in his capacity as director of a nonprofit Catholic food pantry.)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

UPDATE<\/strong>: A deacon who clearly knows canon law better than I do points out:<\/p>\n

Canon 285 directs that \u201cclerics are to refrain completely from all those things which are unbecoming to their state, according to the prescripts of particular law.\u201d The canon continues in \u00a73: \u201cClerics are forbidden to assume public offices which entail a participation in the exercise of civil power,\u201d and \u00a74 forbids clerics from \u201csecular offices which entail an obligation of rendering accounts. . . .\u201d Canon 287, \u00a71 reminds all clerics that \u201cmost especially, [they] are always to foster the peace and harmony based on justice which are to be observed among people,\u201d and \u00a72 directs that \u201cthey are not to have an active part in political parties and in governing labor unions unless, in the judgment of competent ecclesiastical authority, the protection of the rights of the Church or the promotion of the common good requires it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Check out the ad below and see what you think.<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/youtu.be\/HzoItYX_c3g<\/a>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With all the frenzy about the unfortunately-named\u00a0Anthony Weiner, it can be easy to forget that there are other people running for the mayor of New York. \u00a0One of them is John Catsimatidis, a Greek American businessman. 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