Only If Hell Freezes Over (Oops, That's Right, CINOs Don't Believe In Hell*)

*So that is why they think it will happen.

Recently a post on America Magazine's website by Michael Sean Winters suggested that Professor Douglas Kmiec, the former Republican pro-lifer (emphasis on former applying to both) who became Obama’s top Catholic apologist during the presidential campaign, would be "the perfect candidate" to become U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See.

Mr. Winters, are you serious????

Apparently, the answer is Yes.

According to a CNA report "Winters argues that Kmiec is the perfect candidate because 'He is a lifelong pro-life legal scholar who served as head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Departments of both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He was Dean of the Catholic University Law School and now teaches law at Pepperdine. His published works evidence a find (sic) legal mind and thorough familiarity with the natural law tradition that has been the dominant lens for Catholic social thought. Kmiec would be well known to prominent American churchmen in the Eternal City and a jewel in the crown of the intellectual milieu that surrounds the Holy See.'"

Winters goes on to say "Kmiec’s pro-life credentials, despite some carping from the far right political fringe, are impeccable. Indeed, given that the American bishops have chosen opposition to FOCA as their greeting to the new president, Kmiec gives the bishops some satisfaction since he testified against the measure at its inception in the 1980s."

Has Winters read anything that Kmiec said during the recent election cycle? Kmiec has basically disavoided every Pro-Life view he ever had.

Even before I came across this article from CNA, I had heard about the idea that Kmiec might be in line for the Vatican appointment. I said to myself: "It will happen only if Obama wants to completely alienate the Vatican."

So when I read that CNA contacted an official from the Vatican's Secretary of State department, the reaction didn't surprize me at all. He said bluntly: "it will never happen." He offered his reaction on a strict condition of anonymity. (Given how diplomacy works, I am not surprized at his request.)

The official gave several excellent reasons. He "noted that prominent American Catholics at the Vatican -such as Cardinal James Francis Stafford or Archbishop Raymond Burke- look at Kmiec as a 'traitor,' and 'their opinion will certainly count heavily.' "

He went on to point out that the most important factor "is that the Holy See will not risk alienating vital U.S. Catholic organizations like the Knights of Columbus or the American branch of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, 'whose role in the life of the universal Church is decisive, and who have already expressed publicly their disappointment with Kmiec's role in the recent elections.'" (This is true, very true. But the CINOs have already launched their attack on this groups, including a group of so called KCs who supported Obama & attacked the Supreme Knights Pro-Life statements.)

He also explained that the Vatican is "obviously interested in having a good relationship with the greatest power in the world," but such relationships usually flow "through different parallel channels and not only the Embassy."

He went on. "'Despite the importance of a good relationship with the U.S., the Secretary of State privileges the relationship with nations with which it has concordats,' that is to say, international agreements that provide some recognition and support to the public presence of the Catholic Church, such as state support for religious education."

The official went on to explain that the Vatican may not accept Kmiec even if he should be appointed by Obama & approved by Congress. "If the office [the Vatican's Secretary of State] withholds the 'placet' –the official acceptance—from the appointees from Argentina and France, it could easily do the same [to Kmiec]" because "[we] would not risk alienating many U.S. Catholic organizations."

& yes, the Vatican could do that. In fact, it recently has, twice. "The Secretary of State official was referring to the recent Vatican decisions to deny the ‘placet’ to a French Ambassador to the Vatican because he was openly homosexual and to an Argentinean because he was divorced and remarried."

So how does this apply to Kmiec? "Of course Mr. Kmiec is in neither of those situations, but for the Secretary of State it is far more important to maintain a good relationship with, say, Mr. Anderson (the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus,) who is an active member of several Vatican dicasteries, than to please Mr. Kmiec and his friends in the new administration."

The official was clearly aware of the attacks on those Catholics, especially Bishops who stood up for authentic Catholic teaching on the Life Issues. "Those who the article refers so disrespectfully as 'extremists on the right,' or 'the far right political fringe,' are the serious, loyal Catholics [the Vatican] precisely takes into account, because they are the ones who are there when the Church needs them." (Unlike Winters et al, who are CINOs.)

"Finally, regarding Winters’ claim that 'Kmiec could do for the Democratic administration what (Mary Ann) Glendon has done for its predecessor," the official told CNA: "to be charitable, I will just say that I seriously doubt it.'"

After this, if Winters, the gang at America & Kmiec still think it is possible, then I wish to add a few more names to my list of those who are delusional. Sadly, rather than getting the psycholgical help they need, they will be encouraged in their delusions to the eternal risk of their immortal souls.

(Source: Why Kmiec will not become the new Vatican Ambassador via Bad Doug. No Diplomatic Bone.)