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CMQ Catches Up With . . . Ray Flynn At the Crossroads of Church and State
Flynn grew up in South Boston, a heavily Irish-Catholic enclave that has been featured in such movies as Good Will Hunting. He is quintessential Boston Irish. A standout athlete as a young man, he has been called one of the greatest athletes to emerge from Boston, was an All-American basketball player at Providence College, and the last man cut by the Boston Celtics in 1964. A wildly popular politician, he was one of Boston’s most popular mayors. A devout Catholic, he was the United States Ambassador to the Vatican under President Clinton, where he had the privilege to spend much time with Pope John Paul II. A man of principles that are “pro-life, pro-family, pro-poor” and a lifelong Democrat, Flynn finds himself now in a struggle for the very soul of the party that once claimed the unquestioned allegiance of the vast majority of Catholic Americans. The standoff over Catholic pro-choice politicians’ reception of the Eucharist did not just develop overnight. In fact, one might say that this was a fight picked by the Democratic Party leadership through its marginalization and stifling of any pro-life sentiment within the ranks at the national level. One of the most clear signs of things to come occurred at the Democratic National Convention in 1992 when Bob Casey, the Catholic governor of the always critical state of Pennsylvania, was denied the right to address the assembly, precisely because of his pro-life views. Flynn remembers his reaction at the time. “I was upset, and I couldn’t understand it. It became clear to me that the party had been taken over by liberal elitists.” Interestingly, the paths of Flynn and Casey did not first cross in the political arena, but rather in the garden, the old Boston Garden that is, where Flynn was a ballboy. “I loved Holy Cross. One of the players I got to know was Bob “Spike” Casey from Scranton, PA. Holy Cross had great teams back then with players like Bob Cousy, Tommy Heinsohn, and Togo Palazzi.” Saddened by what he terms the takeover of his party by “liberal elites,” Flynn said he can see how the Democrats are losing their grip on blue-collar voters in the statistics from his own district. “My district used to be 90-91% Democrat, now it’s about 60%. A lot of them feel that the Party has ignored them.” Asked to comment on the Communion controversy, Flynn said, “There has to be some level of discipline. Catholic politicians who want to be Catholic on Election Day, but vote consistently against the teachings of the Faith…They can’t have it both ways.” He believes that it is imperative that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops take a unified stand on the matter. “One bishop says this; the other bishop says that,” he laments. “I hope they take action before the election.” (*For Flynn’s reaction to the decision by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to leave the issue to the discretion of individual bishops, see the Q&A below.) Flynn is frustrated by the level of apathy he detects among Catholic voters and voters in general. Rooted in the community where both he and his wife were raised, and where they raised their children, he remembers when things were different. “When I was a kid, there would be 600 people going to political meetings.” His efforts to reinvigorate the Catholic voters of the country are beginning anew in Massachusetts and are focused upon Catholic Citizenship, which he describes as a public-policy organization committed to social and economic justice, life, human rights, and the stability of the family. Boston’s Archbishop Sean O’Malley recently described Flynn as a “courageous, effective, and compassionate political voice in America…(whose) knowledge and experience will be a great asset to the many concerned Catholics who strive to be informed voters, patriotic citizens and loyal Catholics.” Tracing voter apathy to a feeling of powerlessness among average people, Flynn identifies two culprits: big money and the media. One area in which he sees the negative influence of the media is in its portrayal of pro-lifers. “Unfortunately, some in the media often try to portray them as extremist religious fanatics, but they would do the public a service by reporting what these fine people have to say, rather than ignoring them or trying to discredit them.” He also notes that much of the media is very selective about who goes on the air and who reports the news. “Why do we not hear the faithful Catholic’s point of view?” (As many of our readers already know, when the “Catholic” point of view is desired by most of the major news networks, it is usually presented by a well-known dissenter from Church teaching. Some Catholic view.) What does Flynn make of the many in the media and the Democratic party raising the all-too predictable accusation of the Church meddling in politics and supposed violations of Church/State relations? Not much. “The Church does not try to exercise political power or eliminate the freedom of opinion of Catholics. Instead, they believe it is their responsibility and moral obligation to, in the pope’s words, ‘illuminate the consciences of the faithful, particularly those involved in political life so that their actions may always serve the integral promotion of the human person and the common good.’” Though he has traveled the world and has developed close relationships with many prominent figures, Ray Flynn remains a neighborhood guy and family man. On the day of this interview, five or six baby strollers were parked outside his home in South Boston, and an equal number of babies parked inside. Flynn and his wife, Kathy, have been blessed with six children and now are enjoying their nine grandchildren. Not surprisingly in a man so abundantly blessed, it is in the nation’s youth that Ray Flynn sees great cause for optimism. In that, he is not unlike the Pope with whom he has spent so much time. Recently he addressed the graduating class at St. Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in Merrimack, New Hampshire, where he urged the graduates to be faithful Catholics and active citizens. Excerpts from his speech, which reads like a clarion call to action, follow: “Lay Catholics need to get more pro-actively involved in the civic life of their Church and country. It is simply not enough, and usually too late, to respond to decisions and policies already determined by courts and politicians about issues important to the values and principles of our country, Church and family. Church leaders should encourage this kind of effort by lay Catholics, but I wouldn’t expect them to lead it. “Over the past 30 years, Catholics have become political spectators, allowing others to speak and decide issues for them and their families. During this period, many Catholic elected officials have bowed to the pressure of powerful special interest groups and the media and turned their backs on the traditional values and teachings of the Catholic faith. They have done this for the sake of political expediency…. Of course, too many prominent Catholics will be afraid to rock the boat and buck the status quo. After all, they would have to step on some powerful toes, and that’s not to their personal, financial or political advantage. “…I’m optimistic about you and your generation. I think you have what it takes to turn things around and make a positive difference in our Church and country. I see you are well-educated, determined and motivated. You’ve observed what has been going on in our country and Church and you’re not happy with the direction. My generation of Catholics let the Church down, but you understand the challenge ahead and are committed to help things turn around.” Q&A CMQ: You were often called the Lech Walesa of Boston politics. Why? Flynn: Lech Walesa is a devout Catholic, a union electrician who led the anti-Communist movement in Poland, who later became president of Poland. I supported him in his cause, including raising money for the striking workers in Gdansk Ship Yard. I was a union dockworker who, like Walesa, knew and admired Pope John Paul II. Walesa and I became good friends through the years. CMQ: Who are some of the people you most admire and what are some of your interests? Flynn: My favorite saint is Thomas More. My favorite U.S. president was FDR. I love Broadway musicals and have seen just about every one for the past 35 years. I also love Irish and Italian music. In my lifetime outside of family, I most admire Pope John Paul II, John W. McCormack (former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives), Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa, and Hubert H. Humphrey. CMQ: You were a great athlete. Who were some of your idols in the world of sports and entertainment? Flynn: Ted Williams, Johnny Unitas, Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays and Gil Hodges. How much time do you have? Andrea Bocelli, Connie Francis, and the Ink Spots are my favorite entertainers, and Dr. Zhivago, The Scarlet and the Black with Gregory Peck, and Chicago are my favorite movies. CMQ: Do you think pro-life Democrats can turn things around in their own party at least to the point where a candidate has a chance to be nominated for President if he is pro-life? Flynn: The Democratic Party was once the party that welcomed everyone. It was also the party that fought for social and economic justice, working class families, the elderly, and the needy. Today, it excludes pro-lifers, faithful Catholics, and it has become more like the Republican Party, a party run by the rich and famous elites who are out of touch with people that I represented. No, a pro-life candidate cannot get nominated to be U.S. President in the Democratic Party. CMQ: What would you like to see the Democratic Party do in the 2004 campaign? Flynn: Welcome back all traditional, blue-collar, working-class Democrats who stopped voting Democratic because of the party’s extremist position on abortion and its refusal to support Catholic judges who are faithful to their values and beliefs. I’d love to hear it said politically at the Democratic National Convention in Boston that the party is open to everyone once again. CMQ: What should Democrats who are dedicated pro-lifers do if the Party continues to ignore them or take them for granted? Flynn: Ignore them. Don’t vote for any pro-choice candidates. CMQ: What can people who feel abandoned by the Democratic Party do? Flynn: They can let their elected officials know of their outrage and promise not to support them. CMQ: Are the bishops who want to hold Catholic politicians accountable for consistently voting against God’s laws on life issues within their rights? Flynn: The bishops are correct when they call on Catholic politicians to be true to their beliefs and values. These politicians want the Catholic vote on Election Day but then ignore their religious and moral values. The Church needs to take a strong stand against Catholic politicians who are hypocritical in what they say as opposed to how they vote. The bishops struck the right moral balance in their recent policy sanctioning Catholic politicians who consistently vote against pro-life legislation. Such politicians will have no place of honor within the Catholic Church. CMQ: Though they did say pro-choice politicians should not be honored by Catholic institutions, the bishops decided not to establish a nationwid policy that would exclude Catholic politicians who support abortion from reception of the Eucharist. Did their decision to leave it up to individual bishops disappoint you? Flynn: Yes, it did. I really think the Church has to speak clearly with one voice on this issue. CMQ: How important will the Catholic vote be in November? Flynn: If Bush receives at least 48% of the Catholic vote, he should be re-elected. If the Democrats are perceived as way out on the left on moral and cultural issues, there will be a political backlash against them. CMQ: What about the Republican party? Flynn: They have never been the party who speaks for the weak, the needy, or poor and working families. That’s why many Democrats have not quit the party. CMQ: Thank you very much, Ambassador Flynn, for your time. Flynn: You’re welcome. In addition to his other accomplishments, Ray Flynn is the author of two books, the bestseller The Accidental Pope, (written with Robin Moore) published by St. Martins Press and John Paul II, The Pope and the Man. |
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