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Does Santorum Represent Catholics? Fans, Foes Argue
Fellow alums of Carmel High School say he doesn't practice the type of Catholicism taught at the school; Santorum campaign director has a response. Plus, they have pro- and anti-Santorum Facebook pages.
Matt Muchowski, Toni Weaver and Jon Zahm all attended Catholic schools, but disagree strongly over Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum's views.
They also disagree on whether Santorum represents the Catholic values taught at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein.
"I was once where he is now, but I've grown," said Weaver, who, like Santorum and Muchowski, graduated from the school.
Facebook wars and Santorum protest
The three, and others, are on opposite sides on Facebook.
After starting the "Carmel Catholic Alumni Against Rick Santorum" Facebook page (with 403 likes), Matt Muchowski used it to organize a protest outside Santorum's planned rally Friday in Niles.
Note: Just before posting this story, Niles-Morton Grove Patch learned the rally has been moved to Arlington Heights, and that there will be 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. events.
"Santorum has really built a career on hating the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) movement," said Muchowski.
"For a candidate who keeps talking about how Catholic he is, a majority of Catholics don't agree with his views. And on issues like the war and immigrants, his positions don't align with the teaching of the Catholic bishops."
Zahm, Santorum's Illinois campaign director, countered by noting that other Carmel alumni have created the Carmel Catholic High School For Rick Santorum page on Facebook, with 360 likes.
"These people (on the anti-Santorum page) are simply a disaffected minority and I don't put a lot of credence in their numbers," said Zahm.
True nature of Catholicism
Weaver, who has liked the anti-Santorum page on Facebook, said that Carmel taught St. John of the Cross' statements that Catholicism is about love, compassion, forgiveness and acceptance. She does not see Santorum's views, widely characterized in the media as intolerant to homosexuals, as consistent with that.
As a member of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and the mother of a gay son, she said she wished Santorum would listen more to gay people's heartfelt stories and, through that experience, become more accepting.
"I would hope Santorum would grow as he sits and talks to gay people. That's how hearts and minds are changed, by talking to people one on one and sharing a journey," she said.
Church's view on traditional marriage
Zahm said he thinks those on the anti-Santorum Facebook page have it wrong.
"The Catholic Church teaches the sanctity of life and traditional marriage and I think the people who are protesting Santorum are not in line with Catholic faith. So I think it's ironic they're protesting," he said.
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Geneva Toledano
9:57 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Santorum is a fool.
Yukon Kizmiaz
5:58 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Rick Santorum - greatest mind of the 13th Century.
Fr. Jack Kearney
9:36 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Atltho Santorum may side with the Church on abortion and marriage, he clearly opposes the Church on capital punishment, immigration, unions, health care, and welfare. He really isn't all that Catholic....
Charles Bolser
2:09 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
I quote James Joyce; the Catholic Church is "here comes everybody". There is no one voice within the Catholic Church or any other religion - there are myriads of voices - it is always both/and; not either/or. We are inclusive of the cacaphony of voices from around the world, reflecting all cultures and ideas; always struggling to better understand.
discproductions
4:10 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Santorum is not Catholic...remember, he was the Congressman that practically eliminated welfare (see statements made recently by Catholic Bishops) under the Clinton administration. He is a right-wing, status quo throwback. Worse, he is not the leader type and reminds me of the comedian, Seinfeld. Do we really want Seinfeld as the president of the United States?
Jean Hughes
4:44 pm on Saturday, March 17, 2012
No person should be told whal the can or can not.The goverment has no right to tell
any person what they can do with our sealf.vote eny one buy. OBAMA
Jean Hughes
4:56 pm on Saturday, March 17, 2012
That is so right, I my self Obama He is trying to take over eve
thing I truely belive he will try and make every and make us like Canada,
dianaghughes
7:55 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
For a person who claims to be "religious," Santorum certainly doesn't follow the rule of "treat others as you wish to be treated." Besides, this election is for the leader of the American people who practice many, many, many religions. Soooooo, who cares whether or not he is Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Christian, Mormon, etc. His religion has NOTHING to do with the way our country is lead ... we need a President who can bring our country back to a government "OF THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE." And, a leader who is HONEST, LISTENS to others, and NEGOTIATES for the benefit of ALL Americans.
Mac Iam
9:14 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
there is no god, the question is irrelevent.
kdfam
5:35 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
Rick Santorum would be a great leader for our nation in times when there are so many people struggling. He is honest, has strong morals and values ~ just look at his family! They are incredible! The fact that he is a loving father of 7 and loves his disabled daughter should earn people's respect and admiration!
You know someone who lives such a life would make a great president. Watching him work tirelessly, giving speeches in gymnasiums ~ and not posh hotels. . . .he is just proving that he is a hard working American to whom we all should be able to relate. We have the utmost in respect for anyone who truly lives the beliefs of their faith. Those "catholics" who don't like him ~ they are the ones who are dissent with Rome, not Rick!
Dan Fuller
12:16 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
This man frightens me! A fanatic is a fanatic regardless of whether or not they are Christin, Jew, Muslim, etc. To suggest he deserves extra respect for being a father of 7 children... isn't that expected? They are his children and it is his responsibility to care for them. This should not be something that goes to a heightened respectability factor. The man would turn this country into what our founding fathers worked so hard to avoid, a country dictated by a religous majority. Does anyone out there read or learn from history? It is a very sad state of affairs today. I never thought I would be ashamed of being an American.
Joan
12:52 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Obama frightens me He wants to take away religious freedom
kdfam
4:22 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Honestly, we do NOT see Rick Santorum as a fanatic at all. We see him as a well educated, with honesty and morals that prove he knows right from wrong.
President Obama is the one we see as fanatic. . . he wants to take away religious freedom and he supports infanticide, YUCK.
We trust Rick Santorum. . . .we DON"T trust our current president at all.
Joe
12:38 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
He is a grifter.
To say he gave little to charity from his million plus income because his special needs daughter has expenses not covered by insurance while he doesn't care about healthcare for people without that kind of income is about as far from god as you can get.
He is scary!
Jean Hughes
5:05 pm on Saturday, March 17, 2012
That is write how ever I will voye for any ( not obama )
Julie Ann Hamlet
11:01 am on Sunday, March 18, 2012
I am a graduate of Carmel Catholic high school and attended Catholic schools for 13 years. We were never taught anything in school about homosexuality being immoral or unnatural, and the issue of birth control was never mentioned. Religious voters seem to be letting politicians inform them on their faith, which is a really dangerous thing. Santorum and others like him are making religious issues where none exist in order to polarize people and manipulate the religious into voting for them. Santorumdoes not represent Catholics' faith, but is promoting the illusion that he does. He is a hypocrite, and his refusal to help the poor and the disabled and his insistence that "smaller government" includes systematically denying women and gays their rights on a religious basis is disgusting. Maybe if women could afford to raise their children, educate and feed their families, and had free access to birth control, there would be far less need for abortions.
Dave
1:00 am on Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Santorum is better than Obama who hates Catholics, sat in a racist church (Rev. Jeremiah Wright) for 10 years without walking out in disgust, Obama supports killing fetuses (abortion), and Obama appoints Marxist, secularists in all parts of his admn. The LGBT agenda isn't about "rights", all Americans already have rights. The queer agenda is an "anti" movement steeped in hate of everything Julie's ancestors and the Carmelites stand for. Wake up, you're very naive.