Newt Gringrich

[sheila0405]

It was announced via EWTN news that New Gingrich “became a Catholic”. Odd phrasing–usually a convert is said to have “entered the Catholic Church”. This is a matter of semantics, I know, but the subtle nuance speaks volumes for me. Entering the Catholic Church is more than merely “becoming” Catholic, as if one changes a label. The first thing that came to mind for me when I read this story was “What about his divorces?” Mr Gingrich has been married three times, and divorced twice. This is very tricky–he would have needed to have both of his previous marriages annulled. And, what of his current wife? Was she Catholic when she married him? If so, she was committing adultery, a grave sin. I hope that at some point clarifications are made concerning all of these marriages and divorces, and how they were settled during his conversion process. The non-Catholic world already sees the Church as out of step with today’s “modern” values. If the Church gives the impression that Mr Gingrich entered without the necessary annulments, it will create a scandal. And, of course, if there were no annulments, then that is a huge scandal.

 

[Stjudeprayforus]

I am sure his parish did everything needed.

I went through RCIA last year… I am divorced. I wasnt married to a Catholic, I wasnt Catholic, we werent married in a Catholic church so … no annulment was needed.

I also think his wife is a Catholic so… they would have had thier marriage renewed as part of the pocess.

Adultery… yes a sin… however… that is what confession is for.

Its between Newt and God… not us.

 

[didymus]

NewsMax:

Gingrich to Become Catholic During Easter Season

Conservative author and former House speaker Newt Gingrich will celebrate the Easter season this year in a very special way – by converting to Roman Catholicism.

“I have become increasingly drawn to Catholicism over the past several years while attending Mass with my wife, Callista,” Gingrich tells Newsmax. “ After prayer and reflection, I believe this is where God has led me. I’m looking forward with great joy to being received into full communion with the Catholic Church.”

Rumors of the religious conversion began circulating last month when Gingrich, a Baptist since college, told The New York Times that he had been exploring a reaffirmation of the role of religion in public life and found himself increasingly attracted to his wife’s Roman Catholic faith.

Gingrich recently criticized the University of Notre Dame for choosing President Barack Obama as a commencement speaker. The Fox News contributor sent messages via micro-blogging service Twitter saying: “It is sad to see Notre Dame invite President Obama to give the commencement address since his policies are so anti Catholic values."

Callista Gingrich is a member of the Choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., a resident professional choir. In April 2008, the choir sang for Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to the United States.

Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Washington, told AOL Political Machine blogger Patricia Murphy that she couldn’t comment about the specifics of any one person’s conversion, adding that Gingrich is “in proper standing with the Catholic Church,” and, “any obstacles to joining the church have been resolved.”

                                  © 2009 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

 

[josephdavid]

I am curious how his first two marriages were annuled being that he had children with his first marriage and the second and third relationships began while he was married.

 

[sheila0405]

I am curious how his first two marriages were annuled being that he had children with his first marriage and the second and third relationships began while he was married.

Good points!

 

[sheila0405]

In the end, we must accept the statement that any obstacles were resolved. And, hey, we need his voice on the issues. I am thankful he is taking a stand on the Notre Dame issue.

 

[YADA]

I am curious how his first two marriages were annuled being that he had children with his first marriage and the second and third relationships began while he was married.

Having children nor committing adultry are not issues for whether or not a sacramental marriage was contracted or not …

People tend to think of issues like children and/or adultry as "grounds’ by which an annullment will be denied or granted …

But the annullment investigation looks at the marriage itself and the conditions that the marriage was contracted … if there is an impediment to the marriage from its foundation, then no sacramental marriage ever existed - though a civil marriage may have - and most times did].

Civil marriages can be determined null as well. Even in the civil system, an decree of nullity means that no marriage existed … Example, I had a friend who marrried a man, a year later she found out he was married to another woman [he had deceived her] when they had gotten married. She received a civil annullment because due to his previous marriage [never ended by divorce] he was not legally able to contract a marriage with her …

I am certain that Mr. Gingrich dealt with his previous marriages before he entered the Church.

As for the poster who entered the chruch last year - previously married to a non catholic as a non catholic … there must be another reason that you did not need an annullment - because the Church recognizes the marriages between non-catholics as valid and sacramental - even when the marriages are performed before a justice of the peace …

I do not need to know more nor is it my business … perhaps you are not remarried, nor are considering re-marriage … Unless a person desires to contract another marriage, they can enter the church ad recive all the sacraments, divirce in and of itself does not prevent one from recieving the Eucharist …

I just did not want someone thinking that marriages between non catholics that end in divorce before conversion do not need inquiry if one of those divorced non catholics enters the church later - especially if they were going to marry again or had entered into another marriage - while that could be the case in certain circumstances it is not always true …

 

[o_mlly]

If the Lord moved Saul, can He not move Newt? If the Lord forgave Saul, the persecutor of Jesus, will He not forgive Newt?

Perhaps the Lord’s plan for Newt, as did His plan for Paul, requires both first enter His church.

Peace,
O’Malley

 

[KateD]

Wonderful news - welcome Mr. Gingrich!

 

[Mijoy2]

Wonderful news - welcome Mr. Gingrich!

Yes, truly wonderful. I hope we can leave it at that and (especially here in the charible CAF) we can assume all was properly formed and simply welcome him home!!

 

[Paganus]

Welcome home, Mr. Gingrich!

 

[Nordar]

Yes welcome home, I do not think it is any of our businees about his previous life.
God call’s all to repent of our sins, and come to him.
He walked with the thieves and the criminals, he forgave prostitutes. who are we to say that Newt Gingrigh is not allowed in the Church?

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

I am curious how his first two marriages were annuled being that he had children with his first marriage and the second and third relationships began while he was married.

Having sat on several marriage tribunal hearings, I can say that the answer to this is clearly none of our business, including mine. It is not privy to anyone other than those who were on the tribunal.

Welcome home, Mr. Gingrich!

This is the statement that we should all be expressing with happiness and prayer for his new found home. To this statement, I also say, “Welcome home Mr Speaker”.

 

[didymus]

According to Fr. Z Mr Gingrich will be interviewed by Mike Wallace on Fox News Sunday tonight & talk about his conversion.

Check local listings, as they say.

 

[garysibio]

A lot of times, when people have made a mess out of their lives as seems to be the case with Gingrich’s marital history, we need to acknowledge that there is just no good way of setting things right again without making the situation worse. Since there seems to be as many questions here about the situation as answers, perhaps we should just trust those in the know and rejoice that a sheep has been returned to the fold.

Gary

 

[jmcdzzz]

I am sure his parish did everything needed.

Its between Newt and God… not us.

AMEN Bro. I think it’s interesting though that he has a more pro-life stance as a Baptist than Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Ted Kennedy: all supposedly life-long, cradle Catholics.

 

[dawgfan]

According to Fr. Z Mr Gingrich will be interviewed by Mike Wallace on Fox News Sunday tonight & talk about his conversion.

Check local listings, as they say.

Transcript from FNS posted on the website of the AJC
blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2009/04/05/gingrich-on-his-conversion-to-catholicism/?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

WALLACE: You have — it’s no secret — been married and divorced twice. Will you be able to participate fully in communion and all the other rites of the Catholic Church?

GINGRICH: Yes, we have done everything within the law of the church, following all of the rules of the church over the last 10 years. And it’s been a process. It’s been a very long process and something which was deeply affected, in part, by Pope Benedict XVI’s visit and the opportunity I had to sit in — as you know, my wife, Calista, sings at the basilica every Sunday, and I was allowed as a spouse to be there as part of the vespers program when the pope came. It’s been a long process.