A Stolen Election:

Portent of Things To Come?

By A. J. Matt, Jr. Editor

May 8, 1997

Let's face it! Bob Dornan had his congressional seat stolen from him. And  some of the thieves involved in this flagrant abuse of the electoral process  were either in the employ of, or associated with, Catholic organizations or  groups receiving funding from the Catholic Church.

Readers of The Wanderer have long known of the radical political  activities engaged in by priests, nuns, and Catholic laity associated with  CHD-funded groups and other Alinsky-type operations, but the apparent complicity  of members of official Catholic organizations in illicit activities in  California's 46th Congressional District's election contest last fall raises new  and ominous questions.

Has the Catholic Church in some dioceses become an active participant in  advancing the Democratic Party's objectives? Does such activity have the tacit  support of the bishops in these dioceses, or is this yet another instance of  diocesan middle-management bureaucrats following their own agenda and using the  power and influence of the Catholic Church to attain their goals? Are the  financial contributions to the Church by faithful Catholics being  misappropriated and misused for political ends? The evidence so far uncovered by  various investigations into the voting irregularities in California's 46th  suggests these are legitimate questions that must be addressed.

Chief among other grave concerns at issue  in this burgeoning scandal is the integrity, honesty, and authority of the  electoral process - the basic element in our entire governmental system. So  important is the electoral process to sound government that over the years, the  United States has sent observers to dozens of countries to monitor elections. Is  our country's electoral system becoming so corrupt as to warrant teams of  international observers to monitor its fairness?

And what about the integrity of the Catholic Church? If ever it were  established that the Church has become involved in partisan politics, it could  be the end of it in the United States. How ironic, that at a time when faithful  Catholics are literally begging priests and bishops for sound, authentic,  authoritative teaching about doctrine and morality, we see growing evidence of  Church involvement in partisan politics. And how timely that a high Vatican  official, Archbishop Paul Cordes, has lately warned about the danger to the  Church's mission if her agencies become associated with political movements or  government projects. "Political action can imprison its actors," he  declared.

We don't know to what extent, if any, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles or the  Diocese of Orange or their agencies may be complicit in the stolen election, but  the allegations already voiced should serve as a strong warning to every  diocesan bishop in the United States to rein in those clerical and other  partisan activists who inhabit their chanceries and other diocesan agencies  before any more is done.

Finally, we would urge every one of our readers immediately to write his or  her congressman to insist that the House of Representatives authorize a  comprehensive, exhaustive, and absolutely objective investigation into the  election irregularities that occurred last fall in California's 46th  Congressional District. We would be surprised if such a probe would not result  in the House ordering a new election.

Might we make one more observation and recommendation to our thousands of  loyal and enthusiastic readers. In the past several years, The Wanderer has chronicled and documented instance after instance of Church agencies and  individual Catholics in official Church positions promoting, advocating, and  supporting activities and ideas inimical to the Church and faithful Catholics.  Bishops supporting the homosexualist agenda, the latest scandals involving CHD,  the co-opting of an archbishop by radical leftists to repeat the anti-Semitic  libel against Fr.Paul Marx, O.S.B., and now the stolen election are but the most  recent examples.

But where else can Catholics turn to have access to this kind of troubling,  but absolutely essential information? If things are to be changed, many more  faithful Catholics must have access to the kind of reporting and analysis  available to Wanderer readers. For the next three months we will provide  a complimentary copy of The Wanderer's bestselling The Legacy of CHD and a complimentary copy of our yet-unpublished booklet on the stolen  election to each new reader enrolled by means of a one-year gift subscription  from our present readers. Thus during May, June, and July, each new reader you  enroll with a $40.00 annual subscription will receive both of these informative  and invaluable booklets.

Only you as an active reader of The Wanderer know how important and  necessary is the information presented in this journal. We ask your  participation in, and generous support of, this vital effort, When you order  gift subscriptions, mention our special complimentary offer of the two  booklets.

We are most grateful for your generous and enthusiastic support of The  Wanderer's apostolate and remember you daily in our prayers.