Catholic Church Leaders Become Involved in US Presidential C

 

Jim Malone

The Catholic Church inserted itself into the U.S. presidential race Friday. A top Vatican cardinal¹ said in Rome that Catholic politicians who support abortion² rights should be denied communion at Mass. The comment sparked a reaction from the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, who happens to be a Catholic.
At a Vatican news conference, Cardinal Francis Arinze said priests should deny the sacrament of communion to any Catholic politician who supports the right of a woman to have an abortion.
But the cardinal fell short of singling out Senator Kerry who has long supported abortion rights.
The Kerry campaign issued a statement saying that religion should not be an issue in U.S. politics. A Kerry spokesman said the candidate would make decisions as president based on his obligations to the people and to the U.S. Constitution, not on the basis of religion.
If elected, Senator Kerry would become only the second Catholic president in U.S. history, following John Kennedy who was elected in 1960.
Senator Kerry reaffirmed his support for abortion rights Friday at a rally in Washington hosted by several women's groups that are supporting his candidacy.
"As President Clinton said so often and I think everyone here agrees, abortion should be rare but it should be safe and legal and the government should stay out of the bedrooms of Americans," he said.
Abortion figures once again to be a divisive issue in the November election campaign with Democrats⁴ warning that a victory by President Bush would allow him to appoint anti-abortion justices to the U.S. Supreme⁵ Court. The high court legalized abortion in 1973.
On the other side of the issue, Republicans are mobilizing abortion opponents to turn out and vote in November. Anti-abortion activists⁶, many of them conservative Christians⁷, are considered an important constituency within the Republican Party.
Vice⁸ President Dick Cheney spoke³ to members of the National Right to Life Committee earlier this week. "All that matters is your respect for the claims of innocent life. To be part of this cause is to believe that every mother carrying new life and every child waiting to be born deserves understanding and compassion," he said.
On Sunday, tens of thousands of abortion rights supporters are expected in Washington for a march and rally intended to highlight abortion as an election year issue.

注释：
catholic [5kAWElik] adj. 天主教的
Vatican [5vAtikEn] n. 梵蒂冈，罗马教廷
cardinal [5kB:dinEl] n.〈天主教〉红衣主教
abortion [E5bC:FEn] n. 流产
presumptive [pri5zQmptiv] adj. 假定的，推测的
priest [pri:st] n. 神父，牧师
sacrament [5sAkrEmEnt] n. 圣事，圣礼
communion [kE5mju:niEn] n. 宗教团体
reaffirm [5ri:E5fE:m] vt. 重申
Supreme Court 最高法院
constituency [kEn5stitjuEnsi] n. 全体选民
innocent [5inEsnt] adj. 清白的，无罪的

1 cardinal   

n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的

参考例句：

• This is a matter of cardinal significance.这是非常重要的事。
• The Cardinal coloured with vexation. 红衣主教感到恼火，脸涨得通红。

2 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。