"Catholic" Jim McGreevey Embraces Episcopal Church

From NJ.com:

McGreevey embraces the Episcopal church
Lifelong Catholic lends support to group that promotes gay, lesbian issues

Former [New Jersey] Gov. James E. McGreevey, who struggled to square his Catholic faith with his political positions even before he declared himself a "gay American" last year, has been regularly attending services in the Episcopal church.

A former altar boy [ED: another one, huh, just like John F. Kerry? The term "former altar boy" is usually a CINO dead give-away.] educated in Catholic schools, McGreevey, 48, said at a Hackensack fundraiser last night that for the past several months, he's been splitting time between the Church of the Holy Comforter in Rahway and St. Batholemew's Church in Manhattan.

McGreevey, a Rahway resident, would not say whether his attendance at the two Episcopal churches signaled a break from the Roman Catholic Church, and he declined to answer additional questions posed by a reporter.

"I'm just here to support a good cause tonight," he said.

***
The Episcopal Church is far more liberal on gay rights than the Catholic Church. [ED: No. Really?]

Throughout his political career, McGreevey highlighted his Irish Catholic roots [ED: when it suited him politically, he was "Irish Catholic" just like Kennedy, Kerry (who's not really even Irish), etc.], but some of his personal beliefs [ED: his "personal beliefs"? I thought most of these CINOs claim to be "personally opposed, but ..."] - his support for abortion rights and the death penalty chief among them - run counter to church teachings.

As governor, he signed legislation supporting domestic partnerships and stem cell research, both opposed by the Vatican.

The divide between McGreevey's political positions and the church's stance came to a head in April 2004, when Trenton Bishop John Smith singled out the former governor for criticism.

Days later, a top Vatican official said politicians who don't publicly oppose abortion should be denied Communion. In response, McGreevey said he would no longer take Communion in public, but the issue clearly frustrated him.

The Vatican, he said at the time, was forcing on politicians a "false choice between one's faith and the importance of governing in an open, democratic society."

It was shortly after the Communion flap that local Episcopal officials first reached out to McGreevey, said the Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Chatham.

"After that whole fiasco with the Roman Catholic Church, when they said they wouldn't give him Communion because of his position on abortion, some of us -- I was one of them -- spoke to him privately and said, 'Have you thought about the Episcopal church?'" said Kaeton, who was among those attending last night's fundraiser. "That kind of evangelism works." [ED: The language used isn't very diplomatic or conciliatory, but that's nevertheless what I call ecumenicalism. Please come take more of our "bad" Catholics.]

© 2005 The Star-Ledger. Used by NJ.com with permission.

(emphasis and editorial comment added)

My Comments:
Regardless of my disagreement with Mr. McGreevey's policy preferences and lifestyle choices, I can't help but admire his integrity and intellectual honesty (and, indeed, humility) in (1) absenting himself from taking Communion when his public policy stances could not be reconciled with the demands of his Faith and (2) acknowledging that, rather than remaining in the Catholic Church as a dissenter, the Episcopal Church may be a better fit for him.

Contrast his actions to the brazen dishonesty and disobedience of the Kennedys, Kerrys, Cuomos, Bidens, Schwarzeneggers, Giulianis, etc. of the political world.