In light of the recent discussions on catholicism on this board, I thought this news item would be interesting. May 14, 2008
Minister Backing McCain Apologizes to Catholics
The Rev. John C. Hagee, the evangelist whose anti-Catholic remarks became a scandal when the Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain, received his endorsement with great fanfare, has issued a letter expressing regret for “any comments that Catholics have found hurtful.”
The letter came after weeks of efforts by influential Catholic Republicans to encourage him to draft an apology that would repair any damage to Mr. McCain’s campaign.
Mr. McCain’s pursuit of an endorsement by the pastor came under intense scrutiny at the same time that the Democratic front-runner, Senator Barack Obama, was embroiled in controversy over incendiary remarks by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.
Critics have denounced Mr. McCain for failing to distance himself sufficiently from Mr. Hagee. Mr. McCain said on a Sunday talk show two weeks ago that he is “glad to have his endorsement,” although he condemns remarks which are “anti-anything.”
Some have interpreted Mr. Hagee's references to “the great whore” prophesied in the Book of Revelation, as a slur on the Catholic Church. Mr. Hagee now says that was never his intention. In his book, “Jerusalem Countdown,” he accused the Vatican of collaborating with Hitler in the Holocaust.
In recent years, Mr. Hagee has become known for raising money and building support for Israel among evangelical Protestants, and his letter places his regrets in that context.
He wrote: “In my zeal to oppose anti-Semitism and bigotry in all its ugly forms, I have often emphasized the darkest chapters in the history of Catholic and Protestant relations with the Jews.
“In the process, I may have contributed to the mistaken impression that the anti-Jewish violence of the Crusades and the Inquisition defines the Catholic Church. It does not.”
Mr. Hagee’s letter, dated May 12, was addressed to William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights, who first drew wide public attention to Mr. Hagee’s remarks after the McCain endorsement in February.
Mr. Donohue said in an interview on Tuesday that he was surprised by Mr. Hagee’s letter of regret: “Well, miracles do happen. If I wasn’t a believer before, I sure am now.”
Mr. Hagee has recently held meetings with other Catholic leaders. But his chief opponent, Mr. Donohue, said that he had refused to meet with Mr. Hagee until Mr. Hagee issued an apology. The two men are now scheduled to meet on Thursday.
“Republican activists have been working with him over the last several weeks, giving him books and articles and getting him up to speed and away from the black legends about the Catholic church,” Mr. Donohue said.
“I have to assume he’s acting sincerely, and now understands” that he’s been accepting a lot of conspiracy theories, Mr. Donohue said.