Dallas News Religion Blogger: Did You Hear the One About the Priest...

December 22nd, 2008 11:37 AM

...who pulled President-elect Obama's books from a Catholic school library? "Hey, at least he didn't burn them!" goes the punchline.

Wocka, wocka, wocka!

That was Dallas Morning News religion blogger Bruce Tomaso's take on a Missouri Catholic priest's decision to yank Obama's tomes from the shelves of St. John LaLande Catholic School's library (see screencap at right).

Tomaso noted that Fr. Ron Elliott describes himself as "very pro-life" but that after reviewing the books in question "he didn't find anything objectionable" and will hence return the books to the shelves "in February or March" as Elliott noted, "after the dust kind of settles."

At that point Tomaso couldn't refuse the impulse to add an editorial quip:

In this case, it doesn't seem to me that there was any dust, until a zealous priest decided to stir it up.

In doing so, Tomaso seems to be forgetting that Elliott as parish pastor oversees the church's school, which educates students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Given the age and impressionability of younger students, it behooves a Catholic educator to take a close look at books by politicians, particularly pro-choice ones, to ensure they are not advocating views at odds with the Church's teachings, particularly regarding faith and morals.