Now the media is after Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri, a rare New England Republican, because he had the audacity to voice his support for his Bishop rather than his congressman (see LifeSiteNews.com). In a local radio interview Governor Carcieri said (from the Providence Journal):

“I think the Bishop had no choice … because if you go back to how this all started, it was basically Congressman Kennedy making pretty outrageous statements about the Catholic Church” and the church’s position on “protecting the sanctity of innocent human beings. So I think the bishop had no choice except to come back and defend the church, which I think he did very well.” 

Good on the governor! Perhaps more refreshing than the Bishop himself, who does not have a political class to appease, Governor Carcieri had no fear, despite an electorate much to the left of him on this issue. A real profile in courage. It shows that confidence in the courage of one’s convictions, convictions grounded in the Truth, will serve you well in the long run. Even in the short run. (See Deacon Keith Fournier’s commentary at Catholic Online.) So far, there seems to have been no backlash on the governor. Right now, the Bishop and the governor are standing tall.