"I was thrilled that the great,young women at St. Joseph's Academy invited me to speak at their graduation," McCaskill said in a statement. "It was a special opportunity because my daughter is one of the graudates. I'm disappointed that the archbishop has made this decision."

From McCaskill
Sad.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/3/16054/68351

Marring a Beautiful Day for a Mother and Daughter
by mcjoan

Thu May 03, 2007 at 01:02:27 PM PDT

Claire McCaskill was asked to speak at her daughter's commencement. What a proud day that would be for both mother and daughter. But Archbishop Raymond Burke objected, and McCaskill was disinvited.

"I was thrilled that the great, young women at St. Joseph's Academy invited me to speak at their graduation,'' McCaskill said in a statement. "It was a special opportunity because my daughter is one of the graduates. I'm disappointed that the archbishop has made this decision."

Why? Because McCaskill's support of stem cell research and abortion rights "are contradictory to church teaching." Let's see, who else would be ruled out as commencement speakers by Raymond Burke for views that are contradictory to church teaching? The Dahli Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Nelson Mandela, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, George W. Bush.

Burke is not new to controversy or to politicizing his religious views. He was behind the effort to deny John Kerry and other progressive Catholic politicians eucharist. Last week he tried to derail a benefit concert by Sheryl Crow for a local Catholic hospital because of her support for stem cell research. Apparently he put politics over critical funding for the hospital. He resigned his position on the board of directors for the hospital when they refused to cancel the concert.

As a Catholic, someone who chose to send both of her daughters to St. Joseph's Academy, and as a woman who has achieved tremendous success in public service, Senator McCaskill would certainly have been an inspiration to the young women graduating from St. Joseph's. McCaskill was planning to honor the achievement of these young women, and most particularly her daughter, by speaking at her graduation ceremony. It's hardly a pro-choice rally. Furthermore, it is highly unlikely that she would raise the topic of stem cell research or abortion at a high school commencement.

Raymond Burke should heed the words of his fellow clergy member, Rev. Katherine Hawker, pastor at Evangelical United Church of Christ

"We choose our churches because they are places where we might encounter the sacred. We choose our churches sometimes because of the preacher, sometimes in spite of the preacher. We choose our churches — and our pastors — not necessarily because we agree or disagree with each word spoken, but because in the context of the worship experience and the community, we encounter that which is greater than ourselves."

I suspect Rev. Hawker wouldn't be invited to speak at St. Joseph's, either.