Russert’s Catholic faith

This subject came up today when I was on Morning Air talking with Sean and Wendy about what distinguished Tim Russert from nearly the rest of the media pack. In paying tribute to his honorable journalistic service, his professionalism and most of all, his love of faith and family.

A caller asked if I knew whether Russert was on the record for being pro-life or not, which is a fair and understandable question given the number of politicians, media folks and other celebrities who say they’re Catholic but publicly support practices the Church has always denounced as immoral. I honestly admitted that, though I’ve searched for that answer, I did not know. I spoke only to what I do know of Russert, and cited many tributes paid to him and his unapologetic love of his Catholic faith.

But I now have a few good links that help round out that picture of Tim Russert. This one is the tribute on the US Bishops website. The popular newsman…

unabashedly witnessed to his Catholic faith, said Archbishop George H. Niederauer of San Francisco, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Communications Committee.

“Russert was valued by Americans for his tremendous command of the political and electoral process and his commitment to discovering each aspect of the story that contributed to people having a better awareness of the issues of public life and candidates for political office,” he said

There’s an interesting piece, and conversation going on in the comments, at Catholic Exchange.

For those involved in this conversation, or argument, (Russert loved a good debate)….I think this National Catholic Register piece says a lot. Fr. Owen Kearns, Register publisher, wrote it.

God alone knows the faith of any of us, but our staff did find a few interesting facts about this Catholic journalist.

Just as interesting as those tidbits reported on page 2 is his relentless questioning of pro-abortion politicians. In 2002’s Massachusetts governor race, Shannon O’Brien suffered political damage when Russert asked her forcefully about her support for lowering the age of consent for abortion from 18 to 16, pointing out that a 16-year-old could not legally get a tattoo in Massachusetts.

In the year 2000, he repeatedly asked Al Gore when life begins, and quoted his past words when he was pro-life.

“You were calling fetuses innocent human life, and now you don’t believe life begins at conception,” said Russert. “I’m just trying to find out, when do you believe life begins?”

Gore wouldn’t answer. Russert did the same thing at a 2005 debate in Virginia’s governor race.

We didn’t know him personally, and we understand [a reader’s] suspicion — but, from the indications we’ve seen, Russert is exactly what a journalist should be: a dogged pursuer of the truth. We mourn the loss and pray for his soul and for his family.

That about says it, perfectly.

Thanks, Bert, for being on top of that.

I’m glad that the one time I saw Tim Russert, it was when we were both in the Press line to access the White House South Lawn for the ceremony welcoming Pope Benedict XVI. According to his friend, Democratic stragetist Paul Begala, Russert was as excited to see the pope as a Catholic, as he was as a journalist. I felt the same.

Russert and his family attended the Wednesday audience with Pope Benedict in Rome just two days before he collapsed at work in Washington. May that apostolic blessing stay with his family, and may he rest in peace.