Yesterday, Lisante said he had been endorsing McCain, adding his only mistake was the moment he chose to do it. “In hindsight I would have separated out the invocation, the prayer, from my commentary,” said Lisante, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church.
But he added he saw nothing wrong with offering an endorsement of McCain during another part of the fundraiser or at other events – as long as he did not do so from the church pulpit.
“I do not as a priest forfeit my right as a citizen to a point of view, even when it comes to standing by a particular candidate,” he said. “Yes, I am a supporter of John McCain and I believe in him very much as a man of character and strength for our country.”
Some church experts and fellow priests said Lisante went over the line with his endorsement. They said church tradition and practice prohibits priests from endorsing candidates or parties, although the church can be and is active in pursuing causes that align with Gospel values.
“He went over the top,” said the Rev. Bill Brisotti, himself a well-known, left-leaning social activist and pastor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church in Wyandanch. “It was improper for him to do that.”
Brisotti said the Diocese of Rockville Centre issues a communication every year reminding priests of the prohibition against publicly backing candidates or parties, and noted parishes are not even permitted to host meet-the-candidates nights.
The Rev. Thomas Reese, former editor of the Jesuit weekly America, said Lisante was within his constitutional rights to endorse a candidate, but that the church clearly frowns on it.
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