  When religion and politics intersect   The intersection of
religion and politics might be compared to the intersection of
two roads. When everyone obeys the reasonable rules and
directions, they can arrive safely at their ultimate
destination. When individuals attempt to circumvent the
established procedures, or pervert them for their own selfish
reasons, the result can be mayhem and destruction.  I assume
that we may each have a different understanding of what we mean
by “faith in the public square.” For me, two distinctly
different versions come to mind.  One is the example of
Fishhooks McCarthy, a Tammany Hall politician from the last
century whom I first learned of while listening to Mario Cuomo
when he was governor. (The name Fishhooks came about to describe
the effect his hand had in his pocket when it was time to pay a
bill.) McCarthy was a “devout” Catholic who went to Mass every
day and is said to have begun each day with the same prayer:
“Oh, Lord, give me health and strength; I’ll steal the rest.