'Catholics In Alliance for the Common Good': Neither Catholic nor Concerned about the Common Good

By Deacon Keith Fournier
5/29/2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

The group calling itself Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good involved in new controversy

The Chairman of "Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good" used the "Huffington Post" to foment dissent. His organization confuses the true teaching of Catholic Social Doctrine. "Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good" is neither authentically Catholic nor concerned about the true Common Good.

Faithful Catholic theologian Dr. Janet Smith and the Chairman of 'Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good', Fred Rotondaro.

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WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - In a May 25, 2010 article in the "Huffington Post" entitled "The World Needs a New Vatican Council" Fred Rotondaro, identified as a "Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC." wrote what might have been considered a "silly" article, if it were not so serious. He apparently does not understand the teaching of the last great Council of the Church, Vatican II. And, to make this even more tragic, this man is the Chairman of the Board of the group that calls itself "Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good."

I was one of those Catholics who wanted to give this organization the benefit of the doubt for a long time when they began their efforts. After all, any authentic understanding of that branch of Moral theology called "Catholic Social Doctrine" admits that this teaching is neither left nor right, "liberal" or "conservative".

There is room in this body of insights on how to build a truly just social and economic order for the thought of Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin, Hillaire Belloc, G.K. Chesterton, Michael Novak, George Weigel....., all are within the realm of genuine orthodoxy. There is room for disagreement on the application of some of the principles found within Catholic Social teaching, in areas of prudential judgement. The real question is whether we believe the truth claims of the Catholic Church into which we were all Baptized and then seek to apply them authentically in our social mission!

To be a Catholic means to be dedicated to the truth concerning the dignity of every human person, the primacy of marriage and the family founded upon it, the implications and obligations of human freedom, and solidarity with the poor and needy. All of which must be applied through a proper application of the social ordering principle called "subsidiarity". This entails an understanding of good governance and takes into account the "common good" as it is authentically taught by the Church.

We are aided in our efforts to understand all of this - and to propose it to an age which is in desperate need of its liberating potential - by listening to the gift which the Lord Himself has given to us, the Magisterium (teaching office) of the Catholic Church.

This group calling itself "Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good" have disappointed me for the last time. They have compromised their own mission. They make this claim: "Catholics in Alliance is a resource for Catholics inspired by our faith's core teachings about justice, human life and dignity, peace, poverty and the common good." To this, when I consider some of their public positions, I now say "Nonsense"!

They also reject some of what is clearly and unchangeably taught by the teaching office of the Church and bring that dissent into a public forum. At least the Chairman of the Board of the Organization does! They have become a fifth column, a clandestine group seeking to undermine the very Church they claim to represent in the Public arena! They are also undermining the genuine social mission of the Catholic Church by misrepresenting her teachings in the public eye.

Some of my friends, clearly identified with the "conservative" movement, had written the group off from the beginning. I must admit, I have long believed that the failures of the "religious right" and the dangers of some approaches to "libertarianism", required we who are Catholics to articulate a different vision of the renewal of human culture, which includes political participation.

That includes a truly Catholic vision for political participation. Not just a conservative or neo-conservative ideology with a rosary wrapped around it. So, I had been hoping this group would prove my "conservative first" friends to be wrong and show us all a faithful alternative in some of their positions. However, this recent rant by Fred Rotondaro, the Chairman of the Board of "Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good" has led me to wonder again whether the organization is authentically Catholic or truly committed to the true Common Good.

It is, in effect, a Trojan horse, seeking to undermine the truth as revealed by the Catholic Church right when this teaching is so desperately needed. It is a front, trying to look and sound "Catholic" while taking positions and advocating stands which are, at times, at odds with this claim.

This age is infected by what was properly described by Pope Benedict XVI as a ...

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1 - 10 of 20 Comments

Elana P
2 years ago
Quote from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops web site (USCCB), who also publish the "Catechism of the Catholic Churdh, Second Edition" revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul II, and first printed in US in March, 2000.
Beware of anyone who tries to discourage you from reading this Catechism and knowing matters of Faith and Morals of the Catholic Church.

"By its very nature, a catechism presents the fundamental truths of the faith which have already been communicated and defined. Because the Catechism presents Catholic doctrine in a complete yet summary way, it naturally contains the infallible doctrinal definitions of the popes and ecumenical councils in the history of the Church. It also presents teaching which has not been communicated and defined in these most solemn forms. This does not mean that such teaching can be disregarded or ignored. Quite to the contrary, the Catechism presents Catholic doctrine as an organic whole and as it is related to Christ who is the center. A major catechism, such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church, presents a compendium of Church teachings and has the advantage of demonstrating the harmony that exists among those teachings."
Elana Emerson
2 years ago
The " Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition" first printed in US in March 2000 is not cyclical and was approved by the Synod of Bishops, USCCB etc, etc, etc. It is right in the front of the Catechism.
Be wary of anyone protesting against reading this Catechism.
One must know the facts of the teachings of their Church.

To know and undertand heritics, and enemies from within read: SAUL ALINSKY style politics. http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/communism/alinsky.htm

This is what the USSR did:
Infiltrate church institutions;
Adapt the Communist social campaign to America's unique beliefs, wants, and values;
Concentrate on seminaries where each new convert learns to influence thousands;
Divert the heart and purposes of the Church from the spiritual to the material;
Demonstrate tolerance toward beliefs and values that clash with God's Words.
SCW
2 years ago
Did you notice that this fellow (Rotondaro) is connected to the "Center for American Progress"? That should be all anyone needs to know in order to understand what he's about.
Liberalism has changed it's name to Progressivism, but it's still the same. That's their nature. When people are on to them, they simply change to another name, but underneath it's still the same bunch who want to destroy everything that is good and decent and set up a society that would make Lucifer proud.

Word of warning: Don't dance with the devil, he may just take you home.
Michael
2 years ago
Cyclical arguments are not valid. The "Magisterium and Sacred Scripture" are the teaching authorities of the Church because the Magisterium and Sacred Scripture say so. Sorry, no thinking person will accept that nonsense.
Elana
2 years ago
I urge all Catholics to read from cover to cover without taking anything out of context - the "Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition", - revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul II, and first printed in US in March 2000.
There is no such thing as left or right Catholics - only Catholics who adhere to the teachings of the Church.

If all Bishops and all Priests actively and prominently promote this Catechism in their Diocese and Parishes, there would be no need to have this coversation.
Either people would choose to be Catholic or chose not to be.

This Catechism covers the issues of today, as well as those taught in the old Baltimore Catechism.
Everyone MUST talk to their Bishop and Parish Priests to openly get the word out so the HERETICS will not prevail.

As Cardinal John O'Conner once said: "the Catholic Church is not a salad bar. You can not pick and choose what you want to believe".
Beth
2 years ago
No Way - I think you (and Mr. Rotondaro) are confused about what the Church teaches with regard to married sex. The Church does not teach that every sexual act b/t spouses must be engaged in with the intent of creating new life. The Church simply teaches that couples cannot purposely alter the God-given nature of intercourse by rendering (or attempting to render) the act a sterile one. The majority of a woman's cycle is infertile.

Couples can learn to identify the fertile and infertile times in order to achieve pregnancy, or postpone it for unselfish reasons. This is modern Natural Family Planning - and no, it's not the "rhythm method", so please take the time to become informed about the many benefits and high rates of effectiveness of NFP before you dismiss it entirely. You may not be aware that NFP is becoming quite popular for secular reasons, as many women are sick and tired of the side effects of contraceptive pills/devices and fed up with being guinea pigs for the pharmaceutical companies.

As far as women priests, a priest is more than just somebody who does certain tasks. A priest stands "in persona Christi", a sacramental representative of Christ himself - whose gender is of theological significance. The priesthood is a vocation, not merely a role - the same as marriage, and gender matters b/c it reflects the creative power of God and His relationship to the Church.

Get beyond your perception of the male "role" of the priesthood, b/c it is so much more than just a tradition or preference. The way I figure it, if God had wanted me to be a priest, He would have made me a male. If He'd wanted you to be a mother, He would've made you female. God knows what He is doing in calling us to our vocations.
Sylviab3369
2 years ago
The problem I have with this group, is that they also cause confustion simply with their name, because there is an authentic Catholic Organization with a similar name: "Catholics for the Common Good". See related article:

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lifesitenews.com%2Fldn%2F2009%2Foct%2F09100610.html&h=951f5
No Way
2 years ago
I'm sorry, but I just read that article by Mr. Rotondaro and I have to agree that sex within a marriage if it does not lead to procreation is NOT A SIN. It is absolutely absurd to think otherwise, in my opinion. I'm sorry, but these are the days where having kids costs more than a couple of sheep and bales of hay.

No matter what we're still human and will always be human and if I want to spend quality time with my wife, then I will do so, regardless.

I personally don't like the idea of a woman-priest; I like hearing the message from a man, personally. But what's wrong with a woman being a priest? Aside from the fact that all of the disciples were men, what's the argument (besides the fact that the Church "says so") that supports the "wrongness" of women being priests. If she wants to do the Lord's work, then so be it...God be with her all the way!!

We need to re-evaluate all these things and get down to brass tacks. God loves every one of us and we choose to be a part of him when we repent, but it's our own self-made adversity that divides us.

I think there's a MAJOR difference between being loved by God and being loved by the Church.
polly
2 years ago
To Melissa, I too am not an American. There is nothing wrong with George Weigel if you agree with his politics. My objection is his using his Catholic credentials to promote his political agenda. George Weigel was a charter signatory of the neoconservative Project of the New American Century. Many of the charter signatories became prominent members of George Bushes first administration and brought with them their determination to invade Iraq, justified or not. Prior to the invasion Deal Hudson wrote an article "War Drums" citing George Weigel to alleviate any concerns American catholics might have to justify this war contrary to the church assessment. George Weigel is certainly entitled to his opinion and politics, but he is not entitled to pass them off as justified by the church.
Bulbajer
2 years ago
Nino Baldino....
I just don't know what to say....
You know absolutely nothing about Dorothy Day. I'm sorry, but Dorothy was not a communist. She WAS a Marxist, and atheist, until she converted to Catholicism. I would say that she was partly Christian socialist, partly distributist, partly mild Christian anarchist. If you think those ideaologies are incompatible with Christianity, then that's you're opinion. I'm sorry you were one of the few people negatively affected by Vatican II.
As for her support of Castro, I think she thought that Castro was preferable to the government Cuba had before it. She disapproved of the violence. Whether Castro turned out to be much better than the previous regime, I'm not so sure.

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