Hudson and Fournier: Catholic Countdown to Election 2012, Day One. Time to Pray, Time to Vote and Time to Get to Work

By Deal W. Hudson and Keith A. Fournier
11/6/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Today we end this series of articles - but not our work together.

The First Freedom, Religious Freedom, is at risk in this election. Catholics believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ demands a response which goes beyond the walls of our Church buildings. We are our brother and sister's keeper. We do not reach out to people in need because they are Catholic. We reach out to people in need because we are Catholic.

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WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - On Tuesday, November 6, 2012, citizens of the United States of America will vote. We have spent the last forty days urging Catholics, other Christians, other people of faith and all people of good will to vote in a manner which respects life, family, freedom - including religious freedom - promotes solidarity, respects subsidiarity and advances the true common good.

We will both cast our vote in a manner which we believe reflects a fully informed Catholic conscience and demonstrates what the US bishops have called faithful citizenship. With all the talk about conscience these days we must all be reminded that consciences must be properly formed in accordance with the truth as revealed in the Natural Law and taught by the Church.

We have known each other for many years. We have stood in the trenches together on some of the great causes which surround this hour in history. We both wanted to make sure that no matter what the outcome of this election, we had done all we could to effect the fundamental change we believe is required. That is why we joined together to write these articles.

Of course, we both know that politics alone will not heal the malady at the root of the decline of the West. That will take a profound conversion of hearts. However, we know political participation is an essential part of living out the Christian vocation to be light, leaven and salt in a culture which desperately needs all three.

Today we end this series of articles - but we do not end our work together.

No matter what the outcome of this election, our task stretches before us. We will do everything we can to ensure that the truths and the principles found within the treasury of Catholic Social Doctrine, authentically understood and applied, are offered as yeast for the loaf of culture and inform future citizen participation for the true common good.

The outcome of this election will simply determine where we stand as Catholic citizens going forward in the political climate and help us to best map a strategy. However, make no mistake, no matter what the results of this election, it signals a beginning. Stay tuned for further announcements and invitations.

The HHS Edict through which the Affordable care Act is to be applied is a violation of the Free Exercise of Religion protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. That Right to Religious Freedom has been called the "FIRST FREEDOM" in the American tradition for good reason. It is about much more than a freedom to worship.

If this Mandate is not rescinded, it would require all employers, including Catholic and other religious employers, to cover sterilization, abortion inducing drugs, and contraception in their health care plans or face the boot of fines and penalties. The alleged "exemption" offered for "religious employers" is a fraud. It would limit the great outreaches of our Church by requiring us to limit whom we serve and who does the serving.

The fines and penalties imposed upon our Church for noncompliance - and we cannot and will not comply - could have the practical result of closing many outreaches, ministries and institutions of care and compassion. This HHS Mandate not only injures the Church and religious institutions it injures American society. It harms the common good.

The Document on Religious Liberty promulgated by the Second Vatican Council affirms the proper understanding of Religious Freedom in the teaching of the Catholic Church. Its importance has been reaffirmed and re-emphasized repeatedly in the face of this unconstitutional mandate issued by Health and Human Services in the implementation of the Affordable care Act (aka "Obamacare").

This line from the ducument is a quick summary, "The right to religious freedom must be recognized in the juridical order and sanctioned as a civil right." (DH #422) As Catholic citizens we affirm that Positive law must reflect the Natural Law. This HHS Mandate is an unjust law because it violates civil rights and denies the Natural Law Human Right to Religious Freedom.

It is interesting that the HHS mandate came one day after Pope Benedict XVI addressed a group of ...

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1 - 8 of 8 Comments

William F. Folger
7 months ago
Excellent Summary article. Much of what is below I sent to neighbors before Election Day. Short verse 1 of Psalm 127 defines what must exist amongst society, its “builders” and Master Builder God IF we’re to be SUCCESSFUL in attaining STABLE jobs creation and UNPUNISHED acting out of Religious Liberty. The outlook is bleak for BOTH unless we do in this post-election time what we could have and should have done before November 6.

"Unless the Lord builds the house, the [human] builders labor in vain”. “Labor[ing] in vain” can now easily mean FAILING again under a SECOND TERM OBAMA PLAN for an economy because President Obama 1) acts in ways hostile to God-designed “self-interest” exhibited in entrepreneurs, inventors and risk-takers (different from selfishness!), 2) tramples on sacred Conscience and 3) ongoingly insults God and Mankind on major fronts, ALL incompatible with “127:1”! His political & optimization models for Obamacare NEED the HHS mandate and that must “therefore” trump sacred conscience, at least according to Obama’s telling views of his “useful-for-elections” variety of Christianity.
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In a Republic, “127:1” means that we voters *HIRE* the human laborers mentioned. Future Election-Days need to be emphasized in that more-motivating way to induce introspection needed to stir conscience. The first half of 127:1 teaches that THE most important requirement for success is that we let God be our honored Master Builder via his ample guidance in scripture. Therefore, the necessary way to reach those who wrongly voted this Tuesday for Obama is to “TALK UP FROM CATHOLIC & PROTESTANT PULPITS, ON RADIO AND OTHER SHOWS THE *DUAL* MESSAGES IN PSALM 127 VERSE 1, one a Warning the other the Path for Success.
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Entrepreneurs, inventors and risk-takers are not enemies of a growing economy but, instead, its key basis and support. Reasonable regulations are necessary but NOT at levels which choke and frustrate. Finally, Psalm 127 is aimed at achieving a cooperative society and cooperative Congress – meaning avoiding Gridlock. Such avoidance helps provide the OIL OF CONFIDENCE to America’s JOBS-ENGINES operated by AMERICA’S JOB-CREATORS.
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As the Authors said, this particular series is over but the Post-Election work now begins.
Barb
7 months ago
Too little too late. The Catholic Church has promoted its "social justice' ideology for too long.
Now as a last ditch effort the bishops scolds the people to face the penalty of sin if they don't vote.Whatever.
Tom McGuire
7 months ago
"For Faithful Catholic Citizens, this is a time to pray, a time to vote, and a time to get to work."

I could not agree more! Some of the most faithful Catholic Christians I know survived the Cultural Revolution in China. They can teach us much about religious freedom and how to pray and work as witnesses of the saving mercy of Jesus Christ.
abey
7 months ago
"Be not selfish neither be racial" the truth, to be acclaimed.
Kasoy
7 months ago
In this election day eve, let's pray and fast to draw down God's light and grace on all Americans so they will discern God's will for each of us.

2Chronicles 7:14 - if then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land.
Lindangel
7 months ago
Yes, my fellow Catholics we have done everything humanly possible to stop the re-election of the "evil-one" aka Obama, we have emailed, tweeted, facebooked, put out yard signs and bumper stickers, attended political rallies and voted early. But the only thing we have left to save this country is prayer, real prayer, get on your knees kind of prayer. But if he gets re-elected, may God
have mercy on our country and our souls.
Michael S
7 months ago
Thank you for your articles. i have read everyone and am educated because of them. I must say that based on all I know about the candidates I cannot vote for either one. My conscience tells me to vote for someone I DO have confidence that he is truly and publicly pro-life. I have always voted Republican but I am not convinced, due to his track record, that Romney fits the pro-life, pro-family criteria. Far as I can tell he has not addressed the religious freedom issue either. I will, however, vote in every race for Congressmen or judges that are pro-life. We must build up the pro-life presence in the House and Senate and work from there no matter who is elected as President. My vote will go to Tom Hoefling of America's Party. My conscience tells me this is the best approach to take even if many feel that is a wasted vote or will benefit Obama. God promised if we are faithful to Him He will be faithful to us. That is what I believe and am putting my trust in Him that no matter who is elected God is in control (most importantly of my soul) NOT the President of the United States.
michael
7 months ago
One last time...Dignitatis Humanae did desire that "religious liberty" be a CIVIL right recognized under CIVIL law. But let us not erroneously conclude that there is some NATURAL or DIVINE right to worship in any other way than that which Christ taught. It is a dogma of our Holy Catholic Faith that there is not salvation and NO TRUE WORSHIP of God outside the Catholic Church. When speaking of this issue we must be very clear and very careful lest we fall into heresy.

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