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

11/6/2012

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US Bishops during their 2012 ad limina visit to Rome. He warned them of the growth of radical secularism in the United States and the accompanying threats to the fundamental Right to Religious Freedom so integral to the American experiment in ordered liberty.

A robust understanding of religious freedom is a vital part of the understanding of freedom upon which the American founders built this Nation. It is also included in their insistence that there are inalienable rights, endowed upon us all by a Creator, which cannot be taken away by any civil government. The American founders fled religious liberty violations in their own native lands.

With this HHS Mandate, the Federal Government of the United States is trying to force the Catholic Church, other Christians, and other people of faith to act against deeply held religious convictions and violate conscience. Our claim that such an edict is an unjust law is rooted in the western understanding of the nature of law itself. The HHS mandate is no law at all and must be resisted if it is not rescinded. The results of this Presidential election will determine what we must do.

A heroic priest friend offered us the following excerpt from one of our heroes, Edith Stein - St Theresa Benedicta of the Cross - over this past weekend. These compelling words were contained within a letter she wrote to Pope Pius XI on April 21, 1933 asking him to take up a position against the Jewish persecution by the Nazi government:

"All of us who are faithful children of the Church and who have carefully examined the situation in Germany fear that public estimation for the Church will suffer gravely if the silence continues any longer. We are convinced that this silence will, in the long run, not be able to buy peace from the present German government."

"The conflict against Catholicism will, for the time being, continue in a quiet and less brutal way than the conflict against Judaism, but it will be no less systematic. Before long, no Catholic will occupy a government position in Germany unless he accepts the new policies unconditionally" (Source: The Stein Sisters, p. 69, quoting Der Pilger: Bistumblatt der Diosese Speyer 8 (February 23, 2003).)

Edith Stein, St Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, presents a model of heroic resistance and virtue. She sought to bring the light of truth into the darkness of a regime promoting a culture of death and institutionalizing a disdain for human dignity and denial of fundamental human rights. She underscores that we cannot remain silentwhen confronted by the threats we currently face.

We certainly hope for results from this US election which will give us the time we need to slow the cultural decline in this Nation. Our task is to build a culture of life and civilization of love on a firm foundation of true and authentic freedom. This will serve the common good of all.

The wise sage of the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes reminded us, "There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens." For Faithful Catholic Citizens, this is a time to pray, a time to vote, and a time to get to work.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: campaign 2012, Edith Stein, St Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, Faithful Citizenship, Romney, Ryan, Obama, Biden, Catholic vote, common good Deal W Hudson, Keith A Fournier

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1 - 8 of 8 Comments

William F. Folger
6 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
6 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
6 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
6 months ago
"Be not selfish neither be racial" the truth, to be acclaimed.
Kasoy
6 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
6 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
6 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
6 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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