Editorial: Should Catholics Even Bother with Politics?

1/13/2013

(Page 2 of 2)

Science confirms what our conscience confirmed, those little girls and boys in the womb are our neighbors. It is always wrong to intentionally kill our innocent neighbors. To say and do otherwise is barbaric.

We insist that true marriage and family have been inscribed by the Divine Architect into the order of the universe. That is because they have. Truth does not change, people and cultures do; sometimes for good and sometimes for evil. Marriage is the first society into which children are to be born, learn to be fully human, grow in virtue, flourish and take their role in families and communities.

We must not be afraid to make the claim that children have a right to a mother and a father. They do. Of course we care about the single parent family and the many broken homes. However, their existence does not change the norm necessary for a stable and healthy society.

In tact marriages and families are the glue of a healthy and happy social order. We need to be a visible, palpable reflection of this truth about marriage and family in our own lives. To live a faithful marriage is now countercultural. Our convictions and claims concerning life and marriage are not outdated notions of a past era but provide the path to the future.

We insist upon the existence of a Natural Moral Law which can be known by all men and women through the exercise of reason. This is not only a Christian position. It is the ground upon which every great civilization has been built. It is the source for every great and authentic human and civil rights movement. The Natural Law gives us the moral norms we need to build societies and govern ourselves. It must also inform our positive law or we will become lawless and devolve into anarchy.

Two years before becoming Pope, Karol Cardinal Wotyla spoke to the U.S. Bishops. His observation was republished in the Wall Street Journal on November 9, 1978: "We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. I do not think that wide circles of the American society or wide circles of the Christian community realize this fully."

"We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, of the Gospel and the anti-Gospel. This confrontation lies within the plans of divine providence. It is a trial which the whole Church must take up."

And take it up we have. However, there is much, much more to do. The ground has shifted and the struggle is intensifying. Our cultural mission lies at the heart of what it means for us as Christians to be leaven, light, salt and the soul of the world.

This is no time to retreat from culture; we must work for its conversion by becoming men and women who influence it. What is needed are Christian men and women of courage who are morally coherent and do not separate their faith from their participation in every aspect of culture, including political participation. We must work for its conversion by working for the conversion of hearts as well as the transformation of structures which promote the true common good.

The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a directive instruction in 2002 entitled a "Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life." It called upon Catholics to be "morally coherent" in the exercise of their citizenship and in their political participation.

The men and women I met this evening confirmed my decision to recommit myself to helping lay Catholic men and women come to understand the treasury of the teaching of the Catholic Church on faithful citizenship and social responsibility, which includes political participation.

Then, to do everything I can to encourage morally coherent people run for public office and help to get them elected.

Please visit the Institute of Catholic Culture here

- - -

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: political participation, Catholics, political campaigns, common good, faithful citizenship, social doctrine, elective office, Deacon Keith Fournier

NEWSLETTERS »

Previous Page 1 | 2

Rate This Article

Was this helpful to you? Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful at All

Would you be interested in more articles like this? Yes, I am Interested No, I am not Interested

Rate Article

1 - 10 of 38 Comments

Bill Sr.
3 months ago
Rob
I suppose it is time we ignorant conservatives stopped grumbling among ourselves and take a dose of your wisdom and not vote for crappy candidates, So as a very first lesson would you please name a few good ones or describe the perfect candidate for us? NOTE: it can not be a member of the clergy or a religious leader or even a pro-life Christian because as you have pointed out.. Believe it or not the majority of people out there could care less about abortion, contraception etc. We are waiting.
vance
3 months ago
Rob, I base my charge of lack of leadership from Bishops and priests on their silence on the issues and completely absence in opposing the evils wrought by the Marxist Democrat Party, the Marxist Media Complex, entertainment industry, and higher education. Yes, there have been a few Bishops out there leading Pro-Life Marches and publicly opposing the evils coming out of the Marxist Party. Gov Cuomo anyone? Bishops and priests have the pulpit every Sunday to address issues of today. This past Sunday was the 3rd time I heard the word 'Abortion' mentioned in 40 years. That's right, 40 years. You are always complaining about the Laity not practicing their faith in number of divorces. How many times have you heard the word "Marriage" mentioned in a homily?? I can't remember a time. The pulpit is not silent, it is dead. I am currently working to educate Catholics about the HHS Mandate. Most of the Laity don't know what that is. Why, because they watch ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, or MSNBC AND no priest is telling them anything from the pulpit. On the presidential campaign, did you not forget the "War on Women"? It was all about Birth Control and abortion. Remember Sandra Fluke?? Two GOP senate candidates lost their bid for the senate over the issue of abortion. Gee, I thought I heard many Liberals saying that Moderate Romney was electable. Rick Santorum was too conservative and not electable. The GOP has nominated two "Moderates" in a row and they both lost. I hope the Tea Party will over come the GOP establishment and nominate a Conservative who will win. A conservative like Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin who won in a Democrat State. In the mean time, your Dear Marxist Leader is about to double down on his persecution of the Church.
vance
4 months ago
We Pro-Life Catholics need to more engaged in politics than ever. We have an aggressive anti-Christian, anti-Catholic President. Senate, and Media Complex that is hell bent on destroying the church and anything they see as opposition to them. The French have demonstrated to us what we need to do. We need to take to the streets and take it to Obama and his Party of Death and Deceit.
Rob
4 months ago
vance, what basis are you making the charge that it's the priest or bishop's role to lead us in shaping secular socieity? It's almost as if you think that since priests aren't out there campaigning, that is the reason we find ourselves where we are at. What exactly do you think their job is versus the laities? There is absolutely nothing keeping the laity from doing the things you speak of.

Obama won this election because the GOP had a couple of really crappy candidates who failed to connect with the American people. I suspect that the majority of people, Catholics included, who voted for Obama, did so because the other candidate did not give them anything to hang their hat on. Believe it or not, the majority of people out there could care less about abortion, contraception etc. when voting. Not because they don't care, but because our politicians have proved to them that this stuff just doesn't matter once they are elected. You don't have 40 years of this stuff with virtually no change and not take note of that. But you are entitled to think what you want.

Guess we'll have to wait and see if the GOP learned anything from this and actually produces a real candidate this time. Too bad they have to have that circus of a primary process. Makes for good tv, just loses elections.
Theresa H
4 months ago
Rob, Very glad to see you haven't given up "Catholic Online!" .... Yes, "it's settled" now--for the next 4 years.... However, though most of us (so I am inclined to think) are all pretty much "fed-up"--we must not "give-up!" There are still things we can and must do to possibly influence decision-making in Washington--The only newspaper I read now is the National Catholic Register (not the N-C-Reporter); I also listen to the news in the evening on the TV. It is truly very sad. But I recall reading somewhere that no governement has lasted as it was founded for more than 200 years. Considering that we're past that age, sad to say, history appears to be repeating itself.... We are becoming something of a mixture of a welfare-totalitarian-dictatorship state. But no State can reject God's Natural Law and expect to survive; so I'm inclined to believe that our days are definitely numbered at this point in any case. What we will become once we have hit bottom--is yet to be revealed! So we must, therefore, "be ready" and "pray: 'Come Lord Jesus!'--in one way or another and deliver us from evil!"
Rob
4 months ago
Theresa, it's funny thing that I noticed what has happed to me over the years. It seems every electin cycle I get broken of more news habits. When Obama first ran, I completely stopped listening to talk radio. Just couldn't take that nonsense anymore. This election cycle absolutely killed all of the cable news for me. I'm back to the news paper and it's nice. I am absolutely sick of talking heads.

Personally I have no need to be informed right now. I just expect the government to srew things up, people to mostly vote against their self interest and fall into a morass of partisianship that makes them check their brains at the door. Given that we seem to be a 50/50 country anymore, I think we've arrived.

I'll just focus on getting closer to Christ, my family and my new job. I really don't have interest in the nonsense anymore.
vance
4 months ago
Rob, I hate to say it but "Wrong Again". "It is not the role of Bishops and priests". Are you saying then that a foottball team should go out on the field and call their own plays and forget the coach? Or when troops go into battle, they plan their own strategy and forget the generals? Why do we have Bishops? Just to stand there with a smile and give us a blessing? Their role and their job is to lead and teach. The majority have not been doing either one. Isn't 52% of Catholics including your own voting for Obama testimony enough?
Theresa H.
4 months ago
I know Catholics who are so disillusioned with politics that they listen to very little if any news anymore. Neither have they read the Catechism about the place of politics and our obligation as Christians. I wonder, then, how we can make "informed" decisions when voting-time comes round? I wonder, too, why so many Catholics voted for our current President and his policies a second time? As for no Party offering a really "good" choice--Who else is to blame except us! But, nonetheless, as the Catechism indicates, when we only have two choices (ultimately--that's what Presidential elections come down to), we may have to choose the lesser of two evils. After all, no vote IS a vote.... And a vote for a third or fourth party is really a vote for the one (of the two) who wins! Certainly, we did have a better choice in this past election than what we got! So now, all we have to look forward to, as another article indicates, is an all out persecution of those who will refuse to conform.... But, Jesus call us "blessed," yet we must "pray for perseverance!"
DLL
4 months ago
As long as Christianity is a house divided against itself it has no serious voice in politics. The political climate will always dictate to Christians because they are confused politically. Protestants accept abortion,contraception,same sex marriage as well as many other left wing agendas. The Catholic churches do not and are orthodox in their instruction but the Catholic laity are divided on what they really believe as politically correct and on what defines Christianity. How many Catholic laity believe contraception and masturbation are mortal sins? Not many but because of the true orthodoxy on the consistent teachings of these matters through the ages it is mortal sin. Catholics must accept this instruction because if they don't then abortion and same sex marriage is re defined as an odd kind of some compassionate type of love,as are multisexual relationships with the same or opposite sex. Mortal sin is formed in ones character when one accepts something seemingly natural like masturbation as something that is normal human behaviour. In fact it may be that masturbation is somewhat normal,but when it becomes a very bad habit it leads to other worse kinds of mortal sins. Masturbation is self destructive because it is a foundational sin that must end,as it becomes bad habit,because the demands for greater sexual gratification result in mutual and pre marital sex sin habits. Sin is the self justification of what is a bad self destructive habit. Abortion and contraception are sexual gratification sins that lead to the denial of God and His ideal of pro creativity. That is exactly where we are in a political perspective these days. That is why Christians are persecuted and even all Americans,as they are such so called free thinkers that they are inconsistent in the beliefs and moral values,because they love and are confirmed in their sins. Knowing this about my self that is exactly why as a Catholic as I must seek to go to the sacrament of reconciliation. Our Church believes that Jesus is the incarnation of God,body,blood,soul and Divinity. In the Eucharist that is how we recieve Christ so sin,even a mortal one that seems innocent enough,is not an option.
Theresa
4 months ago
Been sometime since I have visited Catholic OnLIne...both work and my mother's sickness and subsequent death have consumed my time for several months, but now...,I have a few minutes this AM....

I think it is a mistake to shut ourselves off from national "news," or even a good talk-show program... We must not disengage from awareness of what's going on in government and politics, both in US and world news. I know someone who didn't vote for either Obama or Romney because they didn't believe either were who they thought acceptable for the Presidency. Now, they don't listen to news anymore, either. "No news is good news...?" "Ignorance is bliss"...? I'm not so sure of that logic. Not for nothing have we been called to prayer and penance! Happy New Year everyone!

Prev12 3 4 Next

Comments submitted must be civil, remain on-topic and not violate any laws including copyright. We reserve the right to delete any comments which are abusive, inappropriate or not constructive to the discussion.

Though we invite robust discussion, we reserve the right to not publish any comment which denigrates the human person, undermines marriage and the family, or advocates for positions which openly oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church.

This is a supervised forum and the Editors of Catholic Online retain the right to direct it.

We also reserve the right to block any commenter for repeated violations. Your email address is required to post, but it will not be published on the site.

We ask that you NOT post your comment more than once. Catholic Online is growing and our ability to review all comments sometimes results in a delay in their publication.

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Send me important information from Catholic Online and it's partners. See Sample

Post Comment