Faithful Citizenship: Part I, Social Teaching and Responsibility
The USCCB's letter Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility offers a very counter-cultural perspective on
the issues facing America today. It's part of a series of letters,
issued by the USCCB and it's predecessors every four years since
1976. In these letters, our bishops attempt to offer a genuinely
Catholic perspective on concerns in our nation and the world. Some of
these will coincide with issues trumpeted by one or both parties.
Many will not.
But the letter is more that just a laundry list of issues. Perhaps
more important than that, it is a reminder to Catholics of their
responsibilities as citizens. In response of the ``political
homelessness'' many Catholics experience, our bishops have issued a
call for a deeper participation in the political process. Only then
can we have better options in both parties and candidates.
I've divided this into two meditations, mostly because the issues
section is very long. I also wanted to provoke a discussion on the
Church's social teaching before we got to the specific issues. This
allows us to better understand where the bishops' concerns originate.
This weeks meditation focuses on the responsibility of the Church and
individual Catholics in the political sphere and includes a primer on
Catholic social teaching. Next week's meditation includes a
review of the world situation, followed by the survey of the issues our
bishops find significant.
Finally, I've also included a ``off topic'' addendum covering concerns
regarding issues that might come up that are not related to Faithful Citizenship. The
goal of the addendum is to allow for a quick response to these
difficult questions, so you can get back on track quickly. The
addendum is attached to this weeks' meditation, but keep it around for
next week.
``As far as possible citizens should take an active part in
public life'' (CCC 1915).
``In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue;
participation in the political process is a moral obligation. All
believers are called to faithful citizenship, to become informed,
active, and responsible participants in the political
process'' FC (III.7).
- ``One of our greatest blessings in the United States is our right and
responsibility to participate in civic life. Everyone can and should
participate'' (FC III.1).
- Discussion: Why is voting a moral (not just a civic) responsibility?
- Discussion: How do we vote in an informed fashion? What resources are available?
- Discussion: How can we participate in public life besides by voting?
- ``Even those who cannot vote have the right to have their
voices heard on issues that affect their communities'' (FC
III.1). Discussion: How do they participate in public life?
- ``We encourage all citizens, particularly Catholics, to embrace
their citizenship not merely as a duty and privilege, but as an
opportunity meaningfully to participate [more fully] in building the
culture of life'' (FC III.7, Living the Gospel of Life 34).
Discussion: How can we build the culture of life through faithful citizenship?
- ``Faithful citizenship calls Catholics to see civic and
political responsibilities through the eyes of faith and to bring
our moral convictions to public life'' (FC II.3).Discussion: Why is
this the case?
- ``As bishops, we have a responsibility as Americans and as
religious teachers to speak out on the moral dimensions of public
life'' (FC III.2). Discussion: Some non-Catholics are uncomfortable with
this. How can we respond to them?
- ``As we approach the elections of 2004, we renew our call for a new kind
of politics-focused on moral principles not on the latest polls, on
the needs of the poor and vulnerable not the contributions of the rich
and powerful, and on the pursuit of the common good not the demands of
special interests'' (FC II.2). Discussion: What would this new kind of
politics look like?
- ``People of good will and sound faith can disagree about
specific applications of Catholic principles. However, Catholics in
public life have a particular responsibility to bring together
consistently their faith, moral principles, and public
responsibilities'' (FC II.3). Discussion: Why is this important?
- ``At this time, some Catholics may feel politically homeless,
sensing that no political party and too few candidates share a
consistent concern for human life and dignity. However, this is not
a time for retreat or discouragement. We need more, not less
engagement in political life'' (FC II.4).
- ``A Catholic moral framework does not easily fit the
ideologies of `right' or `left,' nor the platforms of any
party. Our values are often not `politically correct'...
Our responsibility is to measure all candidates, policies, parties,
and platforms by how they protect or undermine the life, dignity,
and rights of the human person; whether they protect the poor and
vulnerable and advance the common good'' (FC III.4).
- Discussion: How are Catholics to relate to political parties?
- Discussion: Which issues do both parties get right? Where do they
get things wrong?
``The Church is called to educate Catholics about our social teaching,
highlight the moral dimensions of public policies, participate in
debates on matters affecting the common good, and witness to the
Gospel through our services and ministries'' (FC V.1).
``The Word of God and the teachings of the Church give us a particular
way of viewing the world. Scripture calls us to `choose life,' to
serve `the least of these,' to `hunger and thirst' for justice and to
be `peacemakers' ''(FC IV.2, Dt 30:9-20, Mt 25:40-45, 5:3-12).
- ``Catholic teaching offers consistent moral principles to assess
issues, political platforms, and campaigns for their impact on human
life and dignity'' (FC IV.3).
- Discussion: How is this framework of value in the public square?
- Discussion: How has this framework been of value to you in
explaining your position on certain issues?
- ``Our community also brings to public life broad experience in serving
those in need. Every day, the Catholic community educates the young,
cares for the sick, shelters the homeless, feeds the hungry, assists
needy families, welcomes refugees, and serves the elderly....These
are not abstract issues for us; they have names and faces. We have
practical expertise and daily experience to contribute to the public
debate'' (FC IV.4).
- Trivia: We have 8,600 schools, 237 universities, 1,062 hospital
or health care facilities and 3,044 social services agencies. This
makes us the largest NGO providing these services in the US.
- Discussion: How does this lived experience give us a better
perspective?
- Discussion: How does this experience help to answer the Church's
critics on social issues?
- ``We are Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. We are
members of every race, come from every ethnic background, and live in
urban, rural, and suburban communities in all fifty states. We are
CEOs and migrant farm workers, senators and persons on public
assistance, business owners and union members. But all Catholics are
called to a common commitment to protect human life and stand with
those who are poor and vulnerable'' (FC IV.5).
- Discussion: How does our community in diversity allow us to offer
more to society?
``[The Church] intends-as is its proper function-to instruct and
illuminate the consciences of the faithful, particularly those
involved in political life, so that their actions may always serve the
integral promotion of the human person and the common good''
(Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation
of Catholics in political life 6).
- ``We are all called to provide a moral leaven for our democracy,
to be the salt of the earth'' (FC IV.5). Discussion: How is this to be accomplished?
- ``The Catholic community's participation in public affairs does not
undermine, but enriches the political process and affirms genuine
pluralism'' (FC V.1). Discussion: How do we respond to those who assert
that the Church should ``stay out of politics''?
- ``We urge our fellow citizens "to see beyond party politics, to
analyze campaign rhetoric critically, and to choose their political
leaders according to principle, not party affiliation or mere
self-interest'' (Living the Gospel of Life 34). Discussion: How
can we encourage this view of politics among our peers?
- ``The Christian faith is an integral unity, and thus it is incoherent
to isolate some particular element to the detriment of the whole of
Catholic doctrine. A political commitment to a single isolated aspect
of the Church's social doctrine does not exhaust one's responsibility
towards the common good'' (FC V.4).Discussion: What does this ask of our political leaders?
- ``We hope parishes ...and other
Catholic institutions will encourage active participation through
non-partisan voter registration and education efforts, as well as
through ongoing legislative networks and advocacy programs'' (FC
V.6). Discussion: How can we encourage such participation in our campus community?
``The Catholic approach to faithful citizenship begins with moral
principles, not party platforms. The directions for our public witness
are found in Scripture and Catholic social teaching'' (FC VI.1).
- ``Every human person is created in the image and likeness of
God. Therefore, each person's life and dignity must be respected'' (FC
VI.2).
- Discussion: Why are human life and (especially) dignity so important?
- Discussion: What implications does the importance of human dignity
have in the political arena?
- ``The human person is not only sacred, but social. The God-given
institutions of marriage...and family are central and serve as the
foundations for social life'' FC(VI.2).
- Discussion: Why are marriage and the family so important to
society?
- Discussion: What is the role of the state vis-a-vis the family?
- ``Each person also has a right to the conditions for living a decent
life -- faith and family life, food and shelter, education and
employment, health care and housing. We also have a duty to secure and
respect these rights not only for ourselves, but for others'' (FC
VI.3).
- Discussion: Why are these rights so important?
- Discussion: How are we to help others secure them?
- ``Scripture teaches that God has a special concern for the poor
and vulnerable,'' which the Church ``calls on all of us to embrace''
(FC VI.4; cf. Ex 22:20-26)
- Discussion: Why the preferential option for the poor?
- Discussion: How are we to realize this in our society?
- ``The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work
is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing
participation in God's act of creation'' (FC VI.5)
- Discussion: Why is work so important?
- Discussion: What does this truth imply about work and our society?
- ``We are one human family. We are our brothers' and sisters'
keepers, wherever they may be. Pope John Paul II insists, `We are all
really responsible for all' '' (FC VI.6).
- Discussion: How does solidarity related to justice and peace?
- Discussion: What should this imply about our relations with other countries?
- ``The world that God created has been entrusted to us. Our use
of it must be directed by God's plan for creation, not simply for our
own benefit'' (FC VI.7)
- Discussion: The word ``stewardship'' gets used a lot in this
context. Why is it appropriate?
- Discussion: What should this imply about our environmental and
developmental policies?
- From the very beginning, the Church has reserved the right to expel from its assembly those who do not believe the
faith it teaches (e.g. The Council of Nicaea in 325 condemned the Arian heresy in this fashion). Barring a person from
communion, but not from the Church proper is a lesser sanction, and certainly within the Church's competence.
- Cannon Law (916) prevents Catholics in a state of mortal sin from receiving communion (c.f. USCCB's ``Guidelines for the
Reception of Communion'').
- By the above logic asking a Catholic who is living a life at odd's with the Church's teaching to refrain from communion
is an allowable sanction, that does not a priori the correct one.
- Some Bishops``raised questions about whether some Catholics, including Catholic politicians, have had adequate
preparation in the faith in order to fully understand their grave responsibility...They suggested that applying canon law
on this matter would require a dialogue with the individual to ensure that he/she understands Catholic teaching and, given
differing roles and responsibilities of various office-holders, to determine whether his/her actions result in grave
culpability'' (Summary of Consultations: Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians).
- Note that the Bishop has pastoral responsibility both for the faithful (who risk being scandalized by the politician)
and the politician himself/herself (to help them to live a holy life). This is a serious tension!
- According to Cardinal Keeler, the American Bishops are about 3-1 against communion sanctions for Catholic politicians at
odds with the Church's teachings on life issues. But this is not yet decided position by any means (ibid.).
- He also notes that Cardinal Ratzinger's Doctrinal Note ``did not call for or provide for sanctions'' (ibid.).
- Full text of the Bishop's statement can be found at http://www.usccb.org/bishops/summary.htm
- The ``Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics,'' published by Catholic Answers, puts another interesting twist on electoral
issues. In it they choose five issues (abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, human cloning and gay marriage) and declare
them ``non-negotiable,'' giving them a priority over all other electoral issues. Is this representative of the
Church's teaching?
- Note that all five of these issues are mentioned in Faithful Citizenship, and several are listed as important concerns.
- Note also that Faithful Citizenship, lists scores of other issues, some of which are addressed with equal gravity.
- The point: The teachings outlined in the CA document is not authoritative Church teaching either by the USCCB or the
Universal Church. However, the Church has not ``laid down the law'' in this matter and it's a topic on which good Catholics
can (and do) disagree.
This Network Catholic Fellowship meditation was prepared by Chris Siefert
Chris Siefert
2004-09-30