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Faith In Politics: Our Catholic Responsibility

Faith In Politics: Our Catholic Responsibility. Tobin Lecture Archdiocese of Portland November 2,2012 John Carr, Executive Director, Justice Peace and Human Development U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Mixed Feelings. Honored… Tobin lecture: Happy Topic, Leaders

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Faith In Politics: Our Catholic Responsibility

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  1. Faith In Politics:Our Catholic Responsibility Tobin Lecture Archdiocese of Portland November 2,2012 John Carr, Executive Director, Justice Peace and Human Development U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

  2. Mixed Feelings • Honored… • Tobin lecture: • Happy • Topic, Leaders • Out ofout of Washington • Polarized and paralyzed… Anxious • Grandmother…warnings…“Religion and Politics”…would not come…

  3. Anxious • Not “Faith in Politics” • Faith in God, Jesus, Church, not Politics • Address Faith and Politics • Does your faith shape your politics or does your politics shape your faith?

  4. Perspectives: • Professional: USCCB… • Parish… • Political: • Parent … • grand

  5. Tobin Lecture • Mission ofFaith in Politics… What it is and is not? • Context forFaith in Public Life… What are we up against? • Catholic AssetsFor Public Life… What do we bring? • Message: “Faithful Citizenship” Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship V. Directions and Dangers What to do and not do…

  6. Mission • What brings us together… --Not politics, ideology.. • Not “Democratic party at prayer” or “ the religious caucus of the Republican party • Word of God, teaching of His Church • A Church, not a lobby/interest group • Community of Faith, Not a PAC

  7. Mission • Most counter-cultural… In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in the political process is a moral obligation. No. 13 • an essential part of being American, Catholic…believer and voter… • Mission statement?

  8. Mission • Jesus' Mission “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. The Lord has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor, liberty to captives, new sight to the blind , to set the downtrodden free. ” ( Luke 4) • “This is being fulfilled in yourmidst”…

  9. Mission This mission is not NEW… As old as the Hebrew scriptures …and prophets… “Choose life …so that you and your descendents might live…” Deut: Woe to you who enact unjust statutes and who write oppressive decrees… Isaiah 10:1-

  10. Mission As central as Jesus mission on earth… I have come to bring LIFE and bring it to the full.John 10:10)

  11. Mission As clear as Matthew 25… Last Judgment: “Whatsoever you do to the least of these you do unto me…

  12. Mission As important as the message ofBenedict XVI at the White House: The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands thecourage to engage in civic life and to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate.In a word, freedom is ever new. April 17,2008

  13. Mission • This mission is not optional, fringe, extra-credit… • It is integral, foundational, traditional… • Not for few, Archbishop, Social Ministry, … • Central part of who we are, what we believe…

  14. Mission Taking faith in politics citizenship seriously helps us not just do more, but be more… • More Christian, more Catholic… • More the Body of Christ, the People of God…in Portland, in Oregon • More the “salt of the earth and light of the world…”

  15. Message Old and New Message: “God is Love” Benedict XVI and The Apostle John

  16. Good News: Deus Caritas Est …Love for widows and orphans, prisoners, and the sick and needy of every kind is as essential to her as the ministry of the sacraments and preaching of the Gospel. The church cannot neglect the service of charity anymore than she can neglect the sacraments and the word. Deus Caritas Est #21

  17. “God Is Love-Deus Caritas Est” Three things make Church the Church…core of “Catholic Identity” • Proclaim the Gospel • Celebrate the Sacraments • Care for and Stand with the “least of these”…the poor and vulnerable

  18. Deus Caritas Est • … charity must animate the entire lives of the lay faithful and therefore also their political activity, lived as “social charity. • Deus Caritas Est #29

  19. Caritas In Veritatae: Charity AND the Common Good “The more we strive to secure a common good corresponding to the real needs of our neighbor, the more effectively we love them. Every Christian is called to practice this charity… This is the institutional path … the political path of charity, no less excellent and effective than the kind of charity which encounters the neighbor directly.” (7)

  20. BXVI: “One Teaching” • the unity of the Church’s social andmoral teaching, • making fundamental connections between charity and truth, between the protection of life and pursuit of justice. • Benedict insists “there is a single teaching, consistent and at the same time ever new.” (CEV 12)

  21. Religion and Politics • This kind of talk… • First Amendment protects… • Try to mute our voices… • Faith is important, but private… • Danger to faith and politics… • We have same rights, no more no less… • Neither favoritism, nor discrimination…

  22. Religion and Politics • When people bring their deepest convictions, enrich not diminish… • Otherwise, it’s can be just about power, money, ego • We contribute to the pluralism and participation …

  23. Faithful Citizenship What it is Not: • Religious Practices of Politicians • Recent questions: Mormon? Muslim? • Reagan and Clinton • Political Clout of Religious Groups • “The Catholic Vote”…don’t know Catholics • Pastors Telling Us How toVote • Don’t Need…Pastorally inappropriate… ecclesially divisive…theologically unwise… politically counter-productive… and … illegal.

  24. Benedict: Church and Politics “ Rather, the church wishes to help form consciences in political life and to stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice as well as greater readiness to act accordingly, even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest.” Benedict XVI …God is Love…Deus Caritas Est

  25. Context for Faithful Citizenship • “Signs of the Times” • WWR…currents and rocks…

  26. Signs of the Times Tough Times • Challenged Church • Wounded Nation • Economy in Crisis • Broken World • Culture of Violence • Polarized/Paralyzed Politics

  27. Challenged Church • Affirmative Challenges…passing on faith, applying principles, leadership, identity • Scandals • Broken people and trust… • pastoral and financial costs – spiritual and moral credibility • Polarization • from politics to ecclesial life… • politics shape faith…? • some “Catholic Answers”…a certain kind of “Faithful America”…“Non-negotiables” and “everything is negotiable”…

  28. Wounded Nation • Wounded by Terror… • 9/11… • At war… • wish they had listened… • “Going in wrong direction”

  29. Economy in Crisis • Most powerful, productive economy on earth… great stress • > 9% unemployment, growing poverty • Four economies in one nation • Pulling ahead… • Left behind… • Squeezed… • In the Shadows

  30. Broken World • Remember: prayer after Mass… • Imagine…Baghdad, Bethlehem, Beijing… • Not just a safer world …better, more just, more peaceful..

  31. Culture of Violence • Society in moral disarray… • Culture of Violence/Culture of Death • Abortion • Euthanasia • death penalty • war • Cycle of violence

  32. De-moral-ized Politics Washington: “De-moral-ized” • lost confidence, competence … • polarized, paralyzed • Shrill and Shallow…

  33. Political Context • Our values, priorities are often missing… • Where are the “least of these” • Unborn children. • Poor children… • Immigrants • Hungry

  34. De-moral-ized Politics • Too much of Two kinds of individualism • Some Republicans • “economic/ market individualism” • Some Democrats • “lifestyle individualism” • “choice”:What about our choice?

  35. Political Context • Good News • Renewed Focus on religion/politics… • Bad News • simplistic, superficial.. Shallow and shrill…. • Can be misused • “religious right” • “politically correct Christians”

  36. Political Context • “Catholic Vote” : Vital…up for grabs (Mrs. O’Reilly…) • 8 out 9… • EJ: Not Monolithic, but important 40-40-20 • Wrestle…What does it mean to be • Believer and Voter? • Catholic and American

  37. Political Context • Catholic Political Realities… • Non-participation… • Vote party, class, ethnicity, economic interests, prejudices, affiliations… • Regular Churchgoers… • Open to moral dimensions of issues …not who or how to vote…

  38. A NEW MOMENT • new openness… • Fundamental problems are not just…political, economic, military, technical… • Moral, ethical, spiritual… • Life and death, war and peace, who…

  39. Bishops: Renewed Politics • Focused more on moral principles than on the latest polls • Focused more on the needs of the weak than on benefits for the strong • Focused more on the pursuit of the common good than on the demands of narrow interests US Catholic Bishops Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

  40. “Change the Wind”

  41. Assets • What we don’t bring to Public Life… • We don’t promise endorsements, comtibutions or votes… • (“Our Father”)

  42. Assets:What do we bring? • Consistent Moral Framework • Everyday Experience • Leaders/people

  43. Assets: Principles • Moral Framework/Principles • Don’t make it up… • Not free • Not “trendy”… • “Without a vision……”

  44. Not pious platitudes-Not bumper sticker solutions… • Politically Incorrect…Does not fit partisan/ideological framework… • Not WWJD

  45. Rerum Novarum,1891 Quadregesimo Annos, 1931 Pius XII, Christmas Messages Mater et Magistra,1961 Pacem in Terris,1963 Gaudium et Spes,1966 Populorum Progresssio, 1967 Octogesima Advenians, 1971 Justice in the World, 1974 Laborem Exercens,1981 Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 1988 Centesimus Annus, 1991 Envagelium Vitae Deus Caritas Est Caritas in Veritate Catholic Social Teaching

  46. “Message” Another way of examining CST… Catholic “AND”

  47. Catholic “AND” • Human Life andDignity… • RightsandResponsibilities… • Family and Community • Priority for Poor andVulnerable • Dignity of WorkandRights of Workers • Solidarity andSubsidiarity…. • Care for the Planet and People • Common Good (all about and)

  48. Human Life and Dignity • Every person is precious… • Human Life AND Dignity • WITHOUT LIFE, NOTHING ELSE IS POSSIBLE…. • LIFE COMES FIRST AND IS LINKED DIRECTLY TO DIGNITY… • WITHOUT DIGNITY, LIFE IS NOT TRULY HUMAN….

  49. Rights and Responsibilities • Right to life and those things which make life fully human…. • Faith and family • Work and education • Housing and Health care • Responsibility… • Secure rights for selves and others…

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