THE TABLET
Dec. 1, 2007
Distinctions Among Life Issues

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Two weeks ago, the bishops of the United States met in Baltimore for the annual General Meeting.  In the months leading up to this meeting I had the singular privilege to work on the document approved by the body of Bishops entitled “Faithful Citizenship.”  The document is not intended to tell people for whom they must vote.  We hope that this document may be a useful instrument for the clergy and laity in the formation of Catholic consciences in a complex political environment. 

At its core, our politics ought not simply advance our own end, but serve to build a better world. In his encyclical “Deus Caritas Est,” Pope Benedict XVI reminded us all that “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” (no. 28). The Pope continued that this responsibility falls particularly upon the laity.  The responsibility of the priest is to teach and challenge, whereas active engagement in the political arena is properly reserved for Catholic men and women.

We as Catholics must do everything in our power to be opponents of evil and proponents of good.  We must always raise our voice in opposition to those who would advocate policies that would strip the human person of the fundamental “right to life.” The bishops remind us that we must never submit to the temptation to embrace a “moral equivalency that makes no ethical distinctions between different kinds of issues involving human life and dignity.” There is a distinction to be made between policies which are intrinsically evil and may never be embraced as well as those that involve prudential judgment.  At the same time, we must guard against dismissing Catholic teaching on these issues that harm or seriously compromise human life and dignity.

What this means in a practical sense is that a Catholic cannot vote for a candidate that takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, if his/her intent is to support that position.  Indeed, a Catholic voter may never ignore the fundamental moral evil of support for legalized abortion and/or cloning and support a candidate to advance partisan preference or narrow interests.  “Faithful Citizenship” says that support of a candidate with an unacceptable position on human life is only possible for other morally grave reasons (no.35).

I want also to encourage our priests to raise their voices in opposition to the many evils that face our people every day.  With compassion, love and prudence they have a particular responsibility to preach about the intersection of faith and public policy.  Many of our people face these very issues in their own lives.  We must always seek opportunities to assist our parishioners to see the real evil in their midst and to empower them to work for a more just society. 

We should all be grateful to those in our Diocese that have come together to start CatholicCitizensCommittee.org, an entity that seeks to help register voters, educate them on specific issues, and make that voice heard in the corridors of power. As citizens, we have an obligation to register to vote and exercise that important responsibility on Election Day.  But do not just be an active citizen one day a year. Get involved by becoming active in one of our political parties to advance and defend life. Volunteer on a candidate’s campaign, with your local political club or with organizations that engage the political process.

So, I urge you to run for elected office as a district leader, a councilperson, a state legislator, or a member of Congress.  And do not be afraid that it seems as though you may fail; the very fact that you are involved will contribute to a change in our political culture.

In the meantime, we all have an ongoing responsibility to understand the issues that face our city, state and nation. The Catholic Advocacy Network is an important initiative of the New York State Catholic Conference. It is the means by which you can keep informed on important legislation and the positions that our elected officials advocate.  May I suggest that you join the Catholic Advocacy Network online at www.NYSCatholic.org  and choose the issues that you would like to monitor?  It is a quick and effective means of communicating directly with your elected officials.

As your Bishop, I cannot endorse or cheerlead for any candidate or party.  But as your Shepherd, I will always defend the rights of the Church so that she may defend human life, and be a voice for the protection of the weak and vulnerable.  This is truly to put out into the deepest part of our society’s life.