Bishops begin work on relations with politicians

By Patricia Zapor
Catholic News Service

Washington — The U.S. bishops have begun work on a set of guidelines for themselves on how to handle relationships with Catholics whose actions in public life are not in accord with church teaching.

The goal for the guidelines is to help bishops make distinctions between “respect for the office and approval of the officeholder ... to distinguish between fundamental moral principles and prudential judgments on the application of those principles, between essential substance and tactics,” said Bishop John H. Ricard of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Fla., chairman of a new task force charged with addressing the issue.

He explained Nov. 10 during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall general meeting that the task force was created after a September vote of the bishops’ Administrative Committee, at the request of Washington Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, in response to a new Vatican document on Catholics in political life issued earlier this year. The task force is composed of the chairmen of seven major committees of the USCCB. A finished product is not expected until after the 2004 elections.

One bishop cautioned that a delicate approach will be necessary to avoid the appearance of targeting specific politicians. Others said part of the problem may be that the bishops have too rarely attempted to meet with Catholic politicians to make sure they understand what the church teaches about political responsibility.

“No bishop wants to count anybody out,” said Cardinal George. “It’s not a question of courage, it’s just our role ... not only to speak the truth but also to keep unity.”

However, he said, the problem is a serious one. Commenting on the archdiocesan radio show, Catholic Community of Faith on Nov. 14, Cardinal George said, “The problem is the scandal of Catholic politicians whose faith doesn’t influence public life. That’s a problems for us all.” When we don’t let our faith influence life, “It’s a dead faith.”

He said, “Politicians have a lot of groups to answer to and there’s a lot of pressure on them, but the Code (of Canon Law) doesn’t give us the right to simply excommunicate them at will. Not everybody understands that.” It’s important for politicians to look at all the issues, he said, “but there are some areas where the moral clarity is so strong that there’s no ambiguity.” This is the case on the issue of abortion, he said, “which is never permitted—you can’t kill an innocent person—the moral clarity is there and as the pope says, the laws are there, but if you’re Catholic you have to work to change them, not applaud them. That’s where the scandal comes in.”

Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Neb., suggested that resolving the problem is simply a matter of bishops putting their foot down with Catholic politicians whose public actions don’t reflect church teaching.

“Our job as bishops is to say the truth without any obfuscation,” said Bishop Bruskewitz.

Cardinal McCarrick pointed out that it’s impractical to expect church leaders to cut off all contact with every politician or judge who disagrees with the church on some issues. But he acknowledged that it confuses many Catholics when the church condemns certain actions by elected officials, then works closely with those same politicians on other issues.

Nor are elected officials the only concern.

“We’ve seen Catholic representatives and judges cavalierly dismiss the witness of Pope John Paul II and the teaching of the catechism on the use of the death penalty,” Bishop Ricard continued, referring to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church.

He said a set of guidelines “could help us carry forward together our demanding and interrelated responsibilities as moral teachers, caring pastors and religious leaders.” The guidelines would draw upon existing policies and practices and take into account the role of the laity, he said.

The goal would be “to persuade, not just proclaim, to engage, not condemn ...,” he said. “When Catholics deny what our faith teaches or insist their faith has no role in their public choices, we have to find effective ways to make clear what our church teaches and that public life should reflect our deepest values, not just partisan or ideological agendas or the demands of special interests.”

 

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