The third message from the Catholic Bishops of Illinois about the fall election:
This is the third of four bulletin inserts to offer guidance and reflection points from Illinois’ Catholic Bishops in preparation for the elections of November 6, 2012. The first insert was an introduction to this effort. The second insert discussed the expectations of a well-formed conscience. (Go to www.ilcatholic.org for a copy of the first and second insert.)
“Christ…fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear.”
–Gaudium et Spes, 22
As followers of Jesus Christ, we understand the human person in light of the mystery of the Incarnation. HUMAN DIGNITY flows both from our origin (being created in the image and likeness of God) and from our ultimate destiny, which is communion with God. Legitimate concern for the material well-being of all must never eclipse our concern for their spiritual and moral well-being. [Matthew 10:28]
The preciousness of every human being demands our concern for well-being of all, beginning with those closest to us for whom we bear the greatest responsibility, and with a special concern for the weakest and most vulnerable among us and for future generations.
The moral imperative to respond to the fundamental needs of our neighbors—needs such as food, shelter, basic health care, education, and meaningful work—is universally binding on our conscience, but may be legitimately fulfilled by a variety of means. These responsibilities cannot be simply delegated to the State.1
As the Catechism reminds us, “It is not the role of the Pastors of the Church to intervene directly in the political structuring and organization of social life. This task is part of the vocation of the lay faithful, acting on their own initiative with their fellow citizens.”2 Relying on well-formed consciences, Catholics citizens must use prudence in responding to these needs and serving the COMMON GOOD.
While there may be many legitimate ways to address the needs of our neighbors, there are some actions which are always and everywhere immoral. As Catholics, we must recognize that not all issues carry the same moral weight. The continuing slaughter of innocent children through legal abortion—to take the most appalling example of such “intrinsic evil”—is a grave offense against God and our own human dignity, and cries out for justice. Accordingly, “the moral obligation to oppose intrinsically evil acts has a special claim on our consciences and our actions.”3
Those who knowingly, willingly and directly support public policies or legislation that protect and perpetuate such injustice cooperate with that grave evil. Candidates who promise to support the common good, while at the same time glossing over their support for intrinsic evils such as abortion, perpetrate a lie. Catholic candidates who do so are also a cause of scandal among the faithful.
Finally, two other issues of particular importance in this election year demand our attention. The first is marriage: the permanent, faithful relationship of a man and a woman as husband and wife is the root of a family and the foundation for all of society. The decline of marriage in our culture has already inflicted untold spiritual and material costs upon society and individuals alike. Attempts to redefine marriage are contrary to the natural and moral law and only serve to further erode this fundamental institution. The defense of marriage is a matter of social justice. The second issue—which is of such pressing importance that the final insert, beginning on October 28th, will address it specifically—is religious freedom. Additional information can be found on the Catholic Conference of Illinois website, www.ilcatholic.org or at www.faithfulcitizenship.org.
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1 Caritas in Veritate, 38
2 CCC, 2442
3 Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, 37
The self-righteous certitude of so many on the right has done much damage to both Christ’s true message and to our great nation.
I have nothing against religion, or people of faith.
I simply ask that they refrain from constantly trying to impose their dogma on others, by way of government action, much as the taliban and other religious extremists do.
For a Biblical reference to the Catholic Church’s position on Marriage, see Mark 10:1-12.
The marital bond is not determined by the state nor any civil authority; it is defined by its Author.
It is exclusive to one man and one woman and is forever indisoluable.
Divorce and remarriage are repeatedly prohibited in the New Testiment (Matthew 5:32, Matthew 19:3-10, Luke 16:18, 1Cor 7:10-11; Ephesians 5:21-33).
So, not only is “Gay Marriage” clearly and repeatedly prohibited by Scripture, so is divorce and remarriage.
@Skeptic – so let me know when the Catholic Church starts running political campaigns against divorce.
Let me know when the Catholic Church starts pushing for a ban of “divorce and remarriage.”
Why is that the Catholic Church gets political about gay marriage and abortion, but not divorce?
In reality, the Bible is MUCH clearer on divorce than it is on gay marriage.
Of course, it is even more clear on things like poverty and war than it is on marriage or abortion.
Until the Catholic Church takes a consistent stand on it’s political issues, I will continue to remain a “skeptic.”
Dave, you just hate the Church.
The Church DOES clearly and unequivocally speak out against divorce.
JP II did strongly.
The Church does not recognize divorce AND REMARRIAGE.
Divorce is a civil term; it is not a religious term.
The moment a bill is up on divorce and remarriage, you’ll see it Dave.
Keep your hatred to yourself, Dave.
You don’t seem to understand the difference between legitimate criticism and “hatred.”
You also seem to struggle with reading comprehension.
I said nothing about whether or not the church speaks out about divorce.
I as specifically and clearly speaking about what they speak out about POLITICALLY.
I also love how you claim that the Catholic Church only cares about political issues once they become a bill, and pretend that the don’t push many of the anti-choice and anti-marriage equality bills.
Again– once they push for an anti-divorce bill in Springfield, let me know.
Wow. Dave, you need help.
Think about what you say. Should the Catholic Church lead a political charge against political corruption?
Marriage, religious liberty, and abortion are issues of the day; they are discussed at the presidential debates.
Bills are present in legislatures presently.
These issues should be discussed by the Church today because they are active issues today.
Skeptic is right, clearly. Wew.
I don’t understand why so much aggression is directed towards the church for expressing its opinions.
Uions and Super Pacs are both NFPs that don’t pay taxes but impose their opinions on others.
Sounds discriminatory to me.
Gotcha.
So divorce isn’t an active issue?
I guess more same-sex marriages occur than marriages that end in divorce.
Oh wait… what?
And again – to pretend that Catholics only get involved in “active issues” and are not directly involved in making issues “active” is patently absurd.
Much of the current backlash from The Church stems from the new policies which make us all communally responsible for breaking with individual freedoms to practice personal religious beliefs.
In the United States we have always cherished the rights of the individual over the rights of the State.
Today this fundamental founding principle is under siege in many areas which previously have been viewed as constitutionally sacrosanct.
This is not an issue confined to one group or belief structure.
Just as those who believe very strongly an issue is an individual’s right to choose(such as abortion) those self same people will argue it is incumbent upon the entirety of society to support this view(public funding of abortion).
The Church’s position fundamentally comes down to “you cannot have your cake and eat it too”.
If a person has the constitutionally protected right to choose something so too do the individuals in a society have the right to refuse to support the other individuals right through public means.
Personal responsibility vs public responsibility….
Since the founding of the nation these two pieces of our particular culture have been trying to balance.
In today’s expression of American culture there is an assault upon the individual in ways previously thought to be impossible.
To ask organizations like the Catholic Church to support abortion through public funding is as impossible a forced prospect as asking moveon.org to support funding to dismantle the worldwide communist party.
Foolish antifreedom legislation on both counts.
It is the very reason not for profit’s exist.
To allow them to recuse themselves from public funding of those things foundationally opposed to their very existence.
“Hate” has nothing to do with it.
While loathing the KKK and all they stand for to the very core of my being I would still offer myself in defense of their horrible existence as long as my tax dollars didn’t ever go to support their cause in any way.
Debate all things with one another.
Find each other deeply distasteful.
NEVER force each other through government intervention to be silent or, worse yet, to fund the other’s view point.
These are the crossroads upon which we sit as a society.
I welcome the debate and trust my American brothers and sisters to vote down anything which stifles this.
Well said priest!