Part
IV
Clergy’s
role in ‘Faithful Citizenship’
By Lou Baldwin
Special to The CS&T
PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Bishops’ document, “Forming
Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” is primarily directed to
the laity, but it does have implications for the clergy.
Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the U.S. Bishops’ Secretariat
of Pro-Life Activities, visited St. John Neumann Nursing Home on Feb.
7 to give a seminar on the document for archdiocesan priests.
“The job of the priest is, in a sense, easy. It is to help people
form their consciences, to make the right decisions,” Doerflinger
told the attendees. “They (the laity) have to go out and apply these
complex issues in concrete ways to public life.”
In the Catholic tradition, he said, “responsible citizenship is
a virtue and participating in political life is a moral obligation. Churches
should be willing, in a nonpartisan way, to encourage people to vote.”
“Faithful Citizenship” is actually the most recent update
of a document the Bishops issue every four years, Doerflinger noted. It
is the Bishops’ task “not only to teach general principles
but to show how a principle is endangered or best protected by a particular
public policy or approach to a particular issue,” he said.
In doing that, he continued, “there has always been a struggle to
talk about the relationship of issues, prioritizing the most important
moral issues and yet not diminishing the value of other moral issues.”
Quoting from the Bishops’ document, Doerflinger said, “Catholics
often face difficult choices about how to vote. This is why it is so important
to vote according to a well-formed conscience that perceives the proper
relationship between moral goods. A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate
who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or
racism, if it is the voter’s intent to support that position. In
such cases, a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave
evil. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate’s opposition
to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness to other
important moral issues involving human life and dignity.”
The document goes on to say, “There may be times when a Catholic
who rejects a candidate’s unacceptable position may decide to vote
for that candidate for other grave reasons. Voting in this way would be
acceptable only for truly grave moral reasons, not to advance narrow interests,
or partisan preferences or to ignore a fundamental moral evil.”
Doerflinger listed the seven key themes the Bishops discuss: “The
Right to Life and the Dignity of the Human Person,” “Call
to Family, Community and Participation,” “Rights and Responsibilities,”
“Option for the Poor and Vulnerable,” “Dignity of Work
and the Rights of Workers,” “Solidarity,” and “Caring
for God’s Creation.”
Abortion, which comes under the “Right to Life,” is never
acceptable and always prohibited.
“That is a negative norm,” Doerflinger said. “Most of
the other themes are driven by positive norms, and positive norms always
have differences on how you can apply them in a given situation. This
doesn’t make them less demanding or any less a moral principle.
They are not optional, and Catholics cannot ignore them.”
Too often, Doerflinger noted, people — including Catholics —
are guided mostly by self-interest when they vote.
“The document says we should be guided more by moral convictions
than by attachment to any political party or interest group,” he
said. “When necessary, our participation should help transform the
party to which we belong. We should not let the party transform us in
such a way that we deny fundamental moral truths.”
In his presentation, Doerflinger also discussed what a diocese or parish
may or may not lawfully say during a political campaign [See guide below].
“The presentation was very good,” commented Auxiliary Bishop
Robert P. Maginnis, one of the attendees. “There is a great concern
for our people to know what rights and privileges they have. It’s
not easy, as you know.
“[When] a candidate seems very good on some issues and not on others,
it’s hard for people discern what to do,” the Bishop said.
“The presentation today would help to explain that sort of situation.”
The Bishops’ document, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,”
in full and condensed forms may be found at: www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship.
Lou Baldwin is a member of St. Leo Parish and a freelance writer.
‘Faithful
Citizenship’ guide for parishes and dioceses
Do:
• Address the moral and human dimensions of public issues.
• Share Church teaching on human life, human rights, and
justice and peace.
• Apply Catholic values to legislation and public issues.
• Conduct a non-partisan voter registration drive on
church property.
• Distribute unbiased candidate questionnaires covering
issues of human life, justice, and peace that have
been reviewed by your diocesan attorney.
• Check with your diocesan attorney if you have any questions
about what is appropriate.
Don’t:
• Endorse or oppose candidates for public office.
• Distribute partisan campaign literature under Church
auspices.
• Arrange for groups to work for a candidate for public office.
• Invite only selected candidates to address your Church-
sponsored group.
• Conduct voter registration slanted toward one party.
• Distribute a biased candidate survey.
Issued by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops