Good Catholic Message But No Political Messenger

by Raymond L. Flynn
National President, Your Catholic Voice
Ambassador to the Vatican (1993-1997)
Mayor of Boston (1984-1993)

This week I was invited to participate in a seminar of Massachusetts residents who have been active in trying to enact legislation that would help restore respect and protection for all human life in our nation. A representative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gave the audience a detailed and professional presentation of the various legislative proposals pending in Washington. After the formal part of the seminar, my wife Kathy and I had the opportunity to speak with several in attendance. I must admit that I am always impressed with the dedication of the people in the pro-life movement. They are sincere men and women whose only interests are helping build a more caring and compassionate society. Certainly the media often tries to portray them as extremist religious fanatics, but they would do the public a service by reporting what these fine people have to say, rather than ignore them or try to discredit them.

At the seminar, sponsored by the Pro-Life Office of the Archdiocese of Boston, I was asked to comment on the political climate in our country today and specifically how Catholic elected officials should be educated about important votes they cast on critical moral, social and economic issues.

I remarked that I am often asked, "Why don't Church leaders speak out more often and more assertively on issues like abortion and the sanctity of marriage?" I am always anxious to tell them what the leaders of the Catholic Church, particularity Pope John Paul II, say about these important issues. Unfortunately, his words and writings often don't appear in the secular American press. Much to my surprise and disappointment, sometimes even American Church officials don't tell us about what the Holy Father is saying in Rome. I witnessed this first hand while serving as U.S. Ambassador at the Vatican. I'd listen to the pope regularly talk to my diplomatic colleges and his comments usually would generate a lot of reaction in the world press, but later I'd learn that they went unreported in the U.S. So it's no wonder that Catholic elected officials don't receive sufficient information about an issue central to Catholic values and principles.

I provided one of the attendees at the seminar with a more recent example of a conversation I had with a member of congress at a social event. I asked the congressman what he thought about Pope John Paul II's official Doctrinal Note regarding the participation of Catholics in political life, which was directed to the Bishops of the Catholic Church and, in a particular way, to Catholic politicians as well as members of the faithful. The pope's message called for Catholics to participate in the political life of democratic societies. My congressman friend was very interested in what the pope had to say, but acknowledged that he hadn't read or seen anything about it. "Did it get any press," he asked. Not only did it not get any press, but he didn't even hear a priest talk about it at Mass.

A woman listening to my comments assertively said to me, "O.K. Mr. Ambassador, if your congressman friend doesn't know what the pope is saying, and it's not discussed at Mass, how does he become informed about important moral issues?" Another pro-life leader said, "Have you noticed that when moral, religious and political issues are discussed in the media, rarely are traditional Catholic panelists invited?" This is amazing given the fact that more then 65 million Americans are Catholic. I regularly hear the evangelical Christian right's point of view, as well as the secular left, but why do we not hear the faithful Catholic's point of view?

Someone asked the question, "So what exactly did the Holy Father say about political and civic responsibilities for Catholics, as well as the U.S.C.C.B.?" Quoting Pope John Paul II, I replied, "What is urgently called for is a ...united ethical effort to activate a great campaign in support of life."

"Human life is our first gift from God - a gift we are called to care for and protect. We see how fragile this gift of human life really is when we are confronted with acts of terrorism or war or mass starvation. We see it in the faces of hungry children, in the eyes of the man on death row, and the suffering of the very old or very sick who are alone and lonely. Issues involving human life are necessarily intertwined and interdependent. It is hard to understand that when a society allows human life to be destroyed in one instance, as with abortion, it undermines respect for life in all other contexts. Singularly, when unborn human life is protected all human life benefits, not only the unborn." The pope further said that "Catholic elected officials have a right and a duty to seek the truth with sincerity and to promote and defend, by legislative means, moral truths concerning society, justice, freedom, respect for human life and the rights of all people."

The pope does not try to exercise political power or eliminate the freedom of opinion of Catholics. Instead, he believes it is his responsibility and moral obligation "too illuminate the consciences of the faithful, particularly those involved in political life so that their actions may always serve the integral promotion of the human person and the common good."

In my concluding comments to those gathered, I said, "We have many good Catholic elected officials who need to be better informed about Catholic teachings and the principles that are being discussed in the political arena. It is up to loyal and proud American Catholics to make sure that our voices are heard in our nation's capitol, state capitols, and local city and town halls." Catholics have a great message, but we need a political messenger.

Your Catholic Voice is committed to educate, activate, and mobilize Catholic citizens to exercise their moral obligation and inform their political participation by their faith. We need you and you need us. We need each other. More importantly, we need God's help for our country and our Church.

________________________________

Raymond L. Flynn is National President of Your Catholic Voice. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican from 1993 to 1997, and Mayor of Boston from 1984 to 1993. For additional information, contact (661) 869-1000

Your Catholic Voice is a movement to promote faithful citizenship based on the fundamental truths of the Catholic Church relating to Life, Family, Freedom and Solidarity. For information go to Your Catholic Voice http://www.yourcatholicvoice.org

Contact

Your Catholic Voice
http://www.yourcatholicvoice.org CA, US
Ambassador
Raymond L. Flynn - National President, 661 869-1000

Email

info@yourcatholicvoice.org

Keywords

Bishops, Pro-life, Life, Politics

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »