A Rising Catholic Tide of Resistance May Determine the U.S. Presidential Election
We insist upon the primacy of moral values at the foundation of our life together
Catholics in the United States are rising up in a Tide of Resistance to the unjust actions and edicts of the Obama Administration. They might determine the outcome of the 2012 Presidential election in the United States. That is if they act in a manner which, in the words of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is "morally coherent." This President and his administration espouse a rapidly expanding Secularist State which fails to respect fundamental human rights including the Right to life and the Right to Religious Freedom.
A rising Catholic tide of resistance may determine the outcome of the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election.
PrintWASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - Catholics in the United States are rising up in a Tide of Resistance to the unjust actions and edicts of the Obama Administration. They might determine the outcome of the 2012 Presidential election in the United States.
That is if they act in a manner which, in the words of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is "morally coherent."
That poignant phrase, "morally coherent", was used in an instruction released in 2002 entitled a "Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life". It was directed to "the Bishops of the Catholic Church and, in a particular way, to Catholic politicians and all lay members of the faithful called to participate in the political life of democratic societies."
The phrase also undergirds the "Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church" sections pertaining to the political participation of Catholics. (See, e.g. #565-574): "The social doctrine of the Church is not an intrusion into the government of individual countries. It is a question of the lay Catholic's duty to be morally coherent, found within one's conscience, which is one and indivisible."
"There cannot be two parallel lives in their existence: on the one hand, the so-called 'spiritual life', with its values and demands; and on the other, the so-called 'secular' life, that is, life in a family, at work, in social responsibilities, in the responsibilities of public life and in culture. The branch, engrafted to the vine which is Christ, bears its fruit in every sphere of existence and activity."
"In fact, every area of the lay faithful's lives, as different as they are, enters into the plan of God, who desires that these very areas be the 'places in time' where the love of Christ is revealed and realized for both the glory of the Father and service of others".
"Living and acting in conformity with one's own conscience on questions of politics is not slavish acceptance of positions alien to politics or some kind of 'confessionalism', but rather the way in which Christians offer their concrete contribution so that, through political life, society will become more just and more consistent with the dignity of the human person."
The Catholic Church as an institution does not endorse specific political candidates. However, the Church does call her members to inform their conscience and then exercise their faithful citizenship in a morally coherent manner.
President Barack Obama chose Catholics for his administration who defy the teaching of their own Church. If that wasn't bad enough, all of the subterfuge and sophistry which surrounded his promise to honor religious liberty and respect freedom of conscience in the implementation of his "Affordable Care Act" was unmasked this week.
An Unjust Edict was issued by Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary of Health and Human Services. It demanded that Catholic hospitals and institutions dispense contraceptives (some of which are abortifacients) and offer sterilization under the so called "Affordable care Act". This amounts to government trying to force the Catholic Church to violate conscience. Failure to do so will bring punitive measures.
This unjust Edict came one day after Pope Benedict XVI addressed a group of US Bishops during their ad limina visit. He warned them of the growth of radical secularism in the United States and the accompanying threats to the fundamental Right to Religious Freedom.
This past weekend I joined hundreds of thousands of fellow Americans in Washington DC to mourn the 39th anniversary of the decisions of the US Supreme Court in Roe and Doe. With the stroke of a judicial pen, seven Justices of the United States Supreme Court consigned an entire class of persons, children in the first home of the whole human race (their mother's womb), to the status of property.
As soon as I arrived President Barack Obama issued his statement: "As we mark the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we must remember that this Supreme Court decision not only protects a woman's health and reproductive freedom, but also affirms a broader principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters."
"I remain committed to protecting a woman's right to choose and this fundamental constitutional right."While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue -- no matter what our views, we must stay united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, support pregnant women and mothers, reduce the need for abortion, encourage healthy relationships, and promote adoption."
"And as we remember this historic anniversary, we must also continue our efforts to ensure that our daughters have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams."
With hundreds of thousands of Americans marching across this Nation in ...
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I guess, I really see things from a different point of view. All of these programs to help make things better for people, when in reality, the problem is the people. We are fighting a battle with satan, clear and simple. Our countrys young, have two things on their minds...sex and money. Just think of all the problems avoided, if people, did the right things in life. We who try...believe me I am no Saint, but I do try to do the right things.....we who try, are always there to pick up the pieces for others.....those who know that others will be there to pick up the pieces. There is no accountability or self restraint or self responsibility. I know that in my dreams, that there will be virtuous young women, or men who are nothing but gentlemen.
We must pay more attention to teaching the young to act Godly...in the long run, this would help the problem.
Big Ed, I'm with you, but out of curiousity, what is the percentage of parishoners in your parish that actually tithe? In our diocese it's about 30%. The idea of people taking care of themselves and those around them sounds great in practice, but it requires everyone to agree. And they won't. If we can't get 100% of parishoners to tithe then how in the world do we get our neighbors to front the costs of Joe's cancer treatment?? Just another example of we Catholics not living our faith....and now we are being called out for it.
My frustration is this; back when National Health Care was proposed by the then presidential candidate Obama, I personally witnessed many Catholics, to include clergy at all levels, swoon to his promise because this would help the poor.
Now, they resent the very program they elected him for. Did you not see the devil in the details, even when they were pointed out? Did you really expect the “leopard” to change his spots once he was in office? . . . . . Really?!?
Government should help, within limits, but you and I are the ones that should be providing the charity, not leaving it up to government. We should be giving of our time, treasure and talent to help the poor, not rely on government. This is where many made the mistake in believing that it should be left to government, when in reality we as a Catholic community should be helping one another; establishing the Catholic Hospitals, Daycare, Orphanages, etc., not relying on government. Now we have to contend with what so many Catholics originally gleefully welcomed.
If anything, let’s learn, yet again: “A government big enough to give you everything you need, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have...”
I think the only way that we will ever win the pro-life debate with our politicians is for the pro-life lobby to become as powerful as energy, financial services, healthcare and defense. Because until it is, this issue isn't going anywhere. Citizens United and the birth of these super pacs almost assures it. This is the only plausible strategy given that these laws have remained on the books for almost 40 years. Politicians are never going to get this done unless we can guarantee them an election. I wish we had as much faith in good ole fashion evangelization. Because only when we change the hearts of society will this law be repealed. It requires us to work on changing one heart at a time, but this is the only way this will happen. Otherwise, we need to accept the fact that this issue is great for impassioned debates, raising money and winning elections, but as far as real legislation is concerned, it will never happen. 39 years of inactivity leads me to believe in no other possibility.
Oldscore, thank you very much for saying that! Likewise.
People wakeup, none of these politicians work for us. Everyone of them without exception except Ron Paul works for the establisment. They ALL want perpetual war and to strip us of our rights in order to control us. The abortion issue is just one more attack on our freedoms. Look where the funding comes from for their political campaigns, wallstreet. Sadly, most people don't take the time to educate themselves. Most catholics are so blind they just pick the candidate who conforms to their beliefs yet these men are evil and do not follow what they preach. Ron Paul is pure truth, he will lead us back to our Lord.
@Denise O'Brien, I do not think you understand Catholic teaching and you appear to have a limited understanding of Bush's (and Clinton's) reasons for entering into war with Iraq. You are correct that killing is ALWAYS immoral - it is ALWAYS murder - there are NO exceptions. But, that does not deny a person, or a group of people, the right to defend themselves against a threat. If the self-defense is based upon valid principles, then the guilt of murder falls on the unjust aggressor. But, the validity of that decision is based upon many factors, and is open to debate. Issues like abortion or contraception are never open to debate. Therefore, you CANNOT compare the two as if they were the same, and likewise, expect the same response from Catholics. With regards to Bush's reasons, Bush had only ONE possible valid reason for invading Iraq: Iraq had broken the resolution that ended the First Gulf War in the mid-1990s. By doing so, Iraq effectively resumed a state of War with the United States. The response in the Clinton era was to bomb selected targets in Iraq, and to tighten the noose of economic sanctions (economic warfare with some light military involvement). Additionally, Clinton signed in 1998 (IIRC) a resolution for the United States to remove Saddam from power. Bush then pursued that objective with military force. Both responses caused massive suffering in Iraq. The question of the validity of both responses then revolves around whether or not the *First* Gulf War was valid. Under Catholic teaching, if a nation calls for help to defend itself against an unjust aggressor, other nations can assist the victim nation to repeal the unjust aggressor. The US and its allies entered into the First Gulf War under that mantra -- BUT!!! -- this is the zinger -- Kuwait **NEVER** asked for help in public. This means that we do not know if the First Gulf War is valid or not. Only a handful of select world leaders know the true answer to that question. Thus, we the public do NOT know if Clinton's response or Bush's response were valid. They might be or they may not be. As I stated above, abortion and contraception are not open to debate - unlike this issue of when a war is just or not. Therefore, you cannot compare the two concepts as if they are in the same category. I hope this clarifies for you why you did not see the same type of response from the Bishops regarding US involvement in the Middle East over the past two decades as you do with absolute and undeniable evil of abortion and contraception.
Is this the Church's Sept. 11 (1933)? It's 9/11 wake up call to God? But we will fight for the sake of keeping our public life free from those priests who have failed their calling and who should have become politicians rather than clergymen..... I wil be one of the few men in history who have deceived the Vatican.
Where were all you people when Bush entered us into an unjust war based on falsehoods, where we displaced and killed thousands of innocent Iraquis and only worried about Americans killed? Does not God say Thou shalt not kill? Many knew the war was wrong and stayed silent. Where were all the protests on the killing??
Arnetta, a person of color, states the Catholic Church was not around during segregation. Well, I am an American of African descent who is a scholar of history and can honestly state Arnetta needs to read more because Catholics were right there in the movement since the 1600's! Obama, who is Kenyan, raised as Hawaiian, is and was not there in the movement Arnetta is talking about to justify that Catholics are racists. What is deeply troubling to me is that Christians (Black or otherwise) are putting Obama before our Christian morals when evidence shows Obama has pushed, misused the legal system, and even lied to force the Church and all Christians to accept lifestyles and philosophies against our Biblical teachings. The Bible clearly states God said :"thou shall put no other god before me." Arnetta sounds like the group whom has blindly made Obama their "god." Even some Catholic schools are employing teachers (in Religion class) pushing homosexual lifestyles and misinformation that is clearly against biblical teachings. My daughters have attended Catholic schools for 10 years, with the last six being taught false words and teachings; thus we are following many diehard Catholic families (generational Catholics) and leaving the Catholic schools behind for public (at least public won't attempt to teach religion). About time Catholics - stand up for people following God's teachings in 2012 like we, Catholics did in 1776!