USCCB Social Justice Appointment and Archbishop Chaput's Interview: Liberating Catholic Social Teaching

By Deacon Keith Fournier
9/21/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

The truths and principles offered by Catholic social teaching are neither left nor right

How I have longed to see Catholic Social Thought liberated so that it can be offered to our Nation in this her great hour of need. As my dear mother was so fond of saying "Raise the Flag", it finally seems to be happening.

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WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - The announcement that Jonathan J. Reyes, Ph.D. will serve as the new Executive Director of the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sent joy into many hearts. Even though I do not personally know Dr. Reyes, I was numbered among them.

He served as the CEO of Catholic Charities and Community Services of the Archdiocese of Denver since 2009. His record of properly applying the real Social Teaching of the Catholic Church was evident. His founding of Christ in the City, work with Regina Caeli Catholic Counseling Services and Lighthouse Women's Care Center and the Guadalupe Community Assistance Center, all make clear he "walks the talk". His service to the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) confirms that he lives the mission of the New Evangelization.

His time in the Catholic Academy, including both his service at Christendom College and his co-founding and subsequent leadership of the Augustine Institute, speak volumes. Both institutions are clearly faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and produce wonderful "living stones" (1 Peter 2:5) for service to the Church and the world into which she is sent in this new missionary age. This man is a treasure at just the right time for the US Catholic Church.

On the day I read of this important appointment, I also read Archbishop Chaput 's wide ranging interview with John Allen of the National Catholic Register. Of course, anyone who reads me regularly knows of my high regard for the Archbishop. He is a courageous champion in an hour of cowardice. We need as many like him as we can get.

The interview has received a lot of press coverage. It can be read in its entirety here. However, allow me to excerpt one part below:

*****

"(John Allen) We're speaking on the night Barack Obama is delivering his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. Let me ask flat-out: Do you believe a Catholic in good faith can vote for Obama?

"(Archbishop Chaput) I can only speak in terms of my own personal views. I certainly can't vote for somebody who's either pro-choice or pro-abortion.I'm not a Republican and I'm not a Democrat. I'm registered as an independent, because I don't think the church should be identified with one party or another. As an individual and voter I have deep personal concerns about any party that supports changing the definition of marriage, supports abortion in all circumstances, wants to restrict the traditional understanding of religious freedom. Those kinds of issues cause me a great deal of uneasiness.

"(John Allen) What about the wing of the church that says a party that supports the Ryan budget also ought to cause concern?

"(Archbishop Chaput) - Jesus tells us very clearly that if we don't help the poor, we're going to go to hell. Period. There's just no doubt about it. That has to be a foundational concern of Catholics and of all Christians. But Jesus didn't say the government has to take care of them, or that we have to pay taxes to take care of them. Those are prudential judgments.

"Anybody who would condemn someone because of their position on taxes is making a leap that I can't make as a Catholic. ... You can't say that somebody's not Christian because they want to limit taxation. Again, I'm speaking only for myself, but I think that's a legitimate position. It may not be the correct one, but it's certainly a legitimate Catholic position; and to say that it's somehow intrinsically evil like abortion doesn't make any sense at all.

"(John Allen) - That said, do you find the Ryan budget troubling?

"(Archbishop Chaput) - The Ryan budget isn't the budget I would write. I think he's trying to deal with the same issue in the government I'm dealing with here locally, which is spending more than we bring in. I admire the courage of anyone who's actually trying to solve the problems rather than paper over them. I think a vigorous debate about the issues, rather than the personalities, is the way through this problem. It's immoral for us to continue to spend money we don't have. I think that those persons who don't want to deal with the issue are, in some ways, doing wrong by putting it off for their own political protection or the protection of their party."

*****
Wow! How I have longed to see Catholic Social Thought liberated so that it can be offered to our Nation in this her great hour of need. As my dear mother was so fond of saying "Raise the Flag", it finally seems to be happening.

It is time to take the truths and principles offered in Catholic Social Teaching out of the ...

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1 - 6 of 6 Comments

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7 months ago
I'll say it again, Archbishop Chaput is one of few Catholic heroes. It is an amazing shame that he is one of the very few Bishops who actually champion the Church and its teaching. The vast majority of Bishops are in the back pocket of the Party of Death and Deceit. While Archbishop Chaput boldly tells the truth, the rest of the USCCB looks the other way as our society sinks into degradation. These charlatans are accomplices to the demise and corrosion of our society. I don't believe for a minute that they are shy cowards who want to avoid politics. They see and know well what has been going wrong in our country.
Robert
8 months ago
I pray that these brave men continue to have a strong voice in our church. Yesterday I was blessed to attend a beautiful Mass in Texas. The homily was again about the scriptures and our duty to provide for those less fortunate. The term social justice was mentioned twice.

The unborn were not mentioned. Religous freedom was not mentioned. True marriage was not mentioned. The debt of our nation was not mentioned. As our government continues to build social programs the number of poor continue to grow larger and larger. The number of dependents continues to grow larger and larger. Give, give, give, waste, waste, waste. The government spends taxpayer money without regard and with reckless abondonement. The government spends money to kill the unborn and reward other behaviors that are contrary to Jesus' teaching.

I beg the church, speak clearly and with passion.

I simply long for simple precise language about what it means to be a Catholic today. Why is our church in a crisis?

I cannot criticize due to my own shortcomings. My house is not made of stone. I can only pray and ask our leaders to stand for the faith and preach it boldly. If the leaders want us to show courage in our daily work they must show courage behind the podium on Sunday.

Simply put, If a priest or deacon supports the democratic party he cannot be my spiritual leader. He does not value what I value. His interpreation of Jesus' teachings are different than mine. Cardinal Chaput and those of similar mindset are the leaders who must be heard.

May God Bless the USA.
Larry
8 months ago
I hope the Church studies capitalism even more and puts it in the context of Catholic social teaching in the sense of - if you're going to use this economic system, here is how it is good or useful for us and how it helps us be who we can be in the world all and here are things you need to be cautious about or look out for. Communism and socialism sound like they address the needs of the needy - from each according to their means to each according to their needs. The problem is the ways they seem to do this has little respect for the individual and all focus is on the ruling body as a force to make it happen - government controlling too much, making us do things rather than encouraging us to do things or protecting us fom what can inhibit us or get in our way from living as we might or should.

We also have to remember as humans we each have our own responsibilities for ourselves and for others (the poor, the middle class, the rich) - even the that the needy and poor have responsibilities since they are individuals and humans. The orphan and widow, the poor and encarcerated have many more protections, rights and systems that help them in today's world than they did in the times of Jesus, our Lord. The good Samaritan is still relevant and we are called to help those in need - but the question is in what way to help and what do we call 'help'. There is the example of the king diving talents to 3 of his subjects and upon the king's return, 2 of them had increased the talents given them but 1 buried and saved what he was given and condemned for not at least getting some interest on the talents to increase them. We may lack and be in need but we still have things we are called to do with and for others or use for the good of others and for the 'king'.

I don't think that being in need lets us off the hook of how we should be in community and for others and what we should be doing for ourselves and our own situation to improve it and get back on our feet - personal responsibility. Even the sick have responsibilty to do what they should to get healther - follow doctors orders. Those who have more have more obligation to do for others - but it is a comparison - more than some others. In the end, after we die, we are judged on what we did, said, thought, did not do, etc. It's us and our life that matters, in relation to others who were in our life.
Kathleen Wimmer
8 months ago
Thank you your comments on Archbishop Chaput interview. I so wish that we had a few more Catholic Leaders like this man. He is one of only a very few. I do believe that our Holy Father is working with diligence to strengthen our Church. He is weeding out the weak and replacing them with the strong, brave, fearless followers of Jesus Christ!
Tom McGuire
8 months ago
Deacon Fournier,

I agree there needs to be a liberation of Catholic Social Doctrine and hope that comes with Dr Reyes. For many of us faithful Catholics, the Catholic Social Doctrine has been limited to abortion, same sex marriage, and limits on religious freedom. Subsidiarity is a Catholic Social principle, but not the only one. Now maybe we will hear about principles like the Universal Destination of Created Goods along with many other principles, which have been lacking in most Church commentaries.

It is easy to refer to Catholics on the "left" as the enemy and be assured that you posses the truth on the "right". I find refreshing what Pope Benedict XVI wrote in the Apostolic Exhortation on the Church in the Middle East:
"...IT IS NOT FITTING TO STATE IN AN EXCLUSIVE WAY: 'I POSSESS THE TRUTH'. THE TRUTH IS NOT POSSESSED BY ANYONE; IT IS ALWAYS A GIFT WHICH CALLS US TO UNDERTAKE A JOURNEY OF EVER CLOSER ASSIMILATION TO TRUTH. TRUTH CAN ONLY BE KNOWN AND EXPERIENCED IN FREEDOM; FOR THIS REASON WE CANNOT IMPOSE TRUTH ON OTHERS; TRUTH IS DISCLOSED ONLY IN AN ENCOUNTER OF LOVE."

May you and I encounter each other in love and together discover the truth on which to base prudential judgment.
abey
8 months ago
The very core of life is the Family, the First being the family of God himself called "The First Holy Family," on which all families on earth are based, The revelation of the Arc of the Covenant is to that, from everlasting to everlasting.. Woe unto the ones who try to effect even by the laws- the leavened laws, this basic social structure-"That which God has joined let no man put asunder". This is specially grave & true for America & the West through the Divorces & indulgences, abortions, gay inductions all an antithesis to the "Family order". Names like 'Liberty" will seem stupid when the wrath of God comes upon, even to the raising of the flag would amount to wearing the "Babylonian Garment" mentioned in the O.T at the time of Joshua, an Abomination unto the Lord, & the truth of the day is that America under Obama is leaning to the 2 curses of God stated in Zechariah Ch 5 , The Flying Scroll -to the leavened laws coming out of "Caesar's Portico" & the wickedness sealed in an Ephah set upon her own pedstral to exceeding her measure to the "Gay liberty" into its "Enforcement" come from the depths of Sodom through the "Herod & his council of Jezebels" in all the leavens.

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