Posted on 12/19/2005 6:12:37 AM PST by markomalley
ZENIT - The World Seen From Rome
Code: ZE05121805
Date: 2005-12-18
Pope: Catholic Politicians Need to Be Aware of Christian Identity
Urges That They Act Against Injustice and Tyranny
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 18, 2005 (Zenit.org).- One of the challenges facing the Church is to help Catholic politicians recognize their Christian identity and act accordingly, says Benedict XVI.
The Pope addressed this topic Saturday when receiving in audience a third group of Polish bishops making their five-yearly visit to the Holy See.
Recalling the teachings of the Second Vatican Council's constitution "Gaudium et Spes," the Holy Father said: "Those who are suited or can become suited should prepare themselves for the difficult, but at the same time, the very noble art of politics, and should seek to practice this art without regard for their own interests or for material advantages."
Referring to Catholic politicians, he continued: "With integrity and wisdom, they must take action against any form of injustice and tyranny, against arbitrary domination by an individual or a political party and any intolerance.
"They should dedicate themselves to the service of all with sincerity and fairness, indeed, with the charity and fortitude demanded by political life."
To do this, the Pope added, "Christian politicians cannot remain without the help of the Church."
Applying values
"It is a matter of helping them, in a particular manner, be aware of their Christian identity and of the universal moral values that are based in the nature of man, in such a way that, in virtue of a correct conscience, they commit themselves to applying [the values] to civil law, to build a coexistence that respects man in all his dimensions," the Holy Father said.
According to the Pontiff, "It is very important, especially where a pluralistic society prevails, that there be a correct notion of the relationship between the political community and the Church, and a clear distinction between the tasks which Christians undertake, individually or as a group, on their own responsibility as citizens guided by the dictates of a Christian conscience, and the activities which, in union with their pastors, they carry out in the name of the Church."
Benedict XVI dedicated his discourse to the Polish bishops to analyze the role of the laity in the parish, in the movements and in the political sphere, as well as in the realm of volunteer work.
pls ping to your list. Thanks
It would be a huge boon if so-called Catholic politicians who vote utterly against the church were very publically excommunicated. Would serve to promote true Catholic doctrine.
Can. 1398 A person who procures a completed abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication.
It could easily be said that they, through their votes, have materially contributed to the procurement of many, many abortions. As the former Holy Father of happy memory, JPII, said in Evangelium Vitae:
But responsibility likewise falls on the legislators who have promoted and approved abortion laws, and, to the extent that they have a say in the matter, on the administrators of the health-care centres where abortions are performed. A general and no less serious responsibility lies with those who have encouraged the spread of an attitude of sexual permissiveness and a lack of esteem for motherhood, and with those who should have ensured-but did not-effective family and social policies in support of families, especially larger families and those with particular financial and educational needs. Finally, one cannot overlook the network of complicity which reaches out to include international institutions, foundations and associations which systematically campaign for the legalization and spread of abortion in the world. In this sense abortion goes beyond the responsibility of individuals and beyond the harm done to them, and takes on a distinctly social dimension. It is a most serious wound inflicted on society and its culture by the very people who ought to be society's promoters and defenders. As I wrote in my Letter to Families, "we are facing an immense threat to life: not only to the life of individuals but also to that of civilization itself". We are facing what can be called a "structure of sin" which opposes human life not yet born.
So, imho, any excommunications would simply be a formalization of something the politicians did to themselves.
Seems sound that they are implicitly excommunicated already.
Stopping them from receving communion/publicly acknowledging it wouldn't hurt though.
I'll be glad to ping it if NYer hasn't already.
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Good message from the Pope!
Without regard for their own interests or for material advantages? That pretty much precludes any Catholic Democrats. Can you imagine Kennedy or Kerry eschewing their own interests or advantages? Pelosi? Durbin? I don't think so...
The problem comes in making sure the politicians can't find a weak bishop willing to go along to get along.
Currently, that is a problem...plus the problem of politicians claiming the church is trying to interfer with politics...But that's cause the bishops should have been standing up and saying wrong is wrong - loudly, clearly, and for many years running
I've been wanting to say this for a long time. I don't think the problem is Church and State. I can concede that this is wrong. My problem is with "God and State". Our country was founded on Christianity. Taking God out of the equation is a formula for failure. Just my humble opinion.
**Taking God out of the equation is a formula for failure. Just my humble opinion.**
Agree with you 100%!
The issue is not so much whether politicians should be forced to vote one way or another by any religious group.
The issue is that a politician should not be able to identify himself as a practicing member of a religious group when he simultaneously refuses to follow the precepts of that religious group.
Mikulski, Sarbannes, Cuomo, Guiliani, Daschle, Kerry, Kennedy, et. al. ad nauseum, are more than welcome to vote as they choose...just stop identifying themselves as Catholics if they are going to take positions in opposition to the positions of the Catholic Church.
That's it.
If you claim to be a member of a church, and then you vote in ways that your church says is morally wrong, then you have created public scandal, and ought to be basically told: If you are going to claim to be a ____________, you need to behave like you're a____________. Otherwise, we, the leaders of your church, will tell everybody you do not represent us. Otherwise, we will be condoning what we see a s grave sin.
Good message from a good man; at the same time, I keep thinking of John Kennedy, our only Catholic President. Considering his political courage and also his racuous private life, he's not the best role model for US politicians. I seriously doubt Pope Benedict had Kennedy in mind when he said this; any decent ones come to mind? Just curious.
On the one hand, I doubt anything will bring home Kerry, Kennedy, et al, short of a miracle.
But if Benedict's speeches at least dissuade the Democrats from nominating any "Catholics", for fear of taking on the Pope, it will be that much harder for the Democrats to get Catholic votes in the next election.
Good examples of Catholic politicians: Senator Santorum (R-PA), Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-MD), Associate Justices Scalia & Thomas, Bobby Jindahl (R-LA), Henry Hyde (R-IL), Jeb Bush (R-FL), Vin Weber (R-MN), and B-52 Bob Dornan (R-CA). I know there are others, those are just the ones I can think of. There need to be more (of course), but at least there are some!
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