Catholics in Political Life
We speak as bishops, as teachers of
the Catholic faith and of the moral law. We have the duty to teach about
human life and dignity, marriage and family, war and peace, the needs of the
poor and the demands of justice. Today we continue our efforts to teach on a
uniquely important matter that has recently been a source of concern for
Catholics and others.
It is the teaching of the Catholic Church from the very beginning, founded
on her understanding of her Lord’s own witness to the sacredness of human
life, that the killing of an unborn child is always intrinsically evil and
can never be justified. If those who perform an abortion and those who
cooperate willingly in the action are fully aware of the objective evil of
what they do, they are guilty of grave sin and thereby separate themselves
from God’s grace. This is the constant and received teaching of the Church.
It is, as well, the conviction of many other people of good will.
To make such intrinsically evil actions legal is itself wrong. This is the
point most recently highlighted in official Catholic teaching. The legal
system as such can be said to cooperate in evil when it fails to protect the
lives of those who have no protection except the law. In the United States
of America, abortion on demand has been made a constitutional right by a
decision of the Supreme Court. Failing to protect the lives of innocent and
defenseless members of the human race is to sin against justice. Those who
formulate law therefore have an obligation in conscience to work toward
correcting morally defective laws, lest they be guilty of cooperating in
evil and in sinning against the common good.
As our conference has insisted in Faithful Citizenship, Catholics who
bring their moral convictions into public life do not threaten democracy or
pluralism but enrich them and the nation. The separation of church and state
does not require division between belief and public action, between moral
principles and political choices, but protects the right of believers and
religious groups to practice their faith and act on their values in public
life.
Our obligation as bishops at this time is to teach clearly. It is with
pastoral solicitude for everyone involved in the political process that we
will also counsel Catholic public officials that their acting consistently
to support abortion on demand risks making them cooperators in evil in a
public manner. We will persist in this duty to counsel, in the hope that the
scandal of their cooperating in evil can be resolved by the proper formation
of their consciences.
Having received an extensive interim report from the Task Force on Catholic
Bishops and Catholic Politicians, and looking forward to the full report, we
highlight several points from the interim report that suggest some
directions for our efforts:
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We need to continue to teach clearly and help other Catholic leaders to teach clearly on our unequivocal commitment to the legal protection of human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Our teaching on human life and dignity should be reflected in our parishes and our educational, health care and human service ministries.
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We need to do more to persuade all people that human life is precious and human dignity must be defended. This requires more effective dialogue and engagement with all public officials, especially Catholic public officials. We welcome conversation initiated by political leaders themselves.
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Catholics need to act in support of these principles and policies in public life. It is the particular vocation of the laity to transform the world. We have to encourage this vocation and do more to bring all believers to this mission. As bishops, we do not endorse or oppose candidates. Rather, we seek to form the consciences of our people so that they can examine the positions of candidates and make choices based on Catholic moral and social teaching.
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The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.
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We commit ourselves to maintain communication with public officials who make decisions every day that touch issues of human life and dignity.
The Eucharist is the source and
summit of Catholic life. Therefore, like every Catholic generation before
us, we must be guided by the words of St. Paul, “Whoever, therefore, eats
the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty
of profaning the Body and Blood of the Lord” (1 Cor 11:27). This means that
all must examine their consciences as to their worthiness to receive the
Body and Blood of our Lord. This examination includes fidelity to the moral
teaching of the Church in personal and public life.
The question has been raised as to whether the denial of Holy Communion to
some Catholics in political life is necessary because of their public
support for abortion on demand. Given the wide range of circumstances
involved in arriving at a prudential judgment on a matter of this
seriousness, we recognize that such decisions rest with the individual
bishop in accord with the established canonical and pastoral principles.
Bishops can legitimately make different judgments on the most prudent course
of pastoral action. Nevertheless, we all share an unequivocal commitment to
protect human life and dignity and to preach the Gospel in difficult times.
The polarizing tendencies of election-year politics can lead to
circumstances in which Catholic teaching and sacramental practice can be
misused for political ends. Respect for the Holy Eucharist, in particular,
demands that it be received worthily and that it be seen as the source for
our common mission in the world.
Catholics in Political Life was developed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians in collaboration with Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFMCap, and Bishop Donald W. Wuerl. It was approved for publication by the full body of bishops at their June 2004 General Meeting and has been authorized for publication by the undersigned.
Msgr. William P. Fay
General Secretary, USCCB