Part
IV
Clergy’s
role in ‘Faithful Citizenship’
The USCCB’s Richard Doerflinger speaks to local clergy
and religious about the “Faithful Citizenship”
document issued by the Bishops. (Sarah Webb)
By Lou Baldwin
Special to The CS&T
PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Bishops’ document, “Forming
Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” is primarily
directed to the laity, but it does have implications for
the clergy.
Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the U.S. Bishops’
Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, visited St. John Neumann
Nursing Home on Feb. 7 to give a seminar on the document
for archdiocesan priests.
“The job of the priest is, in a sense, easy. It is
to help people form their consciences, to make the right
decisions,” Doerflinger told the attendees. “They
(the laity) have to go out and apply these complex issues
in concrete ways to public life.”
In the Catholic tradition, he said, “responsible citizenship
is a virtue and participating in political life is a moral
obligation. Churches should be willing, in a nonpartisan
way, to encourage people to vote.”
“Faithful Citizenship” is actually the most
recent update of a document the Bishops issue every four
years, Doerflinger noted. It is the Bishops’ task
“not only to teach general principles but to show
how a principle is endangered or best protected by a particular
public policy or approach to a particular issue,”
he said.
In doing that, he continued, “there has always been
a struggle to talk about the relationship of issues, prioritizing
the most important moral issues and yet not diminishing
the value of other moral issues.”
Quoting from the Bishops’ document, Doerflinger said,
“Catholics often face difficult choices about how
to vote. This is why it is so important to vote according
to a well-formed conscience that perceives the proper relationship
between moral goods. A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate
who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such
as abortion or racism, if it is the voter’s intent
to support that position. In such cases, a Catholic would
be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. At the same
time, a voter should not use a candidate’s opposition
to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness
to other important moral issues involving human life and
dignity.”
The document goes on to say, “There may be times when
a Catholic who rejects a candidate’s unacceptable
position may decide to vote for that candidate for other
grave reasons. Voting in this way would be acceptable only
for truly grave moral reasons, not to advance narrow interests,
or partisan preferences or to ignore a fundamental moral
evil.”
Doerflinger listed the seven key themes the Bishops discuss:
“The Right to Life and the Dignity of the Human Person,”
“Call to Family, Community and Participation,”
“Rights and Responsibilities,” “Option
for the Poor and Vulnerable,” “Dignity of Work
and the Rights of Workers,” “Solidarity,”
and “Caring for God’s Creation.”
Abortion, which comes under the “Right to Life,”
is never acceptable and always prohibited.
“That is a negative norm,” Doerflinger said.
“Most of the other themes are driven by positive norms,
and positive norms always have differences on how you can
apply them in a given situation. This doesn’t make
them less demanding or any less a moral principle. They
are not optional, and Catholics cannot ignore them.”
Too often, Doerflinger noted, people — including Catholics
— are guided mostly by self-interest when they vote.
“The document says we should be guided more by moral
convictions than by attachment to any political party or
interest group,” he said. “When necessary, our
participation should help transform the party to which we
belong. We should not let the party transform us in such
a way that we deny fundamental moral truths.”
In his presentation, Doerflinger also discussed what a diocese
or parish may or may not lawfully say during a political
campaign [See guide below].
“The presentation was very good,” commented
Auxiliary Bishop Robert P. Maginnis, one of the attendees.
“There is a great concern for our people to know what
rights and privileges they have. It’s not easy, as
you know.
“[When] a candidate seems very good on some issues
and not on others, it’s hard for people discern what
to do,” the Bishop said. “The presentation today
would help to explain that sort of situation.”
The Bishops’ document, “Forming Consciences
for Faithful Citizenship,” in full and condensed forms
may be found at: www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship.
Lou Baldwin is a member of St. Leo Parish and a freelance
writer.
‘Faithful
Citizenship’ guide for parishes and dioceses
Do:
• Address the moral and human dimensions of public
issues.
• Share Church teaching on human life, human rights,
and
justice and peace.
• Apply Catholic values to legislation and public
issues.
• Conduct a non-partisan voter registration drive
on
church property.
• Distribute unbiased candidate questionnaires covering
issues of human life, justice, and peace that have
been reviewed by your diocesan attorney.
• Check with your diocesan attorney if you have any
questions
about what is appropriate.
Don’t:
• Endorse or oppose candidates for public office.
• Distribute partisan campaign literature under Church
auspices.
• Arrange for groups to work for a candidate for public
office.
• Invite only selected candidates to address your
Church-
sponsored group.
• Conduct voter registration slanted toward one party.
• Distribute a biased candidate survey.
Issued by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops
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