RBWords - Volume 26 - Number 8: August 2013
Something to Think About
It can be a
challenging question to ask oneself:
Does my faith shape my political beliefs? Or do my political beliefs shape my faith? In an election year there have been efforts
to have Catholic politicians excommunicated because of their political
positions that do not agree with church teachings! Usually the excommunication cry comes from
those whose political positions generally match the more politically “conservative”
end of the spectrum. However, there are
also those from the more “liberal” end who confront the latter with the church’s
social justice teachings on subjects like immigration and economic policy only
to hear the pious claim that these teachings are negotiable or non-binding in
conscience!!!! It’s as if there are two
distinct sets of morality, each claiming that the positions they hold are
binding in conscience and the other’s is not!
I have news for all of them.
Every bit of all of it is “binding in conscience” no matter which
political party or platform one stands on.
I have been
scolded for “preaching politics” because I simply present what our bishops have
taught as a conference! And Lord knows
the bishops have been accused of being “the Republican Party at prayer” by
some, and “Socialists” by others. My
response to such comments is to ask the party if they have actually read and
studied what the church teaches on the subject in question? Then I ask the question I started with: Does your faith shape your politics? Or do your politics shape your faith? It requires some sober soul searching, and IT’S
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!
It Has Been Said
The Ten Commandments govern the three basic relationships in our life: first of all, the relationship we have with
God; secondly, our relationship with those with whom we share life; and
finally, the relationship we have with ourselves. When we live the generous, realistic life
encoded in the Commandments, we’re not going to be free of pain. Cavities can still hurt. Our brother-in-law may still divorce our
sister. But there will be a calm
understanding of who we are, where we are, and how we ought to live.
from OFF THE CUFF AND OVER THE COLLAR by Most Rev. John McCarthy, bishop emeritus of Austin, TX