FAITHFUL (AND FAITH-FILLED) CITIZENSHIP 

(continuation from bulletin of June 29)

 

The other day I came across a story about a woman who works for a charitable foundation that addresses the needs of homeless families, with special attention to poor children.  The woman was quoted as saying “I never think of religion as something I do once a week at church—with a few prayers thrown in during the week for good measure. I realized some years ago that my faith has to be the center of my life and influence everything I do, every decision I make.  That’s what my baptism means to me.”

 

Perhaps this woman, like my father, never read about Catholic social teaching or the U.S. bishops’ statement regarding making political choices that are also sound moral choices, but she certainly seems to understand how our faith and our lives—especially in the voting booth—come together. (I must confess that I am old-fashioned when it comes to voting; I still like to head over to the local polling place where there are live people and voting booths rather than a mail-in ballot.)

 

Here are the remaining key themes from the bishops’ statement……..    

 

5. Dignity of work and the rights of workers.  The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Economic justice calls for decent work at fair, living wages, opportunities for legal status for immigrant workers, and the opportunity for all people to work together for the common good.

 

6. Solidarity.  Our Catholic commitment to solidarity requires that together we pursue justice, eliminate racism, end human trafficking, protect human rights, seek peace, and avoid the use of force except as a necessary last resort.

 

7. Caring for God’s creation.  We are all called to be careful stewards of God’s creation and to ensure a safe and hospitable environment for all human beings now and in the future.

 

So there you have them….the 7 key themes from the U.S. bishops.  They may seem overwhelming and they are!  They may come across as some kind of wishful thinking beyond the possible and, to some degree, they are!  But they are a place to start if we want to continue forming our moral consciences as adult Catholics. That word ‘conscience’ was given new and unprecedented importance at Vatican II, thanks to the hard work (for many years!) of theologians such as John Courtney Murray, an American Jesuit. In its Document on Religious Liberty, the Council stressed the sacredness of each person’s conscience—that faculty of judgment over which no state or church can hold dominion.     

 

The bishops conclude with the reminder that, though these themes reflect the social teaching of the Catholic Church, they also reflect the best traditions of our nation.  They are the basic tenets on which America was established!

 

“America, America, God shed his grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea…”

 

 

Sister Marie Wiedner, O.P.

 

(If you would like more information on this topic, see the Catholic Update  “Faithful Citizenship” in the brown envelope in the church vestibule or go to  www.faithfulcitizenship.org)

(If you are interested in a reflection on “Conscience Matters” by John Kavanaugh, S.J., that will also be available.)