As we lobby in Pierre, one thing we have noticed is that the Capitol, reflective of our culture as a whole, is a melting pot of ideas. And there is no denying that the people behind the ideas have a desire to do good; but it takes more than desire, it takes faith.
Our primary job as lobbyists for the diocese is to explain and make known the teachings of our Catholic faith. We often look to Catholic social teachings for guidance. These principles embody a rich treasure of wisdom, given to us through Christ and His Church over the last 2000 years. Few Catholics seem to be aware of these teachings, and fewer yet seem to understand them well enough to apply them to everyday situations.
Listed next to this article are the key themes at the heart of our Catholic social tradition. These were recently highlighted in a document from the U.S. Bishops entitled “Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility.” These principles should govern the ordering of every nation, state and local community, to help promote and secure the common good of all people. They are not politically motivated, do not comprise the platforms of any political party and are not ideologies of either the right or the left. In essence, they are a moral vision for a consistent ethic of life.
Pope John Paul the II, in Evangelium Vitae (“The Gospel of Life”) wrote: “Where life is involved, the service of charity must be profoundly consistent. It cannot tolerate bias and discrimination, for human life is sacred and inviolable at every stage and in every situation; it is an indivisible good. We need to show care for all life and for the life of everyone.” (EV, 87).
While we are called to have a consistent ethic of life, that does not mean that every life issue holds equal moral importance. For example, our office has been criticized for not speaking out as vocally on some social justice issues (such as poverty or health care) as we do on abortion, euthanasia and contraception. Even the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, a leading proponent of a consistent ethic of life, acknowledged that not all issues are equal, that they are distinct and call for their own specific moral analysis.
He said, “no earthly value is more fundamental than human life itself…if one must choose between protecting or serving lesser human values that depend upon life for their existence and life itself, human life must take precedence.” (“Deciding for Life,” Statement issued on Respect Life Sunday, October 1, 1989.)
Simply put, without life there are no other life issues; and without a profound respect for life itself, concern for the poor, elderly or sick is compromised. Therefore, we must defend human life from death. Then we can work to enhance the dignity of the person while living here on earth.
So while you watch the legislative process unfold during session this year, apply our Catholic social teachings to the bills and issues that arise, always keeping in mind that, as Catholics, we are called to see the person before we see the issue.
If you would like to take a more active role in helping to shape our state on sound moral principles, please contact our office for more information on the newly formed Catholic Advocate Network (CAN), the grass roots public policy initiative of the diocese. You can also visit the CAN website by clicking on the CAN logo on the Respect Life homepage of the diocesan website at www.sfcatholic.org.