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Act now! What do you think? Recent Political Events
You guys may have heard the news about the many Catholic bishops sending letters to the members of their different dioceses regarding the election.
In summary, many Catholic bishops across the nation are urging the members of their congregation to not vote for members (like Kerry) who support homosexual unions, abortion and other immoral Christian activities.
I think we should somehow UNITE in this effort, whether it's an article in Watany or in Church magazines, or even some priests and bishops themselves. This is definitely and example of how Christian unity is vitally important in today's society.
A statement definitely needs to be made regarding our Christian stance on these issues and how they should not be tolerated in our society. Especially with the large "left" trying to appeall to everyone regardless of concern for life, religion or family values.
The Bishops have even gone on to say that if someone supports a candidate with these negative values they should probably not partake in the eucharist.
As an Orthodox Christian, I must say I AGREE.
Anyone have ideas? Or ideas on spreading the word?
Here's a local article on what's happening here in Colorado (published today):
Pueblo bishop joins debate
By Eric Gorski
Denver Post Staff Writer
Pueblo Roman Catholic Bishop Arthur Tafoya has called on his flock this election year to consider not just abortion but also poverty, war, the death penalty and working for peace and justice.
The bishop's admonition comes on the heels of statements from two other Colorado bishops that more narrowly defined the critical questions facing Catholic voters.
"There is a lot of confusion among people," said Larry Howe-Kerr, director of the Pueblo diocese's office of social justice. He called Tafoya's advice in keeping with " a consistent ethic of life."
Tafoya noted that in light of today's social climate and tough issues, Catholics and people of goodwill can feel "politically homeless."
Tafoya calls abortion "an affront to life" but adds: "Respect for life is also confronted by hunger and poverty, the death penalty, euthanasia, war and, as we see today, torture."
He directed his flock - 110,200 Catholics in 29 southern Colorado counties - to a 2002 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops document, "Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility." In part, it reads: "We hope that voters will examine candidates on the full range of issues and on personal integrity, philosophy and performance."
Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput last month singled out as vital abortion, immigration law, international trade policy, the death penalty and housing for the poor. But he reserved special status for abortion, saying he would never vote for a candidate who supports abortion rights. He suggested that politicians who back abortion rights aren't really Catholic.
More recently, Colorado Springs Bishop Michael Sheridan issued a pastoral letter taking aim at politicians who break with the church's teachings against abortion rights, euthanasia, gay marriage and stem-cell research that uses tissue from aborted fetuses. He too emphasized the primacy of abortion.
Sheridan went a step further, saying Catholics may not receive Communion if they vote for candidates who clash with the church on those issues.
Peter Howard, Sheridan's executive assistant, said Sheridan's letter seeks to clarify for Catholics that not all life issues are of equal magnitude - that some acts are intrinsically evil and therefore never acceptable.
The Rev. William Gleeson of Sacred Heart parish in Alamosa, part of the Pueblo diocese, said it was important for Tafoya to speak out.
"If someone is in disagreement, we try to reach out to them, bring them to truth, to seek the truth," Gleeson said. "I'm in total agreement with Bishop Tafoya."
Eric Gorski can be reached at 303-820-1698 or [email protected] .
In summary, many Catholic bishops across the nation are urging the members of their congregation to not vote for members (like Kerry) who support homosexual unions, abortion and other immoral Christian activities.
I think we should somehow UNITE in this effort, whether it's an article in Watany or in Church magazines, or even some priests and bishops themselves. This is definitely and example of how Christian unity is vitally important in today's society.
A statement definitely needs to be made regarding our Christian stance on these issues and how they should not be tolerated in our society. Especially with the large "left" trying to appeall to everyone regardless of concern for life, religion or family values.
The Bishops have even gone on to say that if someone supports a candidate with these negative values they should probably not partake in the eucharist.
As an Orthodox Christian, I must say I AGREE.
Anyone have ideas? Or ideas on spreading the word?
Here's a local article on what's happening here in Colorado (published today):
Pueblo bishop joins debate
By Eric Gorski
Denver Post Staff Writer
Pueblo Roman Catholic Bishop Arthur Tafoya has called on his flock this election year to consider not just abortion but also poverty, war, the death penalty and working for peace and justice.
The bishop's admonition comes on the heels of statements from two other Colorado bishops that more narrowly defined the critical questions facing Catholic voters.
"There is a lot of confusion among people," said Larry Howe-Kerr, director of the Pueblo diocese's office of social justice. He called Tafoya's advice in keeping with " a consistent ethic of life."
Tafoya noted that in light of today's social climate and tough issues, Catholics and people of goodwill can feel "politically homeless."
Tafoya calls abortion "an affront to life" but adds: "Respect for life is also confronted by hunger and poverty, the death penalty, euthanasia, war and, as we see today, torture."
He directed his flock - 110,200 Catholics in 29 southern Colorado counties - to a 2002 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops document, "Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility." In part, it reads: "We hope that voters will examine candidates on the full range of issues and on personal integrity, philosophy and performance."
Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput last month singled out as vital abortion, immigration law, international trade policy, the death penalty and housing for the poor. But he reserved special status for abortion, saying he would never vote for a candidate who supports abortion rights. He suggested that politicians who back abortion rights aren't really Catholic.
More recently, Colorado Springs Bishop Michael Sheridan issued a pastoral letter taking aim at politicians who break with the church's teachings against abortion rights, euthanasia, gay marriage and stem-cell research that uses tissue from aborted fetuses. He too emphasized the primacy of abortion.
Sheridan went a step further, saying Catholics may not receive Communion if they vote for candidates who clash with the church on those issues.
Peter Howard, Sheridan's executive assistant, said Sheridan's letter seeks to clarify for Catholics that not all life issues are of equal magnitude - that some acts are intrinsically evil and therefore never acceptable.
The Rev. William Gleeson of Sacred Heart parish in Alamosa, part of the Pueblo diocese, said it was important for Tafoya to speak out.
"If someone is in disagreement, we try to reach out to them, bring them to truth, to seek the truth," Gleeson said. "I'm in total agreement with Bishop Tafoya."
Eric Gorski can be reached at 303-820-1698 or [email protected] .
Comments
VOTE BUSH!!
-Mark
it's kinda like...
"Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--"1 Peter 2:13-15
i didnt wanna really take a personal stand point on this.. but o well lol
i personally like what Bush did with iraq... but then again, thats not the issue here
like marys said, our church doesnt have a certain view on politics, and i guess thats for the main reason that church is seperated from state... and the church gives us our own free will to vote, it's one of those over looked gifts from God that are taken for granted
so u guys, vote for what u think is right, not what the church says is right
(even though both views should match) ;)
I think however that part of being Christian is being active, not submissive. Just because we are to submit to authorities doesn't mean we must support them.
The church doesn't have political views because having political Christian views in Egypt would have do more harm against Christians than good. However in the US we have a say in what we will tolerate.
Granted war is not necessarily Christian and I think the war in Iraq may have had flaws. But the war was a more of proactive approach to preventing threats (i.e. we wouldn't have gone to war in Iraq or Afghanistan had 9/11 never occurred). Hence we're not looking to exploit people or control people unwillingly by this ware nor are we attacking a helpless nation. Rather we are defending rights to freedom and Christianity being threatened by people that would go to any extreme to get us to fold.
Anyway, I'm not necessarily saying that we shouldn't have the right to vote for who we want, I don't think it's a freedom issue. Rather, I think that war against Islam is subjective compared to absolute rights and wrongs such as abortion and homosexuality.
I don't want to sound too radical, I like to keep an open mind. However I think that the church should have a role in politics in that we should be supporting candidates that have the most similar values to us at least here in America.
Thanks for your input.
Defender!
Defender!
"be wise as serpents but as harmless as doves"
we gotta find that balance between being discerning in the world we live in or taking it to the point where it becomes an overriding factor in our lives. God will choose for us whoever He thinks will lead us in whichever path He wishes for us. i'm not saying sit back and watch it all go down, sure we gotta do our part, but i'm just saying... don't forget that there's always a bigger picture behind it..
Defender!