Vatican Advice For Conservatives

NRO: Pope Tells Political Activists Not To Miss Forest For Trees

(National Review Online)  Those comments would seem to resolve the question about which issues Pope Benedict and his predecessor considered most foundational to the creation of a culture of life, and thus, of paramount importance in the political process. Of course, Church teaching clearly exhorts Catholics to work to alleviate poverty, promote peace between nations, and work toward a just society, as Benedict reaffirmed last year in his first encyclical, God Is Love. But Benedict warned Catholic activists against adopting a materialist worldview wedded to the welfare state or to utopian visions of social justice, neither of which can substitute for the authentic, person-to-person charity that is the Church’s direct concern and every Christian’s obligation.

Benedict also distinguished between the role of individual lay people working in the world — who have a “direct duty to work for a just ordering of society” — and the role of the Church itself — which “cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. … She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper.”

This spiritual energy that transforms cultures and promotes peace concerns Benedict the most, and he has warned his flock — particularly the Church’s most visible representatives — against becoming so immersed in activism that they fail to fulfill their primary vocation of bringing God to the world. On Holy Thursday of this year, he urged priests to be primarily men of prayer rather than activists. The world has plenty of activists, the Pope said, but “the world needs God.” Benedict echoed this theme again last week, when he delivered an address about the “dangers of excessive activity” to an audience outside his Italian vacation home. Citing the words and example of 12th century monk St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Benedict warned his listeners that constant activism, even in pursuit of a noble cause, can lead to “hardness of heart … suffering for the spirit, loss of intelligence and dispersion of grace.”

The activist trap that Pope Benedict warns against is a common and familiar one: The temptation to align too closely with a particular political party and demonize opponents, to equate one’s personal judgments with the eternal truths of the faith, and to define “the Christian position” on every policy issue, thus losing focus on the few fundamental moral questions where authentic Christian witness is most countercultural and most needed. Lurking beneath those temptations is the one Benedict criticizes most forcefully: The human urge to use social and political activism to distract from our deepest questions, most intimate struggles, and most urgent longings for truth, goodness, beauty — and God.

While Benedict’s admonition against utopian social schemes and a materialist worldview seems particularly relevant to a Catholic liberals influenced by Marxist theories, conservatives should also beware becoming co-opted by political parties, hardened by ideology, negligent in charity, and hollowed out by incessant activity. In some ways, conservatives may need to hear Benedict’s message more than liberals. Those who believe most fervently in the socially transformative power of personal responsibility and personal conversion and in the existence of universal moral laws cannot expect to change the world through external activity and political victories alone. Their hope must lie in something deeper and more enduring, in the transcendent truths that can only be discovered in silence, solitude, and contemplation. As we leave summer behind and head into another contentious campaign season, Benedict’s advice — that we slow down, be still, and ponder the principles that inspire our activism — could not be more timely.

[omded]

Whoever this "Jesus Christ" guy was, I'm sure of one thing. If he could, he'd destroy the name he left behind. How sad it is that evil people have invented his legacy and message to serve their own interests, and do such terrible things. I'm sure he'd be no more pleased with today's "Holy Men" than he was with the scribes and Pharisees of his time.

[stammred]

Looking at life through the lense of Christian faith absolutely requires an integrated view of the human person - body, soul, and spirit. Therefore, in Catholic teaching, it DOES matter what you do in the bedroom in the eyes of God and it DOES matter that you thoughtfully think of how to morally justify your voting choices. Everythine matters. It is the Church's-therefore the Vatican's-responsibility to communicate its position on any topic du jour.

The Vatican issued a guide for Catholic voters and if you are not a Catholic, well, unfortunately for you, I guess it doesn't apply. There is a lot of anger directed towards the Pope, accusing him of really saying "your all going to burn in hell if you don't think this," so I'd recommend picking up a Catechism to actually understand the Church's position, which stems from a lot more compassion than Americans want to admit.

As for those "Catholics" that, for some reason, are upset over the Vatican's guide, you may want to pick up a Catechism and learning what--AND WHY--the Church believes before you start bashing fellow followers.

[grumpas]

The Catholic Church has become so obsessed with foisting their agenda on the American public (abortion, no birth control, and etc). They have lost sight of the big picture. They have chosen to ignore one of the most corrupt administrations merely because they agree with the Churches agenda! But, this is not improving their image in the slightest! In fact, it is starting to look to a lot of us Catholic's like the Church is just as corrupt as the administration they support! They need to get out of the business of politic's before they wind up with more egg on their face! What ever happened to the day when JFK had to promise the Pope would not be running the country! We need to go back to those days!

[holidayflguy]

As a practicing Catholic, I think the church leaders needs to stay out of politics. Frankly, they have no business distributing "Voter Guides" with our church bulletins. These guides are very much slanted to the Republican Party, and would make one think that abortion was about the only issue Catholics cared about. I don't think most Catholics are that shallow in their voting habits, but the church leadership sure seems to be. I think Christ is very sad about how the church leadership has conducted itself lately.

Many fundamentalist/evangelical churches are guilty of the same. I for one support withdrawing the tax exempt status on all churches for this reason. Let them pay their fair share of income and property taxes in the communities that they live like the rest of us. Then they can squack about politics all they want.

[cbs_oliver]

The Catholic church (my church) has always been tolerant of Fascists and critical of Socialists. It has frequently been active in supporting Fascist goals. Today is no different.

As well, Pope Benedict was a member of the Hitler Youth - not enough in conflict with what the Nazis were doing at that time to risk being killed for it although he disavows active agreement.

People do change.

I'm glad to see that he opposes at least some killing these days.

[ronniehm]

When are we going to start reviewing the tax-exempt status of some of these faith-based groups (both left and right)? I mean go ahead and speak your mind, but don't send me the bill. And since I'm certainly not exempt from taxes, I'll just add that I completely disagree with the activists on the right, and I completely disagree with the activists on the left.