Political responsibility : choices for the 1980s


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Political

Responsibility:

Choices for

the 1980s

A Statement of the
Administrative Board
United States Catholic Conference

Revised Edition

March 22, 1984



Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2016

https://archive.org/details/politicalrespons00unit_0



Political

Responsibility:

Choices for

the 1980s

A Statement of the
Administrative Board
United States Catholic Conference

Revised Edition

March 22, 1984



In its planning document, as approved by the
general membership of the United States
Catholic Conference in November 1983, the
Department of Social Development and World
Peace was authorized to update the USCC State-
ment on Political Responsibility. This statement
was approved by the USCC Administrative
Board in March 1984 and is authorized for
publication by the undersigned.

Monsignor Daniel F. Hoye
General Secretary

April 30, 1984 NCCB/USCC

Copyright © 1984
United States Catholic Conference

1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005

All rights reserved.

DesddSfied



CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION 1

II. THE CHURCH AND THE
POLITICAL ORDER 3
The Responsibility of All
Members of the Church 4

The Distinct Role of the Church 5

III. ISSUES 8
A. Abortion 8
B. Arms Control and

Disarmament 9
C. Capital Punishment 10
D. Civil Rights 10

E. The Economy 11
F. Education 11

G. Energy 12
H. Family Life 12
I. Food and Agricultural Policy 13
J. Health 14

K. Housing 14
L. Human Rights 15
M. Mass Media 15
N. Regional Conflict

in the World 16

IV. CONCLUSION 18





I. INTRODUCTION

The hallmark of a democratic nation is its
ability to engage the voice of its people in a broad

range of public decisions. It is important on the
occasion of this election year to emphasize the

importance of responsible political participation.

In 1976 and in 1979 we issued statements calling
for “a committed, informed citizenry to
revitalize our political life.” 1 We now reiterate
that call and ask all citizens to ensure that our

elections become the vital and popular forum
they can and must be if our nation is to address
democratically the crucial issues that face us in

the years ahead.

We are encouraged by the improvement in
voter participation rates that was demonstrated
in the 1982 Congressional elections. Yet the level

of participation in the political process by Amer-
ican voters is still a matter of serious concern.

Voter participation rates in the United States

continue to be among the lowest in industri-
alized democracies in the world. Almost half of
all eligible voters did not participate in the most
recent presidential election.

2
Clearly there is need

for ongoing improvement in this most essential
element of our democratic life.

Of special concern is the fact that some seg-
ments of the population, such as racial minori-

ties, low-income people, youth, and women,
have traditionally had inadequate access to the
political process. Among the poor only about
one of every four eligible voters went to the polls

in the last national election. Likewise the voting

participation rates for minorities and youth are
far below the national average. While the par-

' Political Responsibility: Reflections on an Election

Year, February 12, 1976; Political Responsibility:

Choices for the 1980s, October 26, 1979.
2
In the 1982 Congressional elections 41 percent of

those eligible to vote actually did so. In the 1980 Pres-

idential elections 54 percent of eligible voters turned out.



ticipation rates for women are near the national
average, women still lag far behind in terms of
holding elective office.

In each of these cases some progress has been
made in recent years. Civil rights organizations,
human service and religious groups, and other
voluntary organizations have initiated aggressive

voter registration campaigns in order to promote
full participation in the electoral and political
processes. We commend these efforts and hope
that they will be extended in the future.

It is important for all Americans to realize the
extent to which we are all interdependent mem-
bers of a national community. Increasingly, our
problems are social in nature, demanding solu-
tions that are likewise social. To fashion these
solutions in a just and humane way requires the
active and creative participation of all. It requires
a renewed faith in the ability of the human com-
munity to cooperate in governmental structures
that work for the common good. It requires,
above all, a willingness to attack the root causes
of the powerlessness and alienation that threaten
our democracy.

If as a nation we are to address effectively the
complex social and economic issues that con-
front us, then we must have broad democratic
participation in the political process from all
segments of society. We cannot afford to aban-
don citizenship ourselves, nor can we permit ma-
jor segments of society to be shut out from the
mainstream of American political life. Rather,
we must breathe new life into the practice of
citizenship and we must dedicate ourselves to
strengthening the great democratic experiment

that we proudly call the United States of
America.

All Christians have a call to citizenship and

political life. In the words of Pope John Paul II,
“An important challenge for the Christian is that
of political life. In the state citizens have a right

and duty to share in the political life. For a na-

tion can ensure the common good of all and the
dreams and aspirations of its different members
only to the extent that all citizens in full liberty

and with complete responsibility make their con-
tributions willingly and selflessly for the good of

2



all.”
3 Accordingly, we urge all citizens to use

their franchise by registering to vote and going

to the polls. Demand information from the cam-
paigns themselves and from the media coverage

of those campaigns. Make candidates declare
their values, so you can compare those values
with your own. Take stands on the candidates
and the issues. If the campaign year is to engage
the values of the American people, the cam-
paigners and voters alike must share the respon-

sibility for making it happen. Become involved
in the campaign or party of your choice. Finally,

use the coming months to better understand the
issues and inform your conscience.

II. THE CHURCH AND
THE POLITICAL ORDER

It is appropriate in this context to offer our

own reflections on the role of the Church in the
political order. Christians believe that Jesus’

commandment to love one’s neighbor should ex-
tend beyond individual relationships to infuse
and transform all human relations from the
family to the entire human community. Jesus
came to ‘‘bring good news to the poor, to pro-
claim liberty to captives, new sight to the blind
and to set the downtrodden free ’’(Luke 4:18).
He called us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked,
care for the sick and afflicted and to comfort the
victims of injustice (Matt. 25). His example and
words require individual acts of charity and con-
cern from each of us. Yet they also require
understanding and action on a broader scale in
pursuit of peace and in opposition to poverty,
hunger and injustice. Such action necessarily in-
volves the institutions and structures of society,
the economy and politics.
The Church, the People of God, is itself an

expression of this love, and is required by the
Gospel and its long tradition to promote and de-

3 Papal Address in Nairobi, Kenya, May 7, 1980.
Origins, Vol. 10, No. 2.

3



fend human rights and human dignity . 4 In his
encyclical, Redemptor Hominis

,
Pope John

Paul II declares that the Church “must be aware
of the threats to [humanity] and of all that seems
to oppose the endeavor ‘to make human life ever
more human’ and make every element of life cor-
respond to humanity’s true dignity — in a word,
[the Church] must be aware of all that is opposed
to that process .” 5 This view of the Church’s

ministry and mission requires it to relate posi-
tively to the political order, since social injustice

and the denial of human rights can often be rem-
edied only through governmental action. In to-

day’s world concern for social justice and human
development necessarily requires persons and
organizations to participate in the political pro-

cess in accordance with their own responsibilities
and roles.

Christian responsibility in the area of human
rights includes two complementary pastoral
actions: the affirmation and promotion of
human rights and the denunciation and condem-
nation of violations of these rights. In addition,

it is the Church’s role as a community of faith
to call attention to the moral and religious

dimension of secular issues, to keep alive the

values of the Gospel as a norm for social and
political life, and to point out the demands of
the Christian faith for a just transformation of

society. Such a ministry on the part of every
individual as well as the organizational Church
inevitably involves political consequences and
touches upon public affairs.

The Responsibility of All
Members of the Church
The Church’s responsibility in this area falls

on all its members. As citizens we are all called
to become informed, active and responsible par-
ticipants in the political process. It is the laity

who are primarily responsible for activity in
political affairs, for it is they who have the ma-
jor responsibility for renewal of the temporal

4Human Rights and Reconciliation

,

Synod of

Bishops, 1974.
5Redemptor Hominis, Pope John Paul II, 14, 1979.

4



order. In the words of the Second Vatican

Council:

The laity, by their special vocation, seek the
kingdom of God by engaging in temporal
affairs and by ordering them according to
the plan of God. They live in the ordinary
circumstances of family and social life, from

which the very web of their existence is
woven. Today they are called by God, that
by exercising their proper function, and led

by the spirit of the Gospel, they may work
for the sanctification of the world from
within as a leaven .

6

The hierarchy also has a distinct and weighty
responsibility in this area. As teachers and
pastors, they must provide norms for the forma-
tion of conscience of the faithful, support efforts

to gain greater peace and justice and provide
guidance and even leadership on occasions when
human rights are in jeopardy. Drawing on their
own experience and exercising their distinctive
roles within the Christian community, bishops,
clergy, religious and laity should join together
in common witness and effective action to bring
about Pope John Paul II’s vision of a well-
ordered society based on truth, justice, charity
and freedom . 7

The Distinct Role of the Church
The Church’s role in the political order

includes the following:

—education regarding the teachings of the
Church and the responsibilities of the
faithful;

—analysis of issues for their social and moral
dimensions;

—measuring public policy against Gospel
values;

—participating with other concerned parties
in debate over public policy; and

6Lumen Gentium, 31.
7Pope John Paul, Papal Address. Origins, Vol. 1 1

,

No. 29, 1982.

5



—speaking out with courage, skill and concern
on public issues involving human rights, social
justice and the life of the Church in society.

Unfortunately, our efforts in this area are some-

times misunderstood. The Church’s participation in
public affairs is not a threat to the political process

or to genuine pluralism, but an affirmation of their

importance. The Church recognizes the legitimate
autonomy of government and the right of all, in-
cluding the Church itself, to be heard in the for-
mulation of public policy. As Vatican II declared:

By preaching the truth of the Gospel and
shedding light on all areas of human activity
through her teaching and the example of the
faithful, she [the Church] shows respect for

the political freedom and responsibility of

citizens and fosters these values. She also has

the right to pass moral judgments, even on
matters touching the political order, whenever

basic personal rights or the salvation of souls

makes such judgments necessary. 8

A proper understanding of the role of the
Church will not confuse its mission with that
of government, but rather see its ministry

as advocating the critical values of human
rights and social justice.

It is the role of Christian communities to

analyze the situation in their own country,
to reflect upon the meaning of the Gospel,
and to draw norms of judgment and plans
of action from the teaching of the Church
and their own experience. 9 In carrying out
this pastoral activity in the social arena we
are confronted with complexity. As the 1971
Synod of Bishops pointed out: “It does not
belong to the Church, insofar as she is a reli-

gious and hierarchical community, to offer
concrete solutions in the social, economic

and political spheres for justice in the

world” 10 At the same time it is essential to
recall the words of Pope John XXIII:

*The Church in the Modern World, 76 .
9A Call to Action, 4.
10
Justice in the World, 37 .

6



It must not be forgotten that the Church has

the right and duty not only to safeguard the

principles of ethics and religion, but also to

intervene authoritatively with her children

in the temporal sphere when there is a ques-
tion of judging the application of these prin-

ciples to concrete cases .
11

The application of Gospel values to real situa-
tions is an essential work of the Christian com-
munity. Christians believe the Gospel is the

measure of human realities. However, specific
political proposals do not in themselves con-
stitute the Gospel. Christians and Christian

organizations must certainly participate in public

debate over alternative policies and legislative
proposals, yet it is critical that the nature of their

participation not be misunderstood.

We specifically do not seek the formation of
a religious voting bloc; nor do we wish to instruct
persons on how they should vote by endorsing
candidates. We urge citizens to avoid choosing
candidates simply on the basis of personal self-
interest. Rather, we hope that voters will examine
the positions of candidates on the full range of
issues as well as their integrity, philosophy and
performance. We seek to promote a greater
understanding of the important link between

faith and politics and to express our belief that
our nation is enriched when its citizens and social
groups approach public affairs from positions
grounded in moral conviction and religious
belief. Our view is expressed very well by Pope
John Paul II when he said:

Christians know from the Church’s
luminous teachings that without any need
to follow a one-sided or partisan political

formula, they ought to contribute to form-

ing a more worthy society, one more
respectful of the rights of man, based on the
principles of justice and peace . 12

"Pacem in Terris, Pope John XXIII, 160, 1963
12Pope John XXIII, Papal Address in Spain.

Cf. Origins, Vol. 11, No. 29, p. 389ff.

7



As religious leaders and pastors, our intention
is to reflect our concern that politics receive its
rightful importance and attention and that it
become an effective forum for the achievement
of the common good. For, in the words of John
Paul II, “[Humanity’s] situation in the modern
world seems indeed to be far removed from the
objective demands of the moral order, from the
requirements of justice, and even more of social
love. . . . We have before us here a great drama
that can leave nobody indifferent.” 13

III. ISSUES

Without reference to political candidates, par-
ties or platforms, we wish to offer a listing of
some issues which we believe are important in
the national debate during 1984. These brief

summaries are not intended to indicate in any
depth the details of our positions in these mat-

ters. We refer the reader to fuller discussions of
our point of view in the documents listed in the
summary which appears below. We wish to point
out that these issues are not the concerns of

Catholics alone; in every case we have joined
with others to advocate these positions. They
represent a broad range of topics on which the
bishops of the United States have already ex-

pressed themselves and are recalled here in
alphabetical order to emphasize their relevance

in a period of national debate and decision.

A. Abortion
The right to life is the most basic human right,

and it demands the protection of law.
Abortion is the deliberate destruction of an un-

born human being and therefore violates this
right. We do not accept the concept that anyone
has the right to choose an abortion. We reject
the 1973 Supreme Court decisions on abortion
which refuse appropriate legal protection to the

unborn child. We support the passage of a con-
stitutional amendment to restore the basic
constitutional protection of the right to life

liRedemptor Hominis, 16.

8



for the unborn child. We reject the public fun-
ding of abortion.

(.Documentation on the Right to Life and
Abortion

,

1974, 1976, 1981; Pastoral Plan for

Pro-Life Activities, 1975.)

B. Arms Control and Disarmament
The National Conference of Catholic Bishops

(NCCB) has now addressed a broad range of na-
tional security policies that depend on the posses-
sion and planned use of nuclear weapons. The
process began with the NCCB/USCC general
meeting in November of 1980 and involved ex-
tensive consultations with military experts,

strategic planners, arms control negotiators,
moral theologians, political scientists and biblical
scholars. The result is a pastoral statement which

(1) condemns the counter-city or counter popula-
tion use of nuclear weapons, (2) rejects the no-

tion of waging limited nuclear wars (because of
the risk of escalation to all-out nuclear war) and

(3) questions the moral acceptability of policies

that contemplate the initiation of nuclear war to
repel a conventional attack, as is the case in

NATO strategy.
The NCCB statement did not, however, rule

out the reliance on possession and deployment
of strategic (long range) nuclear weapons for the
purpose of deterring an enemy nuclear first
strike. The bishops joined with Pope John Paul
II in affirming that such a policy was morally
acceptable under current conditions. The U.S.
bishops’ judgment of “strictly conditional moral
acceptance of nuclear deterrence’’ means that the
deployment of certain kinds of new weapon sys-
tems that are not clearly essential to deterrence
should be avoided; moreover they recommended
a bilateral, verifiable and negotiated halt to all
new nuclear weapons deployment, and called for
intensified negotiations to achieve real reductions

in the nuclear arsenals of the superpowers and
a comprehensive test ban treaty.
We urge those who wish their votes to reflect

their concerns about the dangers and the moral
evil of preparations for nuclear war to read and
reflect on the NCCB statement and to become

9



involved in study and action groups in their local
dioceses and parishes.

{The Challenge ofPeace: God's Promise and
Our Response

,

1983.)

C. Capital Punishment
In view of our commitment to the value and

dignity of human life, we oppose capital punish-
ment. We believe that a return to the use of the
death penalty is leading to, indeed can only lead
to, further erosion of respect for life in our socie-
ty. We do not question society’s right to punish
the offender, but we believe that there are bet-
ter approaches to protecting our people from
violent crimes than resorting to executions. In
its application, the death penalty has been
discriminatory toward the poor, the indigent and
racial minorities. Our society should reject the
death penalty and seek methods of dealing with
violent crime which are more consistent with the
Gospel vision of respect for life and Christ’s
message of healing love.
{Community and Crime, 1978; U.S. Bishops'

Statement on Capital Punishment, 1980.)

D. Civil Rights
Discrimination based on sex, race, ethnicity or

age continues to exist in our nation. Such
discrimination constitutes a grave injustice and
an affront to human dignity. It must be ag-
gressively resisted by every individual and rooted
out of every social institution and structure.
Racism is a particularly serious form of

discrimination. Despite significant strides in

eliminating racial prejudices in our country, there
remains an urgent need for continued reconcilia-
tion in this area. Racism is not merely one sin
among many. It is a radical evil dividing the
human family. The struggle against it demands
an equally radical transformation in our own
minds and hearts as well as in the structures of
our society.

{Brothers and Sisters to Us: A Pastoral Letter
on Racism in Our Day, 1979; The Hispanic
Presence: Challenge and Commitment, 1983.)

10



E. The Economy
Our national economic life must reflect broad

values of social justice and human rights. Above
all, the economy must serve the human needs of
our people. While the economy has improved for
many citizens, it is important to call attention to
the fact that millions of Americans are still poor,

jobless, hungry and inadequately housed and

that vast disparities of income and wealth remain

within our nation. These conditions are intol-

erable and must be persistently challenged so that

the economy will reflect a fundamental respect
for the human dignity and basic needs of all.

Current levels of unemployment and the tre-
mendous human costs which they represent are
unnecessary and should not be tolerated. We
support an effective national commitment to
genuine full employment as the foundation of
a just and responsible economic policy. We
believe that all Americans who are willing and
able to work have a right to useful and produc-
tive employment at fair wages. We also call for
a decent income policy for those who cannot
work and adequate assistance to those in need.

Efforts to achieve responsible fiscal policies

and to stimulate economic growth and security
are important and necessary tasks, but they
should be governed by a fundamental concern
for equity and fairness. Our nation’s economic
ills must not be solved at the expense of the poor
and most vulnerable members of society.

{The Economy: Human Dimensions, 1975.)

F. Education

All persons of whatever race, sex, condition

or age, by virtue of their dignity as human
beings, have an inalienable right to education.
We advocate:

1. Sufficient public and private funding to
make an adequate education available for
all citizens and residents of the United
States of America and to provide
assistance for education in our nation’s

program of foreign aid.
2. Governmental and voluntary action to

reduce inequalities of educational oppor-

11



tunity by improving the opportunities
available to economically disadvantaged

persons.

3. Orderly compliance with legal requirements

for racially integrated schools.

4. Voluntary efforts to increase racial ethnic

integration in public and nonpublic schools.
5. Equitable tax support for the education of

pupils in public and nonpublic schools to
implement parental freedom in the educa-
tion of their children.

{Sharing the Light of Faith, 1979; To Teach
as Jesus Did, 1972.)

G. Energy

Energy issues have a wide-ranging impact on
the economic and social well-being of our nation.
As society undergoes a major transition from
reliance on petroleum to alternative energy
resources, certain moral principles should guide
public decision-making in this field. We seek
policies which would:

—promote conservation and responsible
stewardship of our limited energy resources;

—commit energy development to improving
safety for the workforce and the
community;

—promote international cooperation in
developing and distributing energy, thus
reducing the tensions which may lead to in-
ternational conflict;

—provide for equitable access to energy
resources and benefits, particularly for low-

income people; and
—promote the development of renewable

energy sources.

{Reflections on the Energy Crisis, A Statement
by the Committee on Social Development and
World Peace, U.S. Catholic Conference, April 2,
1981.)

H. Family Life
The test of how we value the family is whether

we are willing to foster, in government and

12



business, in urban planning and farm policy, in

education, health care, in the arts and sciences,

in our total social and cultural environment,
moral values which nourish the primary relation-

ships of husbands, wives and children and make
authentic family life possible.

Implicit government policy and explicit gov-
ernment planning and programs can contribute

to an erosion of the health and vitality of the

family. Comprehensive decisions of a national

or regional scope must take into account their

impact on family life. Families, especially those
whose influence is lessened by poverty or social
status, must be allowed their rightful input in

those decisions which affect their daily lives.

( Vision and Strategy: The Plan ofPastoral Ac-
tion for Family Ministry

,

1978.)

I. Food and Agricultural Policy
The right to eat flows directly from the right to

life. We support a national policy aimed at se-
curing the right to eat for all the world’s people.

Internationally, U.S. food aid should effec-

tively combat global hunger and malnutrition and
be aimed primarily at the poorest countries and
neediest people without regard to political consid-

erations. In order to help establish adequate sup-

plies, the U.S. should help to develop a world grain

reserve fair to both producers and consumers.

Development assistance should emphasize equit-
able distribution of benefits and help other nations

move towards food self-reliance.
Domestically, nutrition programs should help

meet the needs of hungry and malnourished
Americans, especially children, the poor, the

unemployed and the elderly. It is essential that
the food stamp program and child nutrition pro-
grams be funded at adequate levels.

(Food Policy and the Church: Specific Pro-
posals, 1975.)

Through its income support programs, its credit
and research programs, its tax policies, its strategies
for rural development, and its foreign aid, the U.S.
should support the maintenance of an agricultural

system based on small and moderate-sized family
farms both at home and abroad.

( The Family Farm, 1979.)

13



We support legislation to protect the rights of
farm workers and we call for measures to
improve the working conditions and the general
welfare of farm worker families. We reaffirm the
Church’s traditional teaching in support of the

right of all workers to organize and bargain
collectively.

J. Health

Adequate health care is a basic human right.
Access to appropriate health care must be guar-
anteed for all people without regard to economic,

social or legal status. Special efforts should be

made to remove barriers to prompt, personalized
and comprehensive care for the poor.

Government also has a responsibility to
remove or alleviate environmental, social and
economic conditions that cause much ill health
and suffering for its citizens. Greater emphasis
is required on programs of health promotion and
disease prevention.

We support the adoption of a national health
insurance program as the best means of ensuring
access to high quality health care for all. Until

a comprehensive and universal program can be
enacted, we urge the following:

—strengthening existing programs for the
poor, the elderly, and disabled people;

—development and enhancement of alterna-
tive delivery systems;

—broad consumer participation in health
planning decisions at all levels; and

—a vigorous national cost containment
program.

{Health and Health Care: A Pastoral of the
American Catholic Bishops, 1981.)

K. Housing
Decent housing is a basic human right. A

greater commitment of will and resources is re-
quired to meet our national housing goal of a

decent home for every American family. To meet
this housing need, the government must continue

to adequately fund housing assistance programs

that will assist people to obtain affordable

14



housing. Continuation of housing production

and preservation programs is vital to main-

taining the stock of affordable housing. Housing

policy must better meet the needs of low and
middle income families, the elderly, rural

families and minorities. It should also promote
reinvestment in central cities and equal housing
opportunity. Preservation of existing housing

stock and a renewed concern for neighborhoods

are required.

{The Right to a Decent Home, 1975.)

L. Human Rights
Human dignity requires the defense and pro-

motion of human rights in global and domestic
affairs. With respect to international human
rights, there is a pressing need for the U.S. to

pursue a double task: (1) to strengthen and
expand international mechanisms by which
human rights can be protected and promoted;
and (2) to take seriously the human rights dimen-
sions of U.S. foreign policy. Therefore, we sup-
port U.S. ratification of the International

Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Further,
we support a policy which gives greater weight
to the protection of human rights in the conduct
of U.S. affairs. The pervasive presence of U.S.
power creates a responsibility to use that power
in the service of human rights.

{U.S. Foreign Policy: A Critique from
Catholic Traditions, 1976.)

M. Mass Media
We are concerned that the communications

media be truly responsive to the public interest
and that future laws governing the electronic
media make the benefits that the new com-
munication technologies have created available
to all our citizens. We reject any philosophy of
marketplace economics as applied to the telecom-

munication industries which have the effect of
widening the gap between the information rich
and the information poor in our society. Specif-
ically, we oppose those legislative initiatives in
the Congress which would remove the accounta-
bility of broadcasters and the owners of cable

15



systems to the communities they are licensed or
franchised to serve.

We support the concept of universal telephone
service at a cost affordable to all Americans.

While we oppose government control of the con-
tent of the mass media of communication, we
support reasonable and legitimate common car-
rier regulations to restrict the use of these vehicles

in making available to the young, in particular,
indecent or pornographic materials, many of
which violate every rational standard of de-

cency and are an affront to Christian values.
(Statements and Testimony by the USCC

Department of Communication before the Con-
gress and the FCC.)

N. Regional Conflict in the World
Three situations of regional conflict which are

of significance for the whole international sys-
tem, and where U.S. policy has a substantial, in-
deed a decisive influence, are: Central America,

the Middle East, and Southern Africa.
Central America has come to be the most vis-

ible focus of our attention to regional conflicts.

Our position concerning the indigenous roots of
the conflicts, the imperative need for funda-

mental social change, and the futility, not to say
immorality, of proposed military solutions has

been stated often and is well known. As the
dominant external actor, our government must
play the creative diplomatic role that it uniquely

has in supporting the goals of dialogue leading

to cessation of hostilities, resulting in a nego-

tiated end to the conflicts and an international-

ly guaranteed process of political and social
reform and of economic reconstruction. Under
no reasonably foreseeable circumstances can
direct intervention of military personnel in the

region, on the part of the United States or any
other outside power, be justified. We have con-
stantly supported substantial economic assistance

for the countries of Central America; while

recognizing that military assistance will be a

dimension of the United States presence in Cen-

tral America, we continue to reaffirm that our
principal contribution to peace in the region

should be through our diplomatic role. With

16



bishops of the region we continue to express our
alarm over the growing militarization of the Cen-

tral American countries, the danger of a more
generalized war, violations of fundamental

human rights and lack of progress in judicial
redress, and the wrenching tragedy of so many
refugees and displaced persons. We have asked
the United States government to institute a policy

of Extended Voluntary Departure for nationals

of El Salvador in the United States and to make
a major commitment to meet the immediate
human needs of the refugees and displaced per-
sons in Central America.

(USCC Testimony on Central America, 1983,
1984.)

In the Middle East the quest for peace con-

tinues and the relevant parties bear distinct yet
interdependent responsibilities. First, the inter-

national community, especially its principal
diplomatic actors, inevitably influences the

future of the Middle East. Second, the United

Nations is a vital element in any Middle East

negotiations, and its diplomatic and peace-
keeping role will undoubtedly be crucial to a
long-term resolution of the conflict. Third, the

regional parties, whose conflicting claims of
justice are the essence of the political and moral
problem in the Middle East, are the key to peace.
Finally, the religious communities with roots in

the Middle East must reflect the best of our tradi-
tions in supporting the movement for peace with
justice for all the people of the region. We have
a continuing concern for the protection of the

basic rights, both civil and religious, of the Chris-
tian minorities in the Middle East, and we
encourage the local churches there to continue
their steadfast witness to the faith.

{The Middle East: The Pursuit of Peace with
Justice, 1978.)

The position of South Africa has long been of
grave moral concern to the world because of its

internal racial policies and its occupation of
Namibia/South West Africa. In recent years it has
become a threat to the entire area of Southern
Africa because of its military incursions into the

territories of several of its neighbors; indeed, it has

virtually occupied a large portion of Angola.

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The United States is South Africa’s largest
trading partner and second largest foreign
investor. U.S. foreign policy and its influence on
corporate activity in South Africa should be
directed in effective ways toward needed change
in South Africa and in its relations with
neighboring states.

(USCC Administrative Board Statement on
Namibia, 1983.)

This is not an exclusive listing of the issues that

concern us. As Pope John Paul II has said, “The
Church cannot remain insensible to whatever
serves true human welfare any more than she can
remain indifferent to whatever threatens it. . . .” 14

Thus we are also advocates for the civil and
political rights of the elderly, the handicapped,

immigrants and aliens. We oppose excessive
government interference in religious affairs as
well as any unjust bias of government against
religious institutions. We support measures to
reform our criminal justice system. We are con-
cerned about protection of the land and the en-
vironment as well as the monumental question
of peace with justice in the world.

IV. CONCLUSION

In summary, we believe that the Church has
a proper role and responsibility in public affairs
flowing from its Gospel mandate and its respect
for the dignity of the human person. We hope
these reflections will contribute to a renewed

political vitality in our land, both in terms of

citizen participation in the electoral process and

the integrity and accountability of those who seek
and hold public office.

We pray that Christians will provide cour-
ageous leadership in promoting a spirit of

responsible political involvement. May they
follow the example of Jesus in giving special

' 4Redemptor Hominis, 13.

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concern for the poor, and may all their actions
be guided by a deep love of God and neighbor.
For in the world of American politics, as in

all human communities, the words of Pope John
Paul II apply:

What is in question here is the human per-
son. We are not dealing with the abstract
human person but the real, concrete,
historical person. . . . Every person coming

into the world on account of the mystery of
the redemption is entrusted to the solicitude

of the Church. . . . The object of her care
is human persons in their unique, unre-
peatable human reality, which keeps intact the
image and likeness of God himself. . . .” 15

]iRedemptor Hominis, 13.

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Publication No. 922

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