Political responsibility : reflections on an election year, February 12, 1976 S/crfe* &c**S*?. fo/sfrc**/ • » • AA*. %cn(eM\\ UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE OAME ! memorial library Iq , _ J 1 5 1979 I COLLEGE LIBRARY VERTICAL FILE | POLITICAL I RESPONSIBILITY: I Reflections on an I ) Election Year s s February 12, 1976 A Statement of the Administrative Board of the United States Catholic Conference T*r : f Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/politicalrespons00unit_1 POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY: REFLECTIONS ON AN ELECTION YEAR A statement of the Administrative Board of the United States Catholic Conference. This year marks the two hundredth anniversary of the founding of our republic with its remark- able system of representative democracy. It is also a year that will test the workings of this democracy. A national election is a time for deci- sions regarding the future of our nation and the selection of our representatives and political leaders. As pastors and teachers, we address this statement on political responsibility to all Amer- icans in hopes that the upcoming elections will provide an opportunity for thoughtful and lively debate on the issues and challenges that face our country as well as decisions on the candidates who seek to lead us. I. Public Responsibility And The Electoral Process We call this year a test of our democratic in- stitutions because increasing numbers of our fellow citizens regard our political institutions and electoral processes with indifference and even distrust. Two years ago only 36% of those eli- gible voted in the national Congressional elec- tions; in contrast, 46% voted in 1962. In 1972 only half of the eligible citizens exercised their right to vote, down from a peak of 63% in 1960. This trend—and the alienation, disenchantment and indifference it represents—must be reversed if our government is to truly reflect the “consent of the governed." Abuses of power and a lack of governmental accountability have contributed to declining pub- lic confidence, despite significant efforts to un- cover and redress these problems. Equally im- portant, government has sometimes failed to deal effectively with critical issues which affect the daily lives of its citizens. As a result, many persons caught in the web of poverty and in- justice have little confidence in the responsive- 1 DeackJifled ness of our political institutions. This discour- agement and feelings of powerlessness are not limited to the poor who feel these most intense- ly, but affect many social groups, most alarm- ingly the young and the elderly. This leads to a loss of human resources, talent and idealism which could be harnessed in the work of social and national progress. 1 However, we believe that the abandonment of political participation is neither an effective nor a responsible approach to the solution of these problems. We need a committed, informed, and involved citizenry to revitalize our political life, to require accountability from our political lead- ers and governmental institutions and to achieve the common good. We echo the words of Pope Paul VI who declared: “The Christian has the duty to take part in the organization and life of political society.” 2 Accordingly, we would urge all citizens to register to vote, to become in- formed on the relevant issues, to become in- volved in the party or campaign of their choice, to vote freely according to their conscience, in a word, to participate fully in this critical arena of politics where national decisions are made. Certain methods used in political campaigns sometimes have intensified this disaffection. We call on those seeking public office to concen- trate on demonstrating their personal integrity, their specific views on issues and their experi- ence in public service. We urge a positive presen- tation of their programs and leadership abilities. In this way they can contribute to a campaign based on vital issues, personal competence and real choices which will help to restore confi- dence in our electoral process. 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’ com- mandment to love one’s neighbor should extend 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 proclaim 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 2 and words require individual acts of charity and concern from each of us. Yet they also require understanding and action upon the broader di- mensions of poverty, hunger and injustice which necessarily involve the institutions and structures of economy, society 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 defend human rights and human dignity. 3 The 1971 Synod of Bishops declared that action on behalf of justice is a “constitutive dimension” of the Church’s ministry and that, “the Church has the right, indeed the duty, to proclaim jus- tice on the social, national and international level, and to denounce instances of injustice, when the fundamental rights of man and his very salvation demand it.” 4 This view of the Church’s ministry and mission requires it to relate positively to the political order, since social injustice and the denial of human rights can often be remedied only through government- al action. In today's world concern for social justice and human development necessarily re- quire persons and organizations to participate in the political process in accordance with their own responsibilities and roles. The Church’s responsibility in the area of human rights includes two complementary pastoral actions: the affirmation and promotion of human rights and the denunciation and con- demnation of violations of these rights. In addi- tion, it is the Church’s role to call attention to the moral and religious dimensions 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. 5 Such a ministry on the part of every Christian and the Church in- evitably involves political consequences and touches upon public affairs. Christian social teaching demands that citi- zens and public officials alike give serious con- sideration in all matters to the common good, to the welfare of society as a whole, which must be protected and promoted if individual rights are to be encouraged and upheld. In order to be credible and faithful to the Gospel and to our tradition, the Church’s concern for human rights and social justice should be 3 comprehensive and consistent. It must be formu- lated with competence and an awareness of the complexity of issues. It should also be developed in dialogue with other concerned persons and respectful of the rights of all . 6 The Church’s role in the political order in- cludes the following: • education regarding the teachings of the Church and the responsibilities of the faith- ful; • 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; • speaking out with courage, skill and con- cern on public issues involving human rights, social justice and the life of the Church in society. Unfortunately, our efforts in this area are sometimes misunderstood. The Church’s parti- cipation in public affairs is not a threat to the political process or to genuine pluralism, but an affirmation of their importance. The Church rec- ognizes the legitimate autonomy of government and the right of all, including the Church itself, to be heard in the formulation 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 judg- ments, even on matters touching the political order, whenever basic person- al rights or the salvation of souls make such judgments necessary . 7 A proper understanding of the role of the Church will not confuse its mission with that of government, but rather see its ministry as ad- vocating the critical values of human rights and social justice. 4 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.® In carrying out this pastoral activ- ity 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 religious and hierarchical community, to offer concrete solutions in the social, economic and political spheres for justice in the world.” 9 (Emphasis added.) At the same time, it is essential to recall the words of Pope John XXIII: ... 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 principles of concrete cases. 10 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 consti- tute the Gospel. Christians and Christian organi- zations must certainly participate in public de- bate 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 in- struct persons on how they should vote by endorsing candidates. We urge citizens to avoid choosing candidates simply on the personal basis of self-interest. Rather, we hope that voters will examine the positions of candidates on the full range of issues as well as the per- son’s 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 en- riched when its citizens and social groups ap- proach public affairs from positions grounded in moral conviction and religious belief. Our view is expressed very well by Pope Paul VI when he said: 5 While recognizing the autonomy of the reality of politics, Christians who are invited to take up political activity should try to make their choices con- sistent with the Gospel and, in the framework of a legitimate plurality, to give both personal and collective wit- ness to the seriousness of their faith by effective and disinterested service of men . 11 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. The hierarchy has a responsibility as teachers and pastors to educate the faithful, support efforts to gain greater peace and justice and provide guidance and even leadership on occasion where human rights are in jeopardy. The laity has major re- sponsibility for the renewal of the temporal order. Drawing on their own experience and ex- ercising their distinctive roles within the Chris- tian community, bishops, clergy, religious and laity should join together in common witness and effective action to bring about Pope John’s vision of a well ordered society based on truth, justice, charity and freedom . 12 As religious leaders and pastors, our intention is to reflect our concern that politics—the forum for the achievement of the common good—re- ceive its rightful importance and attention. For, as Pope Paul VI said, “politics are a demand- ing manner—but not the only one—of living the Christian commitment to the service of others .” 13 III. Issues Without reference to political candidates, parties or platforms, we wish to offer a listing of some issues which we believe are central to the national debate this year. These brief sum- maries are not intended to indicate in any depth the details of our positions in these mat- ters. We wish to refer the reader to fuller dis- cussions 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 con- cerns. They represent a broad range of topics on which the Bishops of the United States have already expressed themselves and are recalled 6 here in alphabetical order to emphasize their relevance in a period of national debate and de- cision. A. Abortion The right to life is a basic human right which should have the protection of law. Abortion is the deliberate destruction of an unborn human being and therefore violates this right. We reject the 1973 Supreme Court decisions on abortion which refuse appropriate legal protec- tion to the unborn child. We support the pass- age of a constitutional amendment to restore the basic constitutional protection of the right to life for the unborn child. (Documentation on the Right to Life and Abortion, 1974; Pastoral Plan on Pro-Life Activities, 1975). B. The Economy Our national economic life must reflect broad values of social justice and human rights. Cur- rent levels of unemployment are unacceptable and their tremendous human costs are intoler- able. We support an effective national commit- ment to genuine full employment. Our strong support of this human right to meaningful em- ployment is based not only on the income it provides, but also on the sense of worth and creativity a useful job provides for the indi- vidual. We also call for a decent income policy for those who cannot work and adequate as- sistance to those in need. Efforts to eliminate or curtail needed services and help in these difficult economic times must be strongly op- posed. (The Economy: Human Dimensions, 1975). C. Education All persons of whatever race, 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 educa- tion in our nation’s program of foreign aid. 2. Governmental and voluntary action to re- duce inequalities of educational opportunity by improving the opportunities available to econom- ically disadvantaged persons. 7 3. Orderly compliance with legal requirements for racially integrated schools. 4. Voluntary efforts to increase racial and ethnic integration in public and nonpublic schools. 5. Equitable tax support for the education of pupils in public and nonpublic schools to im- plement parental freedom in the education of their children. (To Teach As Jesus Did, Nov. 1972). D. Food Policy The “right to eat” is directly linked with the right to life. This right to eat is denied to count- less numbers of people in the world. We sup- port a national policy in which: • U. S. world food aid seriously combats hunger and malnutrition on a global basis, separates food aid from other considera- tions, gives priority to the poorest nations, and joins in a global grain reserve. • U. S. domestic food programs meet the needs of hungry and malnourished people here in America, provide strong support for food stamps to assist the needy, the un- employed, the elderly and the working poor, and strive to improve and to extend child nutrition programs. • U. S. agricultural policy promotes full pro- duction and an adequate and just return for farmers. (Food Policy and The Church: Specific Proposals, 1975). E. 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. Housing policy must better meet the needs of low and middle income families, the elderly, rural areas and minorities. It should also promote reinvest- ment in central cities and equal housing oppor- tunity. Preservation of existing housing stock and a renewed concern for neighborhoods are required. (The Right To A Decent Home, 1975). F. Human Rights And U. S. Foreign Policy Human dignity requires the defense and promotion of human rights. Many regimes, in- cluding communist countries and some U. S. allies, violate or deny their citizens human and 8 civil rights, as well as religious liberty. Interna- tionally, the pervasive presence of American power creates a responsibility to use that power in the service of human rights. In the face of regimes which use torture or detain political prisoners without legal recourse, we support a policy which gives greater weight to the protec- tion of human rights in the conduct of U. S. affairs. (Resolution On The 25th Anniversary of the U. N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1973). G. Mass Media We are concerned that the communications media be truly responsive to the public interest. We strongly oppose government control over television programming policy, but we deplore unilateral decision-making by networks. We urge that broadcasters, government, private business, and representatives of the viewing public seek effective ways to ensure accounta- bility in the formulation and implementation of broadcast policy. We recommend exploring ways to reduce the commercial orientation of the I broadcasting industry to better serve the pub- lic. (Statement On The Family Viewing Policy, 1975). H. Military Expenditures The arms race continues to threaten human- ity with universal destruction. It is especially destructive because it violates the rights of the I world's poor who are thereby deprived of essen- tial needs and it creates the illusion of protect- ing human life and fostering peace. We support a policy of arms limitation as a necessary step to general disarmament which is a prerequisite to international peace and justice. (U.S. Bishops on the Arms Race, 1971 Synod). This is not an exclusive listing of issues of concern to us. We are also concerned about is- sues involving the civil and political rights of racial and ethnic groups, women, the elderly and working families. We support measures to pro- vide health care for all of our citizens and the reform of our criminal justice system. We are concerned about protection of the land and the environment as well as the monumental question of peace in the world. IV. Conclusion In summary, we believe the Church has a proper role and responsibility in public affairs 9 flowing from its Gospel mandate and its concern for the human person and his or her rights. We hope these reflections will contribute to a re- newed sense of political vitality in our land, both in terms of citizen participation in the electoral process and the integrity and accountability of those who hold and seek public office. We pray that Christians will follow the call of Jesus to provide the “leaven” for society, (Matt. 13:34; Luke 13:20), and heed the appeal of the Second Vatican Council: To enlighten one another through honest discussion, preserving mutual charity and caring above ali for the common good ... to be witnesses to Christ in all things in the midst of human society. 14 1 Joint Economic Committee Hearings, October 20, 1975; New York Times, February 1, 1976; Wall Street Journal, February 2, 1976. 2 A Call To Action, Pope Paul VI, 24, 1971. 3 Human Rights and Reconciliation, Synod of Bishops, 1974. 4 Justice in the World, Synod of Bishops, 1971. 5 Justice in The World, ibid. 6 A Call To Action, op, cit., 4, 50. The Church In The Modern World, Second Vatican Council, 43, 1965. 7 The Church In The Modern World, op. cit., 76. 6 A Call To Action, op. cit. 9 Justice In The World, op. cit. 10 Pacem in Terris, Pope John XXIII, 160, 1963. 11 A Call To Action, op. cit., 46. 12 Pacem In Terris, Pope John XXIII, 35, 1963. 13 A Call To Action, op. cit. 14 The Church In The Modern World , op. cit., 43. The U.S. Catholic Conference is the national-level action agency of the Catholic Bishops in this coun- try. The Administrative Board, composed of 48 Bishops from throughout the nation, speaks on behalf of the Conference between general meetings of the full body of bishops. Copies of the statements referred to in Section III, Issues are available from the Publications Office, U.S.C.C., 1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Wash- ington, D.C. 20005. 1976 Publications Office UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE 1312 Massachusetts Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005