Original_To:  BITNET%"POLITICS@OHSTVMA"
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.politics
Date:         Sun, 8 Nov 1992 23:08:00 EDT
From:         CLARK@EVMSVMS.BITNET
Subject:      The Catholic Church & Politics

People have been posting lately about religion, politics, tax-exemption,
etc.  Someone said that the Catholic Church in America has no politcal
power and does not get involved in politics.  I believe that a short
history lecture is in order.  I presume your permission, History Czar?


                The Catholic Church and Politics

                        by Anthony Clark (a.k.a. -T.)

The Catholic Church in America has a long history of official
involvement in both government and politics.  From active
campaign endorsements, to back-room political deals, to
establishing lobbying organizations to issuing official pastoral
letters on political issues, the Church is certainly political.

A major highlight in this history is the reign of Cardinal
Francis X. Spellman of New York.  Not only was he Cardinal
Archbishop of the New York Diocese, he was a General in the
United States Army - Vicar General of all Army Chaplains.  He was
the deciding factor in a legal precedent over conscientious-
objector status for Catholic draftees; his official declaration
of the Vietnam War as "Morally Just" disallowed any American
Roman Catholic from successfully claiming CO status during the
war.  Not a single public work project was begun in New York
without the mutual consent and cooperation of Spellman and Robert
Moses.  Not a single local or statewide candidate for public
office in New York was successful without the public (or private)
endorsement of Spellman.  And it was Spellman who initiated the
famous Al Smith Dinner in New York, a political "must attend" for
any national candidate.

The American Bishops have issued official Pastoral Letters
(documents which must be read aloud and printed in every parish,
church institution, etc. in America) on Nuclear Weapons, the
Economy, Abortion, Birth Control, War, Social Justice - the list
goes on.  Let me just point out that when a cardinal or bishop
makes an official statement - whatever the context - it is
official Church teaching unless otherwise contradicted by the
Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, the Roman Ministry
charged with overseeing the purity of Catholic teaching.
The Congregation has yet to overturn any of these Letters.

The Catholic Church is indeed involved in lobbying and political
action - more so today than ever before.  Whereas in the past
Spellman might summon an errant pol to Fifth Avenue for some
"instruction", lobbying is accomplished a little differently now.

The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, located at an
impressive and rather costly building in NE D.C., is an
organization, as is obvious, of all the U.S. Catholic Bishops.
What is less obvious is the extent of its involvement in
political affairs.  There are several committees within the
Conference appointed to develop and administer national lobbying
efforts on a number of issues.  For instance, the Pro-Life
Committee works closely with other groups (such as The National
Right-To-Life Committee) to: overturn Roe v Wade; promote actions
like Operation Rescue; educate the public on matters of abortion
laws, alternatives to abortion, and the voting records of Pro-
Choice candidates; and work to pass laws restricting or outlawing
abortions altogether.

Anyone knowledgeable of the ways of Washington will tell you that
more foreign policy decisions have been made in the Jesuit
Residence of Georgetown University than at Foggy Bottom.  The
Jesuits (a religious order within the Roman Catholic Church - the
world's largest, actually) have been intimately linked to the
U.S. Executive branch - specifically the State Department - for
decades.  From simple information leaks to strategy consultations
to direct involvement in negotiations, the U.S. government and
the Jesuits work hand in hand.

Until Pope John Paul II issued an order banning all priests and
religious from political office, Robert Drinan had been a
Congressman from Massachusetts for over a decade.  He was also a
Roman Catholic Priest, and a Jesuit to boot (more can be said
about the war between the Papacy and the Jesuits - suffice it to
say the order was a general one, but in specific response to
Jesuits such as Drinan and Fernando Cardenale in Nicaragua.  It
is important to note that these Jesuits were advocating positions
with which John Paul disagreed - such as abortion rights and
liberation theology).

No one claims that the current Cardinal of New York, John
O'Connor, has anywhere near the political clout that Spellman
had.  He does, however, have something almost as powerful - the
backing of the Papacy and the Vatican.  In contradiction to
earlier posts, O'Connor has indeed chastised public figures such
as Governor Cuomo for their stance on abortion - to the extent of
"spiritual jeopardy" warnings (for devout Catholics, being told
your soul is in jeopardy of eternal damnation can be pretty
persuasive stuff).  His public stances on other issues - AIDS
("punishment" for evil lifestyles) gay rights ("homosexuality is
evil and abnormal") demand at least attention from Roman Catholic
Americans, if not absolute obedience.  This means that Catholics
cannot say "yes" to him and then vote "no".

There are numerous other examples of the Catholic Church being
directly involved in politics - from the Pastor in California who
refused Holy Communion to a parishioner because she was a Pro-
Choice candidate for local office, to Cardinals working to elect
Presidents.  The main point here is that Paul (or whoever posted
saying the Catholic Church has no power and is not involved
politically) needs to realize his ignorance on this issue.  Wake
up, Paul, and all the other Roman Catholics who believe your
Church is just a bunch of nice old men and women in black and
white simply caring for the sick and praying for our souls.  The
Catholic Church is a powerful political organization - not only
in America but around the world - and you'd be wise to own up to
that.  You need full information to make value judgements and
loyalty decisions - and you don't yet know the half of it.  If
you know the whole truth and still decide to remain and defend
the Church, more power to you;  but please break away from the
blind-acceptance pack and open your eyes.  We'll all be the
better for it.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU