To Archbishop Brunett, May 29,
2004.
Support for urging members of the episcopate to
discourage single-issue statements concerning politicians and
political choices.
May 28, 2004
Archbishop Alexander Brunett, D.D., Ph.D.
Archbishop of Seattle
910 Marion Street
Seattle, WA 98104
Dear Archbishop:
As you prepare for the Bishops’ national meeting next month, may
we bring to your attention a concern of ours?
Individual prelates of our country have begun speaking out
against politicians who support a pro-choice voting position on
the abortion question. Some are advising Catholics how to
vote on politicians holding such a position. Recently the
question has been expanded to include stem cell research,
euthanasia, and gay unions. Statements by some of
these bishops have endorsed the refusal of Communion to such
politicians and even to voters as a sanction.
We write to tell you that parishioners we serve are finding this
divisive, alarming, and confusing. They tell us they
perceive such a course of action as simplistic and heavy-handed.
The approach strikes us, also, as a disconnect from other moral
issues that impact public policy in our country. Our
church is not a single-issue tradition. Besides abortion,
stem cell research, euthanasia, or gay unions, our Catholic
ethical tradition has to do with matters like establishing
balance between capital and labor, and is therefore concerned
about increasing the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation
Catholic morality has to do with resisting monopolies that
restrict enterprise, supporting arms control and
non-proliferation measures, and avoiding unilateralism and
preemptive war. All these issues, and others, like
subsidized housing programs, educational support, childcare
credits, and anti-capital punishment propositions, are also
essentially and profoundly pro-life issues.
We find wisdom in Cardinal McCarrick’s words that “one issue may
be primary, but there are many issues that have to be
considered. … All these things should be weighed very carefully
– without giving anybody direction on how they should vote.”
Catholic teaching also calls us to respect the conscience of
other equally sincere, totally dedicated religious traditions
and spiritual people who evaluate such things through a
different theological lens. Our U.S. Constitution protects
a person’s civil rights and honors their religious tradition at
the same time. The function of legislators is the same:
not to impose any particular religious code on anyone.
Archbishop, we hope that at the June national meeting, you will
request our bishops to reiterate the wise principles and vision
given us in Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political
Responsibility: “As bishops, we seek to form the
consciences of our people. We do not wish to instruct
persons on how they should vote by endorsing or opposing
candidates. We hope that voters will examine the position
of the candidates on the full range of issues, as well as
personal integrity, philosophy and performance.” (April 8, 2004)
We hope, further, that you will urge your brothers in the
episcopate to discourage single-issue statements by church
leaders concerning politicians and political choices.
Finally, we hope that, considering politicians, political
choices, and voting Catholics, you will commend the bishops to
discourage using the refusal of Communion as a sanction.
To use our Eucharist as a political tool is an affront to the
Sacrament as well as to the conscience of free people.
Know that our prayers accompany you to your important meeting.
Having met and discussed these issues as a whole body, we sign
very sincerely on behalf of the membership of Concerned Catholic
Ministers,
Concerned Catholic Ministers Leadership Team
Del Hoover
Mary Ellen Johnson, CSC
Kathleen Kichline, M. Div.
Shannon O’Donnell