Hudson & Fournier: Catholic Countdown to Election 2012 - Day 39: Language, Manners and Catholic Action

By Deal W. Hudson and Rev. Mr. Keith A. Fournier
9/29/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

The ad will run for a week in Ohio, covering the Columbus, Cleveland-Akron, Dayton, and Youngstown media markets

Politics, like evangelization, is about convincing people to think and act other than the way they generally do. Wagging your finger at those who disagree only pushes them away, perhaps permanently.

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WASHINGTON,DC (Catholic Online) - Several years ago I (Keith) participated in a Catholic Leadership event hosted by my friend, and the co-author of this column, Deal Hudson. I was asked to make a presentation. During the course of my comments I insisted that an authentic understanding of social justice should inform a new Catholic action for our time.

In the question and answer period after my comments, my friend the host made a suggestion that we get rid of the term "Social Justice" because it is used by 'the left". He asked me for my thoughts. I said that I strongly disagreed. I insisted that we take back the phrase from those who have stolen it, either on the "the right" or "the left".

I pressed instead for an authentically Catholic vision of social justice as set forth in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church which, I insisted, should become the manual of every Catholic involved in our work in the culture.

As the lively discussion continued a man in attendance became so angry about my use of the term social justice that he began to shout and rushed the platform. Fortunately, he calmed down. He was angry, insisting the term was used by 'leftists' and I should stop using it. I did not, and I will not. However, sadly, he was correct on one front. The term has too often been co-opted.

The Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church is not only for Catholics, other Christians or even just "religious people". It is for all people and all Nations. It is offered by the Catholic Church to all who seek to build a truly just society and promote the real common good. This teaching is called "social" because it speaks to human society and to the formation, role and rightful place of social institutions.

The truths and principles it offers can be known by all men and women because they are revealed in the Natural law. They are expounded upon in Revelation. This social doctrine is neither "left" nor "right", neither "liberal" nor "conservative" - within the contemporary politicized use of those words.

My experience at that conference reflected a trend I had experienced. Many have begun to use the phrase "Social Justice" in a disparaging manner. They may want to expose the errors committed by some who stolen the term "Social Justice" but they are not helping our cause.

However, I cautioned back then and emphasize again in this column which Deal and I have co-authored, our language really matters. Some words and phrases must be rescued when they are stolen. Social Justice is such a term. It lies at the heart of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church and, properly understood, is a key to building a new culture of life and civilization of love.

Today, I (Keith) was one of thousands to receive an "E-Blast" from a fellow Catholic which began with this line "Social justice Catholic officials are tipping the vote to Obama from inside the Church." It was one more mistaken misuse of the term Social Justice as a disparaging term meant to denigrate.

It's sad to see well-intentioned Catholic leaders get carried away with heated rhetoric during a political season. When Michael Voris proclaims eternal damnation for Catholics who may vote for Obama, it's bad politics, bad theology, and bad manners!

Who cares about manners, you may be thinking, when it comes to fighting abortion and same-sex marriage? Manners matter even more in discussing controversial issues like these for the simple reason that when people hear this kind of blanket condemnation they just close their eyes to the message and the messenger.

Politics, like evangelization, is about convincing people to think and act other than the way they generally do. Wagging your finger at those who disagree only pushes them away, perhaps permanently.

There is so much good a person can do when he creates an audience -- and good has been done here -- but this will only hand ammunition to those who want to characterize all of us as self-righteous, smug Catholics who care only about condemning, not educating, not edifying, and not converting.

Please do not encourage this type of inflammatory speech between now and Nov. 6. It will only hurt our cause!

Our friends at the SBA-List asked us to "watch our latest TV ad" titled, 'Barack Obama: Abortion Radical.'" And we did, and we love it! The ad will run for a week in Ohio, ...

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1 - 10 of 24 Comments

Judy Claar
8 months ago
Catherine, Very well said! I wholeheartedly agree. Catholics must speak up about intrinsic evil with their vote by voting the R/R ticket. Romney took no guff from Obama at the P. Debates last night. Good for him! Romney spoke of Life and Religious Freedom and the Constitution, and I believe him. Obama said NOT one word in regard to any one of those topics.

After last night, Romney has now made it crystal clear, to Any Catholic's reasoning, WHO to vote for.

Of course, they really should have already known it. Now, it is unmistakable. Their is no excuse to vote for intrinsic evil. Blessings...
Rob
8 months ago
Larry, I agree with you somewhat. His lack of experience is precisely why I did not vote for him. However, I think we have to be honest about the opposition this president has faced from the House GOP. The president is not a king and he can't unilaterally fix the issues at hand without the cooperation of the other governing bodies. When you have one body who has fought everything this president has tried to do...record number of fillibusters, etc, how in the world is he supposed to do it? They have tried meeting half way, but the House says no. They won't work with the man, never had and made it a point not to. I agree, all the blame Bush nonsense needs to stop, but at the end of the day, it takes the three branches of government working together to get things done and we have a House that doesn't play nice with others. They do not have a 12% approval rating for nothing.

DC is broken. It's clearly not about us anymore and hasn't been for a long time. Those in power just don't care. And to me when I look at where we are, it's just too painfully evident.
catherine
8 months ago
A few good Bishops who speak out the truth is not enough to stem the tide againt intrinsic evil. All must speak in unison but they do not and Obama has the Catholic vote and will win a second term.
God help us all born and unborn!
Larry
8 months ago
I understand why many people are enamored of Obama. He and his family represent many things that were the civil rights issues of the 1970s - segregation, black and white relationships, education, minority achievement, women's rights, etc. I was thinking of voting for him because of these issues but I was too familiar with his background and knew his background would lead us where we are now generally (community organizer, trained by Jeremiah Wright's teachings and other religious leaders similar in sentiment, Saul Alinsky, etc.) What I've learned about who his mother was and her views of the world, who his father was and his attitudes and who supposedly his mentor in Hawaii was all lead me to realize that he has too many influences and attitudes that does not support what the USA stands for among countries in the world. ---
When someone keeps blaming predecessors for the problems he or she cannot overcome (it's Bush's fault) even if he did not know how bad it was, then this is not the man for the job. He can't do it, improve things for all of us, he can't change things from within, he blames too many others and really takes little responsibility for his policies and actions or inactions - that sounds like an amature or teenager, not a man of substance. Though he says nice phrases, the buck does not stop with him, in his mind. ---
If you can't cut it - get out of the way and let another person do what they can to make things better - Obama's experience was as a student, professor, short stints as senator of Illinois and US Congress and much of the time in the US congress he was preparing to run for President - voting present in the Illinois senate and gearing up for a presidential run and writing 2 books in the US congress. No real experience and it shows!
carolyn
8 months ago
true witness, legal abortion does not make abortion safe for women. In abortion, a human being is being violently attacked , and being torn apart limb by limb, and getting their brains sucked out. Of course you would want to help another human being if that was happening. but you don't want to try and stop the abortionists from killing innocent life. You wouldn't want to try to correct the lies that young women are told about abortion that the fetus is only a clump of cells.You wouldn't want to do what you can do to save the lives of the innocent human babies. There is more support for saving wildlife or humane society than for human unborn. Human life deserves more respect than that.
J. Bob
8 months ago
"True Witness",
and what do you think the mandated "morning after" pill does?

In one respect, someone is lying, and at the Last Judgement, what will one say to those aborted souls in the witness box?
vance
8 months ago
True Witness, You, me, or anyone do not have the right to kill another human being under any circumstance. "Judge not lest you be judged" is a stale old cop out used by abortion fans for years. If a person commits an evil because he wants to do the evil, he is evil. Period. There are evil people doing evil deeds everyday. Just because you personally approve of their evil does not diminish their evil deeds one iota. They are still evil. God gave us laws to follow and obey. Yes, you or I can "Choose" to follow and obey or not, BUT there are consequences for not following and obeying God's laws. It doesn't matter whether or not you believe. God is still there. He is not going anywhere. We can run but we cannot hide.
JoAnn
8 months ago
True Witness: Then how about standing next to an abortionist and watch him/her tear a baby out of a mother's womb piece by piece. No difference. They are both human beings. You're either trying to save a life or you're not. Jesus told us to go out into all nations and spread the gospel. Or, as you say, "force" His creed on others. Whether abortion is legal or not, it is still immoral, a great evil and a grievous sin to support it. I know Jesus weeps for every baby that is sent to its death because a mother thinks it is "inconvenient." You would not be judging, you would be doing God's will. By voting for Obama, you might as well be performing abortions yourself. God bless.
True Witness
8 months ago
Mac asks: If you saw someone next to you being attacked viciously with intent to mortally wound, would you just stand by and wait for the attacker to "resolve it" with his creator?

That is a different issue.

Some argue a fetus is not a being. We catholics differ in that belief. And that is why I say it is the aborters belief and her conscience that dictates what she will do with her unwanted pregnancy (and I will not judge, least I be judged, and leave her and her creator to resolve the matter). Is best for her to do what she will do anyway using good health care, than abolishing the abortion law and have her using coat hangers to get rid of the fetus.

If a human being is being violently attacked, I would whatever needs to be done to help the victim, of course.
True Witness
8 months ago
J. Bob

Remember that lying is a sin. You are not saying the truth regarding the president mandates abortions, ie., HHS .

Because others may impose the creed on me, something I do not wish to endure, I will not impose my credo on others. Remember, do unto others.... Etc.

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