Common Good Newsletter: November 2007

Catholics United Launches SCHIP Radio Campaign

As Congressional leaders worked to gain enough votes to override President Bush’s veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Catholics United launched a radio campaign targeting pro-life politicians from both parties who opposed its expansion. The radio ads, which aired on local Christian and talk stations in ten congressional districts in eight states, criticized representatives who are traditionally pro-life, but who did not maintain this view when it came to supporting health care for poor children.

The script for the radio commercial reads: “I'm the mother of three children, and I'm pro-life. I believe that protecting the lives our children must be our nation’s number one moral priority. That’s why I’m concerned that Congressman X says he’s pro-life but votes against health care for poor children. That’s not pro-life. That’s not pro-family. Tell Congressman X to vote for health care for children. Call him today at XXXX, that’s XXXXX.”

The ads proved to be quite effective, helping to switch the vote of pro-life Rep. Gene Taylor (D-MS) and eliciting angry responses from syndicated columnists like Robert Novak, news outlets such as The Weekly Standard, and even a direct and critical response from Thad McCotter (R-MI) in the National Review. Catholics United is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the message of justice and the common good found at the heart of the Catholic Social Tradition.

Catholics in Alliance Releases Common Good Pledge

Catholics in Alliance, along with eight participating organizations, is set to release its 2008 pledge for Catholics to support the common good: Vote Out Poverty, Vote Out War – Vote IN the Common Good! The pledge, which will be distributed at local, regional and national forums, conventions and debates, reminds Catholics of our responsibility to ensure that all candidates and elected officials have specific plans for reducing poverty, ending the Iraq War and promoting the common good.
The pledge is a collaborative effort between Catholics in Alliance and many of its participating organizations. For more information regarding the pledge, or to receive copies, contact Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good at 202-429-9684, or email: info@catholicsinalliance.org.

Other Catholic organizations are also unveiling 2008 election guides. The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas have produced a guide entitled, Election 2008: A Practical Resource. It provides non-partisan educational materials for reflection as preparation for the debates, primaries and elections. The guide suggests questions based on the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas' Critical Concerns: poverty, immigration, racism, nonviolence, women and Earth. It is available at their website.

“Politics and the Common Good” Luncheon Series Kicks Off

At a time when the role of religion in public life is a leading issue in the media and politics, CACG launched its first bi-monthly “Politics and the Common Good” luncheon series on Oct. 30.

The inaugural luncheon featured Professor Stephen Schneck, a professor of political science at The Catholic University of America and Executive Director of the university’s Life Cycle Institute. He spoke about the power of a common good agenda for American public policy. Decrying “a politics of self-interest, of wedges to divide us, of ever-narrower and ever more antagonistic interest groups,” Professor Schneck called for public policy that is measured by its impact on the “least of our brethren.” Ambassador Thomas Melady, who served as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, offered a brief response that affirmed the need to “change the flavor” of politics and political discourse by stressing civility and the common good over narrow partisan interests.

The luncheon, held at Johnny’s Half Shell restaurant on Capitol Hill, attracted over two dozen leaders in religion, politics and the media. Stay tuned for details about the next gathering in December.

CACG Article Published in America magazine

Alexia Kelley, Executive Director for CACG, and senior writer John Gehring co-authored an article, “A Catholic Call to the Common Good,” for the Oct. 15 issue of America magazine. While broad appeals to the common good are now frequent in national political discourse, the commentary examines how Catholic social teaching offers a more demanding vision of how the common good can inform public policies on issues such as poverty, health care, immigration and environmental stewardship. The commentary was the most viewed article on America’s web site in October.

“No political party has a monopoly on moral values,” Kelley and Gehring write. “Both Republicans and Democrats have an equal opportunity to succeed or fail in living up to the obligations of the common good. As Catholics, our faith inspires us to help reshape our culture and politics not simply as another interest group, but as members of a global church that seeks justice for the most vulnerable because it recognizes our common humanity as children of God.”

Media Training Workshop Provides Hands-on Training

Getting the message out about social justice issues can be challenging but also fun, as representatives from several Catholic organizations learned during a day-long workshop held in Cleveland, Ohio. The media training workshop was conducted by Macky Alston, Auburn Media, Auburn Theological Seminary and sponsored by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. The workshop focused on developing and delivering a timely and effective message. Participants, who represented organizations from Ohio and Michigan, then practiced their techniques during two mock interview sessions.

Speaking about the workshop, Sister Karen Donahue, RSM, Justice Coordinator for Sisters of Mercy, Regional Community of Detroit said “The Media's Messaging Strategy Workshop was outstanding. Our presenter understood the unique perspective from which we come as people of faith. We are not just selling another product in the marketplace. The program provided hands-on experience which was very helpful.”

Catholic Media Report Celebrates Milestone

Catholic Media Report (CMR) just recently posted its 5,000th news summary of stories that highlight Catholic Social Teachings. While there was no cake cutting ceremony or drinking of champagne, CMR editors did celebrate the fact that this daily summary of stories that reflect the intersection of faith and public life has grown in number of subscribes and positive feedback. Dan Burke, national correspondent for the Religion News Service said, “Reading Catholic Media report is an essential part of my reporting day. It’s an invaluable resource for staying abreast of the many issues important to people of faith.”

To stay on top of the latest news on Catholics Social Teaching, subscribe to CMR by clicking on this link. http://www.catholicmediareport.org.

Catholics United Challenges Conservative Media Pundit

Conservative pundit Ann Coulter recently caused an uproar over an appearance on the CNBC’s Donny Deutch Show, where she said that Jews needed “to be perfected,” and claimed that America would be better if Jews converted to Christianity. Catholics United Director Chris Korzen responded in an article on the online news magazine RawStory saying, "I'm just dumbfounded that a Christian would even say this in America,” and adding, "For her to suggest somehow we'd all be better off if we were all Christian is not only insulting to millions of people who aren't Christian, its completely un-American."

Coulter responded to those comments in an interview with the conservative news magazine NewsMax. Citing the New Testament, the Catholic Encyclopedia, Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, and a Roman Missal of Pope Paul VI, Coulter lambasted Korzen as opposing the teachings of the Church. Korzen summarized the Catholics-United position, “Catholics and Americans don’t just tolerate people of different faiths like we tolerate a crying child on a plane, we believe that having a society made up of Jews, Muslims, Christians - even Atheists - is what makes our country great.”

Catholics in Alliance Welcomes New Office Manager

Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good is happy to welcome Sarah Sweeney as its new Office Manager and Executive Assistant. Prior to arriving at CACG, she was a faith-based community organizer in Detroit, Michigan and is the current DC Recruiter for the Harriet Tubman Center for the Recruitment and Training of Community Organizers. She attended the University of Michigan where she earned a BS in 2007 in the field of Cultural Anthropology. She gained experience in public health as a 2005 NIH international research trainee and through her work developing student public health programs with the Michigan Healthy Communities Initiative.

Calendar

November 16-18
Ignation Family Teach-In and School of Americas Vigil,
sponsored by Ignation Solidarity Network
Columbus, GA

December 1
Iowa Heartland Presidential Forum,
sponsored by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, Center for Community Change and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement,
Des Moines, Iowa

The Common Good Newsletter Staff

Editors:

Alexia Kelley, Executive Director
Pat Wheeler, Communications Director
John Gehring, Senior Writer and Media Specialist
John Cosgriff, Communications Specialist and Online Editor

Writers:

Pat Wheeler, Communications Director
John Gehring, Senior Writer and Media Specialist
John Cosgriff, Communications Specialist and Online Editor

Send letters to the editor to jcosgriff@catholicsinalliance.org
Send questions, comments and suggestions to jcosgriff@catholicsinalliance.org