Prominent Catholics Call For Civility in Politics

Washington, DC -- A diverse group of prominent lay Catholics -- including 11 former U.S. ambassadors and former chairmen of the Republican and Democratic National Committees -- have called for a more civil tone to replace the divisive rhetoric and partisan attacks that define our national political debates.

The leaders in law, politics and religion released the statement, A Catholic Call to Observe Civility in Political Debate, at a news conference at the National Press Club today. Ambassador Thomas P. Melady, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and Timothy J. May, a Senior Partner with Patton Boggs LLP and Trustee Emeritus with the Catholic University of America, co-organized the statement.

“Civility should be a guiding principle in our public life,” the statement says. “Civility and its potential impact on the fabric of the Catholic Church should be of concern to all faithful Catholics, both clergy and lay people.”

"The statement directly addresses controversies over Catholic politicians whose positions on various polarizing issues conflict or give the appearance of conflicting with Church teachings,” said Ambassador Thomas P. Melady. “Some voices have been shrill. The language at times has been offensive. The level of dialogue and conversation in too many instances has not met the standards that one expects in a country trying to establish worldwide standards for all democracies."

It cautions Catholic politicians whose positions contradict Catholic teachings. “Catholic politicians who advertise their Catholicism as part of their political appeal, but ignore the Church’s moral teachings in their political life confuse non-Catholics by giving the appearance of hypocrisy,” it says. The statement urges lay Catholics to “avoid public statements that undermine the authority of the Church’s leaders.”

“As lay Catholics we should not exhort the Church to condemn our political opponents by publicly denying them Holy Communion based on pubic dissent from Church teachings,” the statement reads. “An individual’s fitness to receive communion is his or her personal responsibility. It is a bishop’s responsibility to set for his diocese the guidelines for administering communion.” The document goes on to say that bishops and all involved in church leadership “should not permit the Church to be used, or appear to be used, as a partisan political tool.”

The complete text of the statement follows:

Civility – should be a guiding principle in our public life. Civility and its potential impact on the fabric of the Catholic Church should be of concern to all faithful Catholics, both clergy and lay people.

It is apparent that the political debate in the United States is becoming divisively partisan. The political debate preparing all American citizens for the 2008 Presidential elections is increasingly filled with attacks on private conduct and recriminations.

As Americans we acknowledge deep divisions over some policy issues; and recognize that some, who are active in political life and who differ with the Church’s teachings on certain issues, such as, abortion, stem cell research, the death penalty, and the justification for war, air their differences in public and criticize the Church for these teachings. Others, for political and even ecclesiastical reasons, seek the public embarrassment of politicians whose public positions differ with Church teachings through the public refusal of the sacrament of Holy Communion or public admonition by the Bishops.

To right this wrong, we should observe the following principles:

• As Catholics we should not enlist the Church’s moral endorsement for our political preferences. We should do this out of respect for our fellow Catholics of equally good will but differing political convictions and our interest in protecting the clergy from being drawn into partisan politics to the detriment of the Church’s integrity and objectivity.
• As lay Catholics we should not exhort the Church to condemn our political opponents by publicly denying them Holy Communion based on public dissent from Church teachings. An individual’s fitness to receive communion is his or her personal responsibility. And it is a bishop’s responsibility to set for his diocese the guidelines for administering communion.
• Catholic politicians who advertise their Catholicism as part of their political appeal, but ignore the Church’s moral teachings in their political life confuse non-Catholics by giving the appearance of hypocrisy.
• Bishops, and all involved in the leadership of The Church, should not permit The Church to be used, or appear to be used, as a partisan, political tool.
• As Catholics we must learn to disagree respectfully and without judgment to avoid rudeness in expressing our opinions to those whom we suspect will disagree with us, or in reacting to others’ expressions of opinion.
• As Catholics we need to keep in mind the common humanity that we share with those with whom we disagree. We must avoid seeing them as “the enemy” in a life-or-death, winner-take-all political contest.
• As Catholics we should never lose faith in the power of reason – a unique gift from God to mankind – and we should always keep ourselves open to a reasoned argument. In this spirit we should defend our views and positions with conviction and patience, but without being obnoxious or bullying.
• As lay Catholics we should not pass judgment, and should avoid public statements that undermine the authority of the Church’s leaders. American Catholics know who their Church leaders are: their Bishops, Archbishops, and Cardinals.

Aggressive personal attacks may help reach a desired political goal, but these actions will burden one’s personal conscience and endanger the peace of Christ’s Church. By observing the principle of civility in all our political actions we will protect our conscience and protect our Church against harm. Civility for Catholics, as for all Believers, is grounded in the teachings of the Lord, who demands we love one another as we love ourselves, that we be kind, and that we forgive. From this teaching flows the command to respect even a bitter opponent, to exercise restraint in political combat, and to not use the Church for one’s political purposes.

These guidelines may assist the Catholic community to maintain the spirit of civility and to protect our beloved Church from being stained by the appearance of partisan political involvement. With God’s help we can participate in our elections, discuss the issues, and practice civility as we make our decision on who should be the next President of the United States.

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