Common Good Newsletter: January/February 2008
Christian Leaders Urge President to Save Moral Legacy
A week before President Bush's State of the Union address, Catholic and Evangelical leaders urged the president to use his final year in office to salvage his moral legacy. During a press teleconference arranged by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good and Faith in Public Life, five Christian leaders called on the president to change course on some of the most pressing issues of our time - war, torture, climate change and poverty. Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA and Sister Anne Curtis, Leadership Team, Institute of the Sisters of Mercy were the two Catholic representatives on the call. Also on the call were Ron Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action; Rev. Dr. David Gushee, president of Evangelicals for Human Rights and Rev. Dr. Paul de Vries, Board Member of the National Association of Evangelicals.
Father Snyder called the number of Americans living below the poverty line a "moral and social crisis." And while certain behaviors can lead people into poverty, the state of the economy is the bigger culprit, he said. In 2002, 42 percent of the people served by Catholic agencies lived below the poverty line. The number increased to 52 percent of the 8 million people the agency helped in 2006, he said. Sister Anne Curtis, who recently returned from visiting Iraqi refugees in Syria and Lebanon, urged President Bush to obey a "moral obligation" to end the war in Iraq and fund humanitarian assistance in the area.
The teleconference received widespread coverage by the media including USA Today, Religion News Service, Medill News Service and the Associated Baptist Press. The call was also covered and discussed by several popular blogs including The Huffington Post, Common Dreams and the Dallas Morning News' religion blog.
Protecting Religion on the Campaign Trail
Religion has been a defining issue on the stump and in the media as the race for the White House heats up. Barack Obama has been falsely accused of being a Muslim. Mitt Romney faces hostility by some for his Mormon faith. Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist minister, presents himself in campaign literature as "a Christian leader."
Responding to these trends, Catholics in Alliance joined with Faith in Public Life to release a statement signed by Catholic and Protestant scholars, pastors and social justice leaders warning that divisive religious rhetoric and relentless media coverage of candidates' faith undermines the proper role religion can play in public life.
"We are troubled to see candidates pressed to pronounce the nature of their religious beliefs, asked if they believe every word of the Bible, forced to fend off warnings by a few religious authorities about reception of sacraments, compelled to confront derogatory and false allegations of radical Muslim childhood education, and faced with prejudicial analyses of their denominational doctrines," the leaders said in the Jan. 16 statement, Keeping Faith: Principles to Protect Religion on the Campaign Trail. Blogs and media outlets such as Newsday, Reuters, Street Prophets and Christian Post picked up the story.
While emphasizing the importance of religion in promoting the common good, the leaders called on candidates to avoid using religious differences to disparage each other; to affirm that no religious test be applied to candidates for public office; and to recognize that policies should reflect the best interests of all citizens regardless of religious belief.
CRS Delegation Visits Iraqi Refugees
Catholic Relief Services hosted a group of eight women religious on a trip of solidarity with Iraqi refugees in the Middle East from Jan. 11 to 20. Three Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good Commentators and members of Alliance participating organizations were part of the group who visited Syria and Lebanon.
Sr. Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, Sr. Anne Curtis Leadership Team, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, and Sr. Marie Lucey, Associate Director for Social Mission at the Leadership Conference of Women Religious were among the group that traveled to Lebanon and Syria to assess the plight of refugees and witness the efforts of CRS and other Catholic organizations to assist them. The delegation met Iraqis at migrant centers and in their temporary homes, learning more about their needs for shelter, health services, education, and their desire to return to their homes in Iraq in safety and security. The American sisters, from various religious communities, also met with humanitarian aid groups and others who are assisting Iraqi refugees, as well as with Christian and Muslim leaders.
Click here to read Sr. Simone Campbell's blog posting during her trip.
Catholics in Alliance Launches Redesigned Website
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good has launched a new website, www.catholicsinallinace.org. The redesigned website includes a number of new features as well as improvements in navigation, uniformity and appearance. Among the website features are The Common Good Blog that provides topical analysis about faith in public life during this critical election year by leading theologians and social justice advocates; a News Center for the media with up-to-date information on Catholic social justice issues and activities; Toolkits for people wanting to support the common good where they live; a Books section with reviews, interviews and profiles of authors; Backgrounders on issues essential to Catholic Social Teaching such as immigration, healthcare and economic justice, and a calendar of upcoming important events and activities.
Popular features that carry over from the old site include The Catholic Media Report, a daily summary of the best national and local news on the intersection of faith and public life and The Common Good E-Newsletter, a monthly electronic newsletter that highlights the Alliance and participating organizations' activities. Visitors can subscribe to both services online, and can provide feedback on the site through the Contact Us page.
Maryknoll Offers Foreign Policy Campaign Guide
The Maryknoll Global Concerns office has published "Loving our neighbor in a shrinking world," a 12-page booklet addressing crucial foreign policy issues that should be considered during this year's campaign cycle. Included are reflections and questions for candidates on the following topics: economic justice, migration, climate change, peace and security, and HIV/AIDS. Copies are available from the Global Concerns' Washington, D.C. office by emailing ogc@maryknoll.org or calling 202-832-1780. English and Spanish-language PDF versions are found at their website, www.maryknollogc.org.
Other resources on this year's election include:
Center of Concern's Voting the Common Good Election 2008
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas' Election 2008: A Practical Resource
A Pledge for the Common Good (sponsored by 9 Catholic social justice organizations)
Petition Asks Michigan Voters to Pass Universal Health Care
On January 8, 2008, a coalition of religious organizations, non-profits, unions, businesses, and individuals in Michigan will launch the Michigan Health Care Security Campaign. The campaign aims to place on the 2008 election ballot a proposal that instructs the Michigan Legislature to devise and enact health care reform legislation that controls and reduces health care costs, ensures that people currently with health insurance be able to keep it, and provides health insurance coverage for those without it.
The goal is to ensure that all Michigan residents have health care security. "The support of Catholics and other people of faith will be essential in making sure everyone in Michigan has affordable and comprehensive health care coverage," said Vicki Kovari, National Field Director for Catholics in Alliance. "This petition drive is a defining moral test of whether our government serves the common good, or the interests of lobbyists and insurance companies."
To find out more go to http://www.michuhcan.com/.
Scholars Examine the Catholic Vote
On December 13, Fr. Thomas Reese SJ and Professor John White spoke at the second in a series of bi-monthly luncheons devoted to understanding Catholicism in the public square. The two intellectuals spoke to a room filled with priests, women religious, lay social justice leaders, and members of the media. Father Reese, a Fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center of Georgetown University, used his time to speak on the recent document Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Professor White, a political scientist at the Catholic University of America, spoke about the transformation of the Catholic voter, and gave insight into the 2008 election.
Fr. Reese explained how Faithful Citizenship discusses important national issues for Catholics, such as abortion, the Iraq War, racism and immigration. He called the document, "A thoughtful and nuanced document that challenges the positions of both parties." Faithful Citizenship is a document "for American voters, not American politicians" which helps voters use their prudential judgment in the voting booth.
Professor White charted the changes in the Catholic electorate from 1956 to the current day. Catholics have voted for the winner of the popular vote every time since 1956 save one. Because Catholics, which make up 26 percent of the electorate, are racially, geographically and culturally varied, White noted that “there is no such thing as the 'Catholic Vote.' People identify much more with political party, ethnic identity and race much more than religion.” It is not a matter of what religion a voter is that determines how they vote, but rather how regularly they worship. While reminding the audience that frequency of attendance was not necessarily a good indicator of a person's faith, it was a strong indicator of their party preference.
Catholics in Alliance Contributes to Catholic Charities Social Ministry Newsletter
Catholic Charities USA, one of the nation's largest voluntary social service networks, recently invited Catholics in Alliance to contribute to their biannual Social Ministry newsletter, Koinonia. The newsletter is distributed nationwide to parish social ministers. The article, "Bringing Gospel Values to the Public Square" discusses the Catholic tradition of responsible citizenry. It reminds Catholics of the Gospel call to care for the most vulnerable, promote human life and dignity, welcome the stranger with compassion and seek peace in the face of war. To read the Newsletter, visit the Catholic Charities Website.
Find out about the latest social justice news and issues in the Catholic Media Report. Click here to subscribe to a daily summary about religion in the public square.
Calendar:
February 24 to 27, 2008
Catholic Social Ministry Gathering
"Faithful Citizenship: Promoting Life and Dignity, Justice and Peace
Hyatt Regency, Washington, DC
For registration information, visit: www.catholicssocialministrygathering.org
March 7-10, 2008
Ecumenical Advocacy Days
Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel
Arlington, VA For more information, visit www.advocacydays.org.
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
