Catholic League vs. Obama's Catholic National Advisory Council

An interesting dialogue is ensuing between the Catholic League and Obama’s Catholic National Advisory Council. The problem with Obama’s council is that all the Catholics participating have records of being in public dissent with key Catholic issues like abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Bill Donohue is advising Obama to dissolve this council because it does not represent the voice of faithful Catholics. If Obama wants to hear the voice of faithful practicing Catholics, he should rethink whom he appoints to his council. Of course, if he is just after votes of Catholics that ignore the Church’s position on important moral issues, his political maneuvering may pan out to be successful.

The Catholic National Advisory Council has sent a response to Bill Donohue: (on the link is included a list of all those who are represented by the letter)

Dear Mr. Donohue:

We write in our individual capacities and not on behalf of the campaign. Last week you labeled many of our friends, and some of us, as "Catholic dissidents" because we support Senator Obama.

Unlike the Catholic League, the U.S. Catholic Bishops advise careful consideration of candidates’ positions on a broad set of issues. While abortion and other life issue are of fundamental concern, the bishops teach that particular issues must not be misused "as a way of dismissing or ignoring other serious threats to human life and dignity" such as "racism and other unjust discrimination, the use of the death penalty, resorting to unjust war, the use of torture, war crimes, the failure to respond to those who are suffering from hunger or a lack of health. care or an unjust immigration policy" (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, #29). Our bishops go on to point out that "these are not optional concerns which can be dismissed."

Across these issues Senator Obama offers much to the well-formed Catholic conscience, which helps to explain why many Catholics are supporting him.

As Catholics, we view abortion as a profound moral issue. But what have nearly three decades of Republican promises to end abortion accomplished? Other aspects of the conservative

Republican agenda have been carried out with fervor, such as weakening of the social-safety net, privatization, deregulation, destruction of labor unions, and belligerent and aggressive foreign policy. But ending abortion remains the perennial promise, one that is too often hijacked by partisan operatives who seek only to divide votes. Many Catholics are fed up with the divisive tactics and empty promises around this issue.

Senator Obama recognizes that abortion presents a profound moral challenge, tied in part to a loss of the sense of the sacredness of sex and lack of parental involvement:. On the campaign trail he regularly calls on parents to turn off the television and has called on fathers to meet their family responsibilities. Regrettably, these clips are not included in your press releases.

Senator Obama has also reached out to Americans on both sides of this issue and embraces practical proposals designed to reduce the number of abortions in this country, including comprehensive health and sex education, better health care, economic support for women, and promoting alternatives like adoption.

Like other Americans, we have watched as many candidates brought to office on a so-called prolife platform insisted on policies that have left the lives of millions more of our brothers and sisters at risk from war, uncontrolled pollution, deeper poverty, and growing economic inequality.

Not this year.

This year, there are many Catholics - Democrats, Republicans, and Independents - who won’t let that happen again.

We are proud to be counted among Senator Obama's Catholic advisors. Collectively our experience spans decades of scholarship and service working for and with the Catholic Church on the broad set of issues under the "consistent ethic of life."

We were drawn into the campaign by Senator Obama's vision for the common good, his profound message of hope, and his ability to unite citizens across class, race, and even party lines. We are excited about his promise as president, and we commend him to our fellow Catholics.

Mr. Donahue, your work to fight legitimate cases of anti-Catholic bigotry in this country should be applauded. But when you smear other Catholics with whom you disagree, you betray your own cause. Our measure of what it means to be a “good” Catholic is not defined by the narrow pronouncements of partisan operatives; but rather by the rich teachings of our Church and our informed consciences.

Now time for a few of my own comments. Donohue seemed to be calling them dissidents because of the public evidence of their public position on key social justice issues, not because they support Obama. The letter correctly states that life issues like abortion should not be used to ignore other life issues like unjust discrimination, the death penalty, unjust war, torture, unjust immigration policies, and a failure to respond to the needs of the poor and sick. However, this statement goes both ways. Those other life issues should not be used to overshadow and ignore issues like abortion. We must have a holistic and consistent life ethic rooted in the dignity of the human person. If the basic right to life cannot be insured for the unborn than it is hard to imagine how we can consistently stress the importance of other social justice issues.

I do think they are correct to point out that blind Republican partisanship has not resolved the abortion issue. Our catholic conscience should not be hijacked by partisan propaganda. We must allow our faith to inform our conscience about social justice issues and vote for individual politicians accordingly. Personally, I distrust both major political parties. A while back, I wrote on the political rift in the Church and that we should fight for truth regardless of which side of the political spectrum it happens to fall.

I also happen to think that self-professed Catholic politicians that do not standing up for a holistic approach to social justice issues are just as divisive and just as much of a perpetuator of empty promises as this letter is suggesting of those in the Republican Party.

Some candidates do make it to office on a pitiful so-called pro-life platform. The solution is not to start ignoring life issues, but we must start emphasizing the need to be holistic on all life issues. What surprises me about this letter is how these Catholics on this council fail to realize that a critique of the other side does not exempt them from having to personally witness to the culture of life congruity with the social doctrine of the Church. They make many good points about why to be cautious of others dividing issues, but they have failed to provide the justification of what gives them the right to be divided on these life issues.

*Update: A recent comment pointed out that the Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, whom has been recently reprimanded by the Archbishop of Kansas City, is a member of Obama's Catholic National Advisory Council. Archbishop Naumann cites his past conversations, recommendations, and the Governor's current veto against the Comprehension Abortion Reform Act as reasons for his action. Here is an excerpt:

The governor has spoken to me on more than one occasion about her obligation to uphold state and federal laws and court decisions. I have asked her to show a similar sense of obligation to honor divine law and the laws, teaching and legitimate authority within the church.

I have not made lightly this request of Governor Sebelius, but only after much prayer and reflection. The spiritually lethal message, communicated by our governor, as well as many other high profile Catholics in public life, has been in effect: “The church’s teaching on abortion is optional!”

I reissue my request of the faithful of the archdiocese to pray for Governor Sebelius. I hope that my request of the governor, not to present herself for holy Communion, will provoke her to reconsider the serious spiritual and moral consequences of her past and present actions. At the same time, I pray this pastoral action on my part will help alert other Catholics to the moral gravity of participating in and/or cooperating with the performance of abortions.