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Bishop promotes faith in society
Q&A booklet addresses Catholics’ responsibility in the public arena
By Andrew Junker, The Catholic Sun
October, 19, 2006
Catholics must guard against society’s contention that faith is a purely private matter, said Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted.
“If our faith does not impact on every dimension of our life, then it is not true faith. It has become a mere pretense,” he said in a homily Oct. 7.
The Mass and homily preceded a legislative issues seminar at the downtown Phoenix Diocesan Pastoral Center and was the setting for the launch of the bishop’s new question-and-answer booklet titled “Catholics in the Public Square.”
More than 400 people attended the event.
While many of the conference speakers referenced specific propositions on the ballot in November, “Catholics in the Public Square” takes a broader look at faith and politics. The booklet endorses no political party or candidate, nor does it mention any specific legislative proposal.
Bishop Olmsted said the booklet should “encourage all our brothers and sisters in
Church and in the larger society to live their faith 24-7: at home, in their place of work, in the public square.”
The bishop expanded upon this call for a fully integrated faith through a series of 29 short responses to questions posed in the booklet. Topics range from understanding the separation of Church and state, to social issues Catholics can disagree on, to non-negotiable issues which in no circumstance should be supported.
In his homily, the bishop asked why he thought there was a need for such a booklet.
“Because there is a public square,” he answered, “and because Christ expects us to be active there: loving our neighbor, engaging the culture, promoting the common good, and defending the dignity and rights of all. This is part and parcel of being a follower of Christ.”
Understanding the relationship faith plays in forming public policy was the focus of the seminar.
“Who are we as Catholics in our nation?” asked Mike Kingman of the Knights of Columbus, one of three groups who organized the event.
He said the bishop’s booklet answers that question, describing it as a tool that can be used to educate and enlighten the culture.
“We need to be the light in the darkness. That is our calling as Catholics. We have a ministry to proclaim the Gospel of life, to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the world.”
Organizers, which also included the Phoenix Diocesan Council of Women and Catholics United for the Faith, hope that wide dissemination of the booklet will encourage Catholics to live their faith to a fuller extent.
Alan Napleton of Basilica Press, which published the booklets, said he wanted to accomplish two goals.
“We wanted to produce publications that were very clear and unambiguously Catholic orthodox teaching. And we wanted to attempt to make those books and materials more readily available,” he said.
According to Ron Johnson, executive director of the Arizona Catholic Conference, the booklets will be available to most Phoenix Catholics.
He said that of the 100,000 booklets provided by the diocese, 70 parishes had already snatched up 96,000 of them. Many parishes passed out the booklets in Spanish and English after Sunday Masses Oct. 8.
Dr. Marci Moffitt, president of the Catholic Physician’s Guild of Phoenix, discussed pro-life issues in the medical field and Alan Sears of the Alliance Defense Fund addressed same-sex marriage.
The crowd routinely burst into applause throughout the talks.
Some were disappointed that few young voters — who have a great stake in future legislation — attended the event.
Mike Phelan, diocesan director of family and respect life issues, said that all Catholics, young and old, should use the “long memory” of the Church to guide their future decisions.
“When we deepen our understanding of the memory of the Church, we can see past certain errors that are indicative of the time we’re in,” he said.
Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete, national director of the Communion and Liberation lay movement, described the bishop’s booklet as an “absolutely crucial effort,” likening the Church today to the Church in the Middle Ages, “the bearer of humanity’s hope.”
Echoing the bishop’s sentiments, Msgr. Albacete said that the Church’s goal should be a faith more fully realized and integrated in each Catholic’s life.
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Excerpts from ‘Catholics in the Public Square’
Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted’s new booklet, “Catholics in the Public Square,” is the first in “The Shepherd’s Voice Series” published by Basilica Press. The new series brings Catholics current teaching of bishops and cardinals on vital topics facing the Church and world.
Following are some excerpts from the new booklet:
Q 21) Can Catholics belong to or express support for different political parties?
Bishop Olmsted: The Church is never partisan and does not endorse political candidates. She does, however, encourage her laity to be involved in political parties in order to devote themselves to promote the common good....
Q 22) Do bishops and priests have the right to intervene in political, social or cultural matters?
Bishop Olmsted: Bishops and priests are not to participate in the public administration of the government. Nonetheless, they do have the right, and sometimes an obligation, to speak out on political, social, or cultural matters impacting the Church of the common good....
Q 29) What line should an elected official draw between his faith and his political commitments?
Bishop Olmsted: Elected officials should bring their faith to bear on all of their activities, including public affairs. In living out their faith, they should have a proper respect for the civil liberties of all people, including those of other faiths, or with no faith at all....
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