While some U.S. bishops have arrived a bit late to the battle on religious freedom, Archbishop Charles Chaput is already a veteran soldier in this fight. He is the author of Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life, and is also a member of the new Committee on Religious Liberty.
When I asked him to name the most pressing issue at the 2011 USCCB meeting, he quickly said, ” the education of our faithful on the dangers to religious freedom. The so-called doctrine of the separation of church and state was established to protect the church from the state, and now it’s being employed for the opposite purpose.”
Catholics, he said, are “sometimes overwhelmed when addressing this issue because they see the separation of church and state as a foundation stone. It causes confusion in mind and heart, and some are happy to sow that confusion.”
As Catholic social agencies increasingly confront powerful special interests that seek to force the Church to drop its countercultural stance, some dioceses have already chosen to spin off their agencies so they can stay open to serve the needy.
Archbishop Chaput understands that it’s a tough balancing act, but he is concerned about the danger of setting precedents by creating secular entities as a worthy substitute: “It seems, to me, that it is caving into pressure to spin off rather than close down, but every bishop needs to make his own decision.”
There are signs that the growing threats posed to the religious freedom of Catholic institutions could emerge as an election-year issue, and Archbishop Chaput is fine with that. “It should be an
election-year issue,” he said, “because our identity as Catholics is under threat.”
Comments
Post a Comment
Well, if we elect Newt we’ll be headed in the right direction. He’s Catholic and his values would be known and promoted. He will be an Evangelizer in Chief! Abortions will be eliminated, adoptions surging; the Sacrament of Matrimony would skyrocket!
I’m wondering why so many of the bishops supported Obama and the Democrats in the last two elections. Should they be surprised at what is happening now?
Newt is a globalist. Archbishop Chaput supported “hate crimes” legislation in Colorado. He handed the enemy the rope to hang us.
Since VatII the Bishops have supported the theology of taxation.they built the state up, priced grammar schools out of the market, encouraged “catholic"colleges to sell out for state money…Now they hypocritically feign suprise when the state power turns on them…From Maine to Md.-hop to Bernadin’s Illinois then Cal.The post VatII Catholic vote is a leftist vote.
Ah, but the Peace and Social Justice Crowd is happy. The terrorists, whales and the trees have moved even closer to the altars of worship. After all, social justice only applies to a human being who has been allowed to be born - and that would disturb the planet, anyway.
I must point out that pro-lifers value ALL human beings - not possible for the Obamanite social justice crew.
NEWT GRINGICH 2012! save America and protect the faith!
The do nothing attitude of bishops such as Cardinal Cushing of Mass.(Radio denouncing of Imposing his morality on Mass. in the 1960’s) and Bernardin’s seamless garment are coming home to roost.In Connecticut there was an attempt by pro abortion so called Catholics Malloy, Lawlor and McDonald to take over Catholic governing boards & parishes in my state. Catholic adoption agencies are forced out of buisness due to the homosexual adoption agenda in the UK-Europe, Mass and perhaps Illinois.A “Conservative alleged politician in the UK tried to support the ban on Catholic marriages in that country due to the Catholic churhes opposition to the homosexual agenda. We need more Bishop Bruskewitz’s, Chaput Olmstead etc.. and less mindless buerocratic do nothing bishops like Cushing and now O ‘Malley in Mass. etc. The Endless promotion of Homosexual Marriage and the Planned parenthood agenda is the sole focus of Siebelius , Clinton and the entire Obama administration. Ed M of Waterbury, Ct.
The Archbishop is so correct. The sleeping giant needs to be informed and awakened.
Joan, thank your for this information. I write letters to the editor and other letters, and you’ve pointed me in a new election-year direction.
I love your writing. May God bless you!
Where is the “separation of church & state” except in the “minds” of the Anti-American ACLU that came up with this fraud? Will we have an election next year? I doubt if Obamanism will allow it as Obama is showing his dictatorship skills more & more every day with the blessings of the so-called “catholic” politicians that should be publicly ex-communicated (too bad that the bishops are afraid of being Catholic themselves). AS for “knows economics”: it is quite apparent that you know nothing, so go back to your cage and await for your peanut supply to come. WAKE UP CATHOLICS! The party is over & God will show that He will not be mocked!! May He have mercy on us, even though we don’t deserve it. +JMJ+
Newt Gingrich supported NAFTA and GAT, most favored nation status for China and for the creation of the Department of Education. He is a globalist and a member of the CFR. He wrote the forward of a book by Alvin Toffler who is in favor of population control. Be careful what you pray for.
Knowledgeable commentary Ed M. Cardinal Cushing, who imposed the Kennedy clan morality on his state and Cardinal Bernardin with his homosexual-network agenda were root causes for much chaos that plagues the Catholic Church in our nation. And you are right about those we need to overcome their permissiveness. Thank God for Archbishops Chaput and Dolan that give us cause for hope against the encroachment on religion and the Catholic Church in particular by the Obama administration.
Newt said his third wife wants him to be a good Catholic. Too many Catholic politicans preach one thing and do another. Both parties!!!
I really think this is a non-issue. If the Catholic Church wants to provide services to Catholics it has complete Federal Constitutional protection to do so. On the other hand, if the Catholic Church wants to provide services to the general public then it has to follow Government regulations to do so.
Since when does freedom of religion mean ONLY the Catholic religion? Separation between church and state is meant to prevent any ONE religion from being imposed on the country. It was established because England prosecuted Catholics and other Christian sects (not to mention Jews, etc.) and the English government also controlled religion in England.
—-
Why change one tyrant for another?
The spiritual and corporal works of mercy are man’s response (religion) to the gift of Faith from God. Charity. Government cannot tax persons by law and call it charity. Only free will offering and donations may be called charity. Religion is the domain of the free man. Government is constituted by the free man. Overturning the will of the free man is taxation without representation.
Whoever believes that Newt Gingrich will be the savior of Catholics is seriously deceived…
Remember that Callista, newt’s former mistress, apparently taught him the Catholic faith while she was having a 6 year affair with him, all the while claiming to be a ‘spiritual’ woman and a ‘devout’ Catholic…so I don’t think her interpretation of Catholicism is in line with the Church’s teaching…and newt learned from her..
Post a Comment
By submitting this form, you give The National Catholic Register permission to publish this comment. Comments will be published at our discretion, and may be edited for clarity and length. For best formatting, please limit your response to one paragraph and don't hit "enter" to force line breaks.