I’ll share my modified prayer recognizing the folly of Caesar as the answer to man’s condition.

Oh perfect Mother, fervently ask our father in heaven to strengthen His Church’s frail leaders, helping to insure that our shepherds always pursue our liberty in all things good, particularly the very Catholic “Principle of Subsidiarity” whereby Caesar, as benefactor and provider of our needs, becomes only a last resort, leaving such dignity of purpose first to each of us, rather than seeking for their entrusted sheep the dehumanizing welfare state abhorred by John Paul II.  Remind them Lord that their prime mission is the salvation of souls.

Blessed John Paul II would support the Tea Party. Utter nonsense. The goals of the Tea Party are anathema to Catholic Social teaching going back to “Rerum Novarum”. Racism and the growth of inequality have nothing to do with the teachings of the Church. Not all Tea Party activists are racists but judging by the signs carried at their rallies depicting Obama as a monkey there are a few. This article makes better points for Catholics: http://www.uscatholic.org/teaparty

Pierce, maybe you would do well to read my post one more time. I mentioned nothing about the tea party and certainly don’t agree with all they stand for, but felt their stand against “big government” fits well in line with the Catholic moral Principle of Subsidiarity which no Catholic of any standing (be he laity, bishop or pope) may ignore. I’m certain you are aware that the Gospels tell us to listen to the truth even if Satan himself says it.

Furthermore. Pope John Paul II (who lived under fascism and communism) clearly condemned the “welfare state as the “evil” it is in an encyclical—notwithstanding “Rerum Novarum”. in the least.

Pierce, I did read the article that you linked within your response.  Somehow, I can not picture Pope Benedict (as stated in the article) “it’s safe to say you’re more likely to find Pope Benedict XVI standing in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street protestors than Tea Party activists.” Are you serious? Wall Street protestors with their “raping tents” and “pig-sty mess” they left with the products of their public defecation and urination and their total disregard for others’ properties? What an insult to the Pope!  Also, because the article failed to mention the USCCB’s Faithful Citizenship document discussion of the five Non-negotiables of Catholic Teaching, I found the article totally biased and therefore, completely not credible.

This book sounds like a good read. Catholic Social Teaching, as presented by the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice, rests on three pillars: Human Dignity, Solidarity and Subsidiarity. Because PB16 was mentioned above, I thought I’d include a quote by our Pope Emeritus taken from the CAPP-USA site: “We do not need a State which regulates and controls everything, but a State which, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, generously acknowledges and supports initiatives arising from the different social forces and combines spontaneity with closeness to those in need.” [e:DCE,28] Pope Benedict XVI

Pierce Kent,
Do you subscribe to Netflix? Last night I watched a documentary called ‘Death by China’ which my son recommended.  Quite alarming. I urge everyone to watch it SOON and then. share their ideas about how we can prepare to protect ourselves.
When ‘Death by China’ was finished, I was intrigued to watch ‘Runaway Slave’  per the Netflix recommendation:
Listen to African Americans explain the enslavement they now run from. These are articulate, mostly young men and women, who are trying to reveal the invisible shackles that now, by design, hold black Americans down. For me, an immigrant, what they said about which party has been a help to them and which party caused harm, was a revelation - totally different from the popular legend.

@Pierce, it’s liberals and those in the USCCB like yourself which are the problem with America.  Catholic socialism (while well-intended) typically stunts the human spirit and demotivates people in working toward doing and being the best of what God has blessed them to be.  Creation of a nanny state is not our heritage.
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If you choose to be a victim, Pierce,—that’s your business.  The Bolsheviks learned the hard way and the Rev Jesse Jackson agenda has proved a failure as well.

The fact that Mr Gregg is a member of the Acton Institute is sufficient reason to view with great suspicion any and all items that flow from his pen. The founder o said “Institue” has made several comments attacking Labour Unions despite being endorsed by Leo 13 and the Popes subsequently. The founder of said “Institute”, on Rev Sirico has a disreputable reputation that has to be read to be believed. I weary of these Republican and other preachers of extreme right wing views that befoul the airwaves and printed pages. Since when does one have to be a card carrying Right Wing Extremist to be a Catholic. I was unaware that for fifty years as a member of various union that I was living in sin. I far prefer a Pope Leo to a vile creature such Ann Rand and others who follow your current candidate for Political Messiah Paul Ryan and the rest of the current personalities infesting EWTN and your pages. God Bless the poor working people of this country that you apparently despise.

Roger,
The idea of unions was a good one. Unions did bring an end to child labor, eighteen hour days, starvation wages. They brought dignity to workers by providing a milieu for expressing angst, with the relief of discovering others who were in the same boat. The fact that the unions are taken over by organized crime and big money, is not the fault of the author of ‘Rerum Novarum’.
I am a Catholic who has been accused of being a right-wing, card-carrying Republican extremist which once bewildered me, since I am the daughter of an atheist, socialist, trade-unionist, Irish Republican father, who was my hero. Much of what I learned at his knee (he was a single-parent), still motivates me and makes me appreciate the necessity of dissent. I choose to remain.
My allegiance is to Jesus and the Magisterium of the Church. I dissent, by standing up to the abortion mentality and to media bias which suppresses the truth about population and the pathologies associated with contraception and abortion. That is what has earned me all the labels you just applied to many conscientious Catholics.
I recommend, as I did yesterday, that you watch the movie ‘Runaway Slave’ which is on Netflix and probably, on You Tube.  In the movie, you will learn American history from an African American perspective - which leaders and which political parties really advanced their cause, or legislated them into a second slavery.

It is my belief that the social policies of the Catholic Church are both progressive and humane. My background is that of a Spanish father and an Irish Canadian mother. Except for my paternal grandmother ( Greek Orthodox) the background is Catholic and though my beliefs are to the left politically religiously it is traditional including attendance at the Tridentine Mass. The trouble with EWTN and it’s newspaper is an almost unrelenting promulgation of Republician party views and policies. As to some of the worst examples is the support of the philosophy of Ann Rand by Rep. Paul Ryan. While he distances himself from her atheism her philosophy is worse than dog eat dog and her closest followers were obliged to take an oath not to engage in philanthropy. Yet his local bishop and Cardinal have said his vicious anti poor budget is governed by Christian principles. It is disgusting to see a TV network and it’s newspaper become adjuncts to the Republican party and its Puritan philosophy of poverty and illness are the result of sin and God truly loves the healthy and wealthy. As to your father, unfortunately the political attitude of the Irish Catholic Church caused many to abandon their faith. I simply ignore almost every political cause sponsored by the Church. I oppose abortion as murder and support my Latin Mass. My suoort for Irish Republicianism was as an officer (Trustee)of the Irish Northern Committee in both the Bronx and San Francisco. remember the words of the great labour leader James Larkin: I get my religion from Rome and my politics from Moscow? He was buried in Dublin with the rosary beads donated by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid the bane of the liberals in the church.

I am so weary of hearing bad Catholics arrogantly justifying their leftist-liberal positions as being more Christlike, and justifying all manner of sinful perversion/evil dressed up in the name of justice and mercy.  It is an egregious affront to Our Creator/His Beloved Son/the Holy Spirit and Holy Mother Church.

to Charlotte, Colleen, and Lillian: KUDOS for clear thinking! Agree with you both on the points you made - wholeheartedly.

Finally an objective view of the Tea Party,from none less an academic will wonders never cease!In all the social justice mumbo jumbo what Jesus said was we were suppose to take care of each other not the government( leads right to socialism). Read Alex de Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” and if you agree with the book guess what you may want to think about joining your local Tea Party!

It would seem that God created the basis for the Tea Party (Libertarian) when he set out a FEW rules to live by and the freedom to do so or not. The rank oppression that is government’s natural tendency is neither ordained nor even very effective.  When Jesus spoke of our neighbor, he did not choose as an example a government bureaucrat (i.e. Levite,Priest), he chose a fellow traveler. One need only compare the good done with the resources available of the St Vincent de Paul Society vs. any part of the Dept of Health and Human Services.  While it is true there are a few services that government, by necessity, must provide,it tends to do rather ineffectively and in a rather condescending and overbearing manner.

It is truly time to draw a line in the sand. Which are you first, right-wing, left-wing, tea party, republican, democrat or—Roman Catholic. Far too often today Catholics are placing their political affiliation ahead of their faith.

The existence of this book and its promotion at a Catholic website is truly a perversion. Shame on you Father C. John McCloskey!

Roger,
The social policies of the Catholic Church were not adopted from the culture. Rather, anything remaining in the culture that is still progressive and humane, was given by the great teachings of the Catholic Church over two millennia. The Church’s progressivism always gives reference to an individual’s innate dignity which comes from God. Through the love of its 1.2 billion members, though most are poor, the Church is the largest charitable NGO providing the most in money, goods and manpower to promote the well being of individuals.  The “progressivism” touted in the popular media, is the latest euphemism for collectivism or socialism.
I’m guessing you were referring to my Dad, when you mentioned the experience of Irishmen and you are on target in understanding why many left the Church. If the available news sources purposely fed anti-Catholkic propaganda then, as they have successfully done in America today, it is no wonder that they chose atheism. Besides, they were young who always want to discard the traditions of elders (for a while). The young here, having heard nothing else but negative stories about the Church, who are adopting atheism and socialism not knowing the history of both movements. I was like that as a young person. I used to frequent a Canadian coffee house in London which had images of Ho Chi Minh plastered on the walls, It was there I saw a video of defrocked Basque priests being lined up and shot. I have seen the movie ‘For Greater Glory’ where Mexican Catholics got the same treatment.  Interesting isn’t it, that regardless of whether the political system leans to the right or to the left, it is Catholics they want to do away with.  The religion of Rome and the politics of Moscow are incompatible.

A perversion really, defender what the heck are you defending?Our faith is exactly what we are standing for…you may draw as many lines in the sand as you want, the truth and light will always win!

@Bridget Provost:  Hear Hear !!!  Asking someone today about Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” and no doubt the response will be something like “I think Depeche Mode had that cut one of their albums in the 80.‘s

@Defender:  [“Far too often today Catholics are placing their political affiliation ahead of their faith.”]
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That’s true for the 54% of Catholics who voted for Obama in 08 and the 53% who re-elected him in 2012.
Also worth noting is Auxiliary Bishop Gomez of the Los Angles Archdiocese of who enjoys standing at the podium at downtown events advocating rights and taxpayer benefits for illegal aliens where the Mexican flag is constantly paraded.
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Since when do gospel values mean the sovereignty of nations should be eliminated?

Pierce Kent: You are right! Tea Party politics are anathema to Catholic social teaching. It’s a shame the Register has been almost entirely co-opted by conservative, reactionary politics in its editorial choices. I hope the Register will eventually adopt Catholicism as its creed instead of Conservatism. Thank you, Pierce, for a dose of sanity.

To all the folks who are attacking the “tea party” on this site, why don’t you try to understand them:  the people, the families, the communities in which they live, their beliefs, their principles, etc.  When I read your screeds knocking them, or anything and anyone with which/whom you disagree, it makes me see that this country is dying fast.  You don’t even seem to care enough to practice humility, patience, and so forth.  You just blindly attack.  For crying out loud, Stop, Listen and Think (as nursery school kids are taught.)

To the conservatives out there, get to know some liberals.  Believe it or not, you WILL find a lot of common ground. 

By the way, concerning the book review, I was hoping to hear more reasons as to why the “Tea Party” and Catholicism are complementary (in addition to subsidiarity and distributism).

Thanks JD for the reminder of practicing humility and patience.It’s like these letters are mirroring society and if people have a difference of opinion than they have to be made the green eyed monster.I have been to countless Tea Party rallies and meetings never once, not once ran into a racist, in fact people may be surprised there a actual African-Americans who belong to the Tea Party.By the way my whole family are liberals and we have had many discussions,and there is common ground when it not filtered thru the main steam media.

To judge the Tea Party activists as racists and advocates of other forms of inequality by the *signs* carried by unknown entities at a rally is both narrow and shallow.  Who knows who those sign bearers might
be? Where they come from? Why the media tends to focus on these people and not the hundreds of other signs being carried that reflect the true value of Tea Partiers? How can anyone in their right mind be against the ideas of good government as reflected in our Constitution? It is mind boggling and dangerous thinking to denounce the values held by those in the Tea Party. When did the Constitution become subversive and unpopular with mainstream America? Tea Partiers are only promoting Constitutional government of the people, by the people and for the people.  Don’t be fooled by the liberal media and their followers who advocate for something vastly different and far more radical than our Constitution.
Get the facts before denouncing the Tea Party and their advocates.

It is truly unfortunate that the American Catholic Church’s hierarchy has almost totally assumed the position of extreme right wing politics. The United States is currently holding an anti-Catholic position on most matters. The Republicians aren’t the White Night is this matter. Their position is sometimes pro-life but many members are definitely not. Remember Guliani’s receiving Communion at the Papal Mass at St. Patrick’s or Santouum’s support of Spector’s campaign in the Pennslyvania’s primary over a pro-life candidate? Given that the majority of Tea Party members want to get us into more wars(ie. Iran) as well as their embrace of the idolatry of ” American Exceptionalism” condemned by no less than Pope St Leo X along with a Darwinian social philosophy should make them anthema to any sincere Christian. At least the last few Popes as well as the current Pope have made their positions on war and social policy crystal clear. The diametrical opposite of the Tea Party.

Pierce, Andy, and Roger ~ Your usage of the word, “anathema” is curious to say the least. According to the term’s definititon, by whose Authority (Church)do you have to condemn much less judge the Tea Party ideology or any one who supports their philosophy?  Let us be clear on the definition of ANATHEMA(Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon, SJ) - “Solemn condemation, of biblical origin, USED BY THE CHURCH to declare that some position or teaching contradicts Catholic faith and doctrine.” Personally, I am not aware of any one from the Magisterium placing an ANATHEMA on the Tea Party or any its followers. I suppose one could “secularize” the term, but that is even worse. Cursing others, who do not agree with you, how is that showing our Lord’s love and mercy? Hmmm… Somehow this does not seem congruent with your passion for your brand of Catholic Social Taching.

@Roger de Bourbon:  [“It is truly unfortunate that the American Catholic Church’s hierarchy has almost totally assumed the position of extreme right wing politics.”]
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In which solar system (diocese) do you live in ???  Come to my local diocese and you’ll hear homilies ridiculing Rush, Pro-life Evangelicals, dismissing Dr. Billy Graham and you’ll also hear Priests who support the idea practicing homosexuals will be gathered at the Eucharistic banquet table in Heaven.
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Re the latter, maybe that’s one of their problems —too many seminaries have removed Paul’s entire letter to the Romans as required reading resulting in Catholic *dogma* being elevated above the Gospel.  Shockingly, one Priest called the Bible a “book.”  Frankly, it’s not a “book”—it’s the word of God.  If that’s how they really think and feel, there’s no need for the Lector to raise “just a book” above their head when entering down the aisle at the start of Mass.

To Pierce Kent (second post above), thanks for the website of UScatholic.org.  I had not heard of it, nor the author John Gehring. After further exploration, I see John Gehring wrote the following in another article about the “right wing”:

“Conservative Catholic pundits like George Weigel and Bill Donohue (not to mention a few U.S. Catholic bishops) must be wondering who took the keys away. The spin will begin soon enough from the Catholic right, which will highlight the fact that the pope has made no changes to church teaching. This misses the point entirely. Something far bigger is happening. Pope Francis is rescuing the Catholic Church from those grim-faced watchdogs of orthodoxy who in windowless rooms reduce Catholicism to a laundry list of no’s.”

As I myself admire watchdogs of orthodoxy, grim-faced or otherwise, I appreciate knowing who’s on the other side of the debate.

Just finished watching “Death by China” on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTmUs5lKoME).  It must have been produced 5 or so years ago, but still very enlightening.  This issue is something that Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals, genuine free marketers, union members, and other regular people should agree on.  Thank you Lillian for mentioning this film. 

Also, except for Abortion and freedom of religion, I don’t think the USCCB is staunchly conservative or right-wing.  It is kind of in line with regular-folk conservatives and regular-folk liberals, in a general sense, but not the elitists of each wing or party. 

@Bridget, I try to practice humility and patience myself, but I’m not too successful.  I usually have to keep quiet in order to make it work.

For all those who are referring in their comments to the American Catholic Church, do you even know whereof you speak? This is a heretical
group and is not connected to Rome.  Now if speaking of the Catholic Church in American, please use that terminology.  Some of the comments
here are ignorant of the difference it would appear; just as some are
totally ignorant of the Tea Party values. It helps to be informed before
coming to the discussion.

Look forward to reading Gregg’s book.

Yeah Lisa! All praise and glory and honor are yours Almighty Father forever and ever Amen.

Remember the us bishops encouraged a nationalizes health care system in January 2010 letter to congress.  Yet another road block for individual liberty and more support for the divine right of kings.  Can anyone say medieval Europe and supporting the evil king’s catholic men like pelosi, and Biden, sebelius, etc.

To Pierce…..if you wish to send more of YOUR money to the government, go right ahead.  Do not demand that I be forced to do so also through an oppressive, out of control tax system which takes more an more of my hard earned money at the
point of an IRS gun and proceeds to waste most of it.  If you feel that taxing anyone equates to a charitable contribution to someone else, you are delusional.  Taxes feed a bloated bureaucracy and its police/war machine.  Again, with your money do as you wish, but keep your hands and the ruthless hands of the government out of my wallet.