Click here for Full Issue of Fidelio Volume 5, Number 1, Spring 1996 INTERVIEW Anthony Michael Pilla President, U.S. National Conference of Catholic ‘You must measure a country by the way it treats its most needy’

Bishop was elected president sent an unusual- of the National Conference of Catholic ly blunt letter to Bishops in November 1995, after having every U.S. rep- served as vice-president for the previous resentative and three years. As president, he presides over senator, saying the meetings of the Bishops, over the if the Congress administrative committee for the confer- does not reject ence, is chairman of the executive commit- this fatally tee, and gives oversight to the staff of the flawed legisla- National Conference of Catholic Bish- tion, we urge ops/United States Catholic Conference in the President to Washington, D.C. veto it. Presi- Bishop Pilla was born on Nov. 12, 1932, dent Clinton to parents who had immigrated to the Unit- had asked you ed States from Italy as teenagers. He was to come to the educated in public schools in Cleveland White House until high school, which he began at Cathe- and discuss this. dral Latin School and completed at St. Gre- Can you tell us gory Seminary in Cincinnati, where he con- something of tinued in college until Borromeo College your discussion with the President? is an opportunity for renewal within the Seminary opened in Wickliffe, Ohio. His Bishop Pilla: Basically, we discussed my Church in the United States. Hopefully, preparation was completed in Cleveland at letter and our concern about those rather than doing some things on a St. Mary Seminary, and he was ordained to whom, at that time, the proposed bud- national level, we were urging the bish- the priesthood on May 23, 1959. His train- get resolution would negatively impact, ops to do that on the local level— ing also includes a Bachelor of Arts in Phi- especially the elderly, the poor children, because that’s where the Church is being losophy and a Master of Arts in History single parents. experienced by most of our people—in from , as well as the use of the time for prayer, and re- numerous honorary degrees. Fidelio: The day before the Bishops newal, and recommitment to the mis- Pope John Paul II announced his choice Conference opened, you addressed a sion of the Church. of Father Pilla as Titular Bishop of Scar- special Washington, D.C. convocation dona and Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland on on evangelization, and your remarks Fidelio: In your speech on evangeliza- June 30, 1979. On January 6, 1981, he was were oriented toward the Jubilee. When tion, you called Dr. Martin Luther installed as the Ninth Bishop of Cleveland. we last spoke, our issue of Fidelio was King, Jr., “one of the greatest American Bishop Pilla was interviewed for Fide- dedicated to the Jubilee. I would like evangelizers.” The vice-chairman of the lio by Nina Ogden on Jan. 3, 1996. you to expand on your thoughts. Schiller Institute is Amelia Boynton Bishop Pilla: We were encouraging the Robinson, who is one of the great Civil Fidelio: Bishop Pilla, you were elected bishops to prepare for the Jubilee Rights heroines. I’m sure she would president of the Bishops Conference according to the guidelines that were be very interested in your view of right at the point of the first Federal sent to us by the Holy See, focussing on Dr. King. government shutdown. The bishops had that particular celebration, where there Bishop Pilla: I think at this time in our

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© 1996 Schiller Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission strictly prohibited. history, it’s of particular importance for February. So the particular agenda of ism—what Pope Leo XIII warned of in us to focus on one of his principal mes- the synod hasn’t been completed, but the Rerum Novarum, that of liberal or Man- sages, of peace. We have to be peaceful various Conferences of Canada, the chester capitalism, although it’s called people. Even if we’re looking for social United States, Latin America, and the “shock therapy” this time around. change and we want to combat the Caribbean are meeting to develop that. In light of this, and reflecting the injustices of our time, it has to be done So we’re in the process of doing that. government shutdown crisis we are in a peaceful way. I think that’s a mes- They set a theme at the previous meet- experiencing now, I would like to ask sage our modern world needs to learn, ing, but the agenda has not been set. you about the social teachings of the because we see so much violence and Fidelio: Do you know when that synod Roman concerning the hatred in our world, always justified by would take place? victimization of the poor. what’s projected as a noble cause. But I Bishop Pilla: I think around 1998, but Bishop Pilla: That’s one of our concerns think that Dr. King’s message is, that if I’m not sure it’s absolutely certain.* and that’s why we spoke out. We have a we’re going to be consistent with the long history—this is not something new. Gospel, even though we must reject the Fidelio: I toured Philadelphia with the Unfortunately, every time the Bishops injustice, we always have to do it the former Vice Prime Minister of what is speak to this, we’re always identified way Christ did it, which would be in a now, the former post-Communist with a particular political agenda, or peaceful way. Czecho-Slovakia. He was very happy to some people want to cast us as advocates of one party against the other. That shows a lack of understanding of our We are not a political bloc. We are not aligned to any history, and of our consistent history in political party, nor do we have a partisan agenda in mind. social justice. We are not a political bloc. We are not aligned to any political The primary role of the Church is to advocate on the part of party, nor do we have a partisan agenda those who need it the most—and those who need it the in mind. We’re just trying to be very most are the poor in this country. If we don’t advocate for consistent with the teaching we have tried to be faithful to over the years, and them, who will? I think the record shows that we have. So, I think once again, the primary role of the Church is to advocate on the Fidelio: And he really did move peo- see the inscription on the Liberty Bell, part of those who need it the most—and ple’s souls to that, didn’t he? from Leviticus 25: “You shall proclaim those who need it the most are the poor Bishop Pilla: Yes, and if we could only liberty throughout the land.” Did you in this country. If we don’t advocate for resolve our differences in a peaceful know that was on the Liberty Bell? them, who will? I think that’s where we way, I think much of the agony of the Bishop Pilla: No, I didn’t. That’s won- need to be. We need to call people again world would be addressed. derful. to step aside from all these partisan agendas and look to the welfare of the Fidelio: I’d like to ask you something Fidelio: Yes, what a thought for the country, because, as we’ve said consis- specific about the encyclical As The Jubilee preparations, that the symbol of tently, if you’re going to measure any Third Millennium Draws Near. In Sec- the liberty bell is a call for “the cancella- country, you’ve got to measure it by the tion 38, the Pope calls for continental tion of all debts in accordance with pre- way it treats its most needy. synods. He says that the Latin American cise regulations,” as Pope John Paul II bishops and the bishops of North Amer- says in As The Third Millennium Draws Fidelio: This particular compassion is ica have agreed to hold a synod for the Near. I think it’s an important theme for something that you personally have Americas. He talks about the fact that the West, and for those in eastern always been known for. this is specifically important, that this Europe who had such hopes when they Bishop Pilla: We try, because I think will “look at the problems of the new overthrew communism, and then were that is the role of the Church. We’re evangelization in both parts of the same subjected to the other form of material- concerned about all people. Certainly all continent, so different in origin, and his- ______people merit the concern and compas- tory, and on issues of justice and of * The pre-Synodal council met in Rome in Octo- sion of the Church and yet, as our Holy international economic relations, in view ber to consider the overall theme for the Special Father has reminded us, we have to of the enormous gap between North and Synod for the Americas. The U.S. representa- have this preferential option for the tive to the council was Cardinal Keeler, then the South.” Is there a particular plan now President of the National Conference of poor, because, again, they don’t have a for this synod of the Americas, which Catholic Bishops. The council made a recom- constituency, and within our system, the would seem very important? mendation to the Pope on the theme for the way it works, those who have advocates Bishop Pilla: We are just in the plan- Synod, which has not yet been made public. and can plead a cause usually prevail. Bishop Pilla will represent the United States at ning stages. There have been several the next meeting of the pre-Synodal council in Well, who’s going to plead for them, if meetings. There will be another one in Rome in mid-February.—Ed. we don’t?

74 Fidelio: I don’t know if you’ve yet Look at the issues: We’re seen the Winter issue of Fidelio. On the running into a lack of cover is the very compassion, a lack of startling picture by Rembrandt of Bel- human kindness. That’s shazzar seeing “the what the Church brings to handwriting on the the the table. That’s why wall.” Don’t you think that the times some people try to dismiss we’re in right now us, as idealistic or naive, or are reminiscent of less charitably, as medieval, Belshazzar’s Feast? Bishop Pilla: Yes, I out-of-touch. Because, if can see that perspec- you don’t like the message, tive. I think every the easiest way is to destroy moment of history the messenger. has its own unique character. I think there are other moments in history of other, human factors that we have to accomplish in our day. similar situations, but I think we’re so take into consideration. For the Church, I think if we look at many of the much more aware because it’s our time, efficiency has never been its primary issues, some of the things that we’re run- and I think we sense it. It’s very difficult objective; charity has been. So, while ning into indicate a lack of compassion, for me to say if it’s better or worse than other institutions have to work on the a lack of human kindness, a lack of Biblical times, because that’s an histori- efficiency part, our contribution is the heart, if you will. Perhaps, if we had a cal perspective. But I think in our times, charity part. So, hopefully, we can create greater balance in our makeup and in I’m deeply, deeply concerned about a greater balance. our values, I think much of the ills of them—because there is an attitude of the world would be addressed. hardness, I think, that concerns me. Fidelio: I was particularly struck by I think that’s what the Church This is not a throwaway society. You your statement. The Schiller Institute always brings to the the table. That’s don’t have people we should ignore and has investigated the process leading to why some people are uncomfortable hope that they will go away. They’re our the Council of Florence and the Broth- with us, and try to dismiss us, maybe as brothers and sisters and we have a respon- erhood of the Common Life’s education idealistic or naive, or less charitably, as sibility to them. of poor and orphaned children, out of medieval, out-of-touch, irrelevant. which what we know as the Renaissance Because sometimes, if you don’t like the Fidelio: I thought about this when I created a recovery from the Dark Ages. message, the easiest way is to minimize read your statement on evangelization, At that time of beauty and discovery, or destroy the messenger. where you said, “hopefully, we Catholics there was a remarkable rise in popula- living in the U.S. at a time of chaos can tion, and the productive capibility of Fidelio: What are your great hopes for return to a culture of beauty, to new art, that population, which for the first time the New Year? architecture, literature, and music,” and in human history eliminated serfdom Bishop Pilla: My great hope for the that you were specific about that. for the majority of human beings. New Year, I keep coming back to this Bishop Pilla: Yes, because I think that’s Bishop Pilla: I think most of corporate thing: Every new year is another oppor- been a great tradition of the Church. America knows that too. Because many tunity for each of us individually and as The humanities have always been a times, when you’re dealing for top man- a society to try to be what God wants us great part of the Church: art, music, all agement, you do look for a portfolio that to be, and this is something we have to of those things have kept us human. I includes more than a particular skill or strive for. We never achieve it, but every think in this technological age, this effi- expertise. They’re looking for the full- year we have to renew our efforts to be cient age, this bottom-line age, we can’t ness, and they have found, I think, most consistent with who we say we are. My forget the human part of the thing, we of them, that if that portfolio is deficient hope is that every Catholic person, every can’t be driven by all of that. That’s in the humanities and in the arts, you’re Christian person, will take serious time what concerns me a little bit, about some not going to get a complete human to assess the authenticity of their living of the rhetoric. Everyone’s worried being, and perhaps not the best kind of out of the Gospel message and make a about efficiency, and everyone’s worried performance when it comes to the goals new beginning. about economic factors, but there are that I think any institution wants to Fidelio: Thank you, Bishop Pilla.

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