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For The Bulletin Of His Life October 18, 2020 Nothing is known of Ignatius' life apart from what may be inferred internally from his letters, except from later (sometimes spurious) traditions. It is said Ignatius converted to [10] at a young age. Tradition identifies Ignatius, along with his friend , as disciples of .[11] Later in his life, Ignatius was chosen to serve as of ; the fourth-century Church historian writes that Ignatius succeeded .[12] of claimed that St. Peter himself left directions that Ignatius be appointed to the of Antioch.[13] Ignatius called himself Theophorus (God Bearer). A tradition arose that he was one of the children whom Jesus Christ took in his arms

and blessed,[14] although if he was born THE FEAST OF ST. IGNATIUS OF around 50 AD, as supposed, then Jesus had ANTIOCH been crucified approximately 20 years prior.

Ignatius of Antioch (/ɪɡˈneɪʃəs/; Greek: Veneration Ἰγνάτιος Ἀντιοχείας, Ignátios Antiokheías; Ignatius' feast day was kept in his own died c. 108/140 AD),[3][4][7][8][9] also known Antioch on 17 October, the day on which he as Ignatius Theophorus (Ιγνάτιος ὁ is now celebrated in the Church Θεοφόρος, Ignátios ho Theophóros, lit. "the and generally in , God-bearing") or Ignatius although from the 12th century until 1969 it Nurono (lit. "The fire-bearer"), was an early was put at 1 February in the General Roman Christian writer and bishop of Antioch. Calendar.[15][16] While en route to , where he met his martyrdom, Ignatius wrote a series of In the it is letters. This correspondence now forms a observed on 20 central part of a later collection of works December.[17] The of known to be authored by the Apostolic the Coptic Orthodox Church of Fathers. He is considered to be one of the Alexandria places it on the 24th of the three most important of these, together Coptic Month of (which is also the 24 with Clement of Rome and Polycarp. His day of the fourth month of Tahisas in letters also serve as an example of the Synaxarium of The Ethiopian Orthodox early . Important topics Tewahedo Church), corresponding in three they address include , years out of every four to 20 December in the , and the role of . the Julian Calendar, which currently falls on 2 January of the Gregorian Calendar.

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Martyrdom gift."[18]:176 Instead, Davies proposes that Circumstances of martyrdom Ignatius may have been indicted by a legate, Instead of being executed in his home town or representative, of of Antioch, Ignatius was escorted to Rome the governor of while the governor by a company of ten Roman soldiers: was away temporarily, and sent to Rome for From Syria even unto Rome I fight with trial and execution. Under Roman law, only beasts, both by land and sea, both by night the governor of a province or the emperor and day, being bound to ten leopards, I mean himself could impose , so a band of soldiers... the legate would have faced the choice of imprisoning Ignatius in Antioch or sending — Ignatius to the Romans Chapter 5 him to Rome. Davies postulates that the Scholars consider Ignatius' transport to legate may have decided to send Ignatius to Rome unusual, since those persecuted as Rome so as to minimize any further would be expected to be punished dissension among the Antiochene locally. Stevan Davies has pointed out that Christians.[18]:177–178 "no other examples exist from the Flavian age of any prisoners except citizens or Christine Trevett has called Davies' prisoners of war being brought to Rome for suggestion "entirely hypothetical" and execution."[18] concludes that no fully satisfactory solution to the problem can be found, writing, "I tend If Ignatius were a Roman citizen, he could to take the bishop at his word when he says have appealed to the emperor, but then he he is a condemned man. But the question would usually have been beheaded rather remains, why is he going to Rome? The than tortured.[19] Furthermore, the epistles of truth is that we do not know."[21] Ignatius state that he was put in chains during the journey to Rome, but it was Route of travel to Rome illegal under Roman law for a citizen to be During the journey to Rome, Ignatius and put in bonds during an appeal to the his entourage of soldiers made a number of emperor.[18]:175–176 lengthy stops in Asia Minor, deviating from the most direct land route from Antioch to Allen Brent argues that Ignatius was Rome.[18]:176 Scholars generally agree on the transferred to Rome at the request of the following reconstruction of Ignatius' route of emperor in order to provide entertainment to travel: the masses by being killed in the . Brent insists, contrary to some, that "it was 1. Ignatius first traveled from Antioch, normal practice to transport condemned in the province of Syria, to Asia criminals from the provinces in order to Minor. It is uncertain whether he offer spectator sport in the Colosseum at traveled by sea or by land. Rome."[20]:15 2. He was then taken to , via a route that bypassed the cities Stevan Davies rejects the idea that Ignatius of Magnesia, , and , was transported to Rome for the games at but likely passed the Colosseum. He reasons that "if Ignatius through Philadelphia (cf. Ign. was in some way a donation by the Imperial Phil. 7). Governor of Syria to the games at Rome, a 3. Ignatius then traveled to Troas, single prisoner seems a rather miserly where he boarded a ship bound

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for Neapolis in (cf. Ign. source for this Trajanic date is the 4th Pol. 8). century church historian Eusebius of 4. He then passed through the city Caesarea, who is regarded by some modern of (cf. Pol. Phil. 9). scholars as an unreliable source for 5. After this, he took some land or sea chronological information regarding the route to Rome.[22] early church. Eusebius had an ideological interest in dating church leaders as early as During the journey, the soldiers seem to possible, and ensuring that there were no have allowed Ignatius to meet with entire gaps in succession between the original congregations of Christians while in chains, apostles of Jesus and the leaders of the at least while he was in Philadelphia (cf. Ign. church in his day.[3] Unfortunately, the Phil. 7), and numerous Christian visitors and epistles attributed to Ignatius provide no messengers were allowed to meet with him clear indication as to their date. on a one-on-one basis. These messengers allowed Ignatius to send six letters to nearby While many scholars accept the traditional churches, and one to Polycarp, the bishop dating of Ignatius' martyrdom under , of Smyrna.[18]:176 others have argued for a somewhat later date. dated Ignatius' death to These aspects of Ignatius' martyrdom are 135-140 AD.[3] British classicist Timothy also regarded by scholars as unusual. It is Barnes has argued for a date in the 140s AD, generally expected that a prisoner would be on the grounds that Ignatius seems to have transported on the most direct, cost-effective quoted a work of the Gnostic in one route to their destination. Since travel by of his epistles, who only became active in land in the was between five the 130s.[4] and fifty-two times more expensive than travel by sea,[23] and Antioch was a major Death and aftermath port city, the most efficient route would Ignatius himself wrote that he would be likely have been entirely by sea. Steven thrown to the beasts, and in the fourth Davies argues that Ignatius' circuitous route century Eusebius reports tradition that this to Rome can only be explained by positing came to pass,[24] which is then repeated that he was not the main purpose of the by who is the first to explicitly soldiers' trip, and that the various stops in mention "lions."[19] is the Asia Minor were for other state business. He first to allude to the Colosseum as the place suggests that such a scenario would also of Ignatius' martyrdom.[25] Contemporary explain the relative freedom that Ignatius scholars are uncertain that any of these was given to meet with other Christians authors had sources other than Ignatius' own during the journey.[18]:177 writings.[19][24]

Date of martyrdom According to a medieval Christian text Due to the sparse and fragmentary nature of titled Martyrium Ignatii, Ignatius' remains the documentation of Ignatius' life and were carried back to Antioch by his martyrdom, the date of his death is subject companions after his martyrdom.[26] The to a significant amount of uncertainty. sixth-century writings of Evagrius Tradition places the martyrdom of Ignatius Scholasticus state that the reputed remains in the reign of Trajan, who was emperor of of Ignatius were moved by the Rome from 98 to 117 AD. But the earliest Emperor Theodosius II to the Tychaeum, or

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Temple of Tyche, which had been converted Painting of from into a church dedicated to Ignatius.[27] In 637 the Menologion of Basil II (c. 1000 AD) the were transferred to the di The following seven epistles preserved San Clemente in Rome.[citation needed] under the name of Ignatius are generally considered authentic, since they were The Martyrium Ignatii mentioned by the historian Eusebius in the There is a purported eye-witness account of first half of the fourth century. his martyrdom, named the Martyrium Ignatii, of medieval date.[26] It is presented Seven original epistles: as being an eye-witness account for the • The , , attributed to Ignatius' • The Epistle to the Magnesians, companions, Philo of Cilicia, • The Epistle to the Trallians, at Tarsus, and Rheus Agathopus, a • The Epistle to the Romans, Syrian.[22] • The Epistle to the Philadelphians, • The Epistle to the Smyrnaeans, Although regarded it as • The Epistle to Polycarp, genuine, the authenticity of the account is a bishop of Smyrna. seriously questioned. If there is any genuine nucleus of the Martyrium, it has been so Recensions greatly expanded with interpolations that no The text of these epistles is known in three part of it is without questions. Its most different recensions, or editions: the Short reliable manuscript is the 10th- Recension, found in a Syriac manuscript; the century (Paris), in which Middle Recension, found the Martyrium closes the collection. in Greek and manuscripts; and the The Martyrium presents the confrontation of Long Recension, found the bishop Ignatius with Trajan at Antioch, a in Latin manuscripts.[4]:120–121 familiar trope of Acta of the , and many details of the long, partly overland For some time, it was believed that the Long voyage to Rome. The Synaxarium of Recension was the only extant version of the the Coptic Orthodox Church of Ignatian epistles, but around 1628 a Latin Alexandria says that he was thrown to the translation of the Middle Recension was wild beasts that devoured him and rent him discovered by James Ussher, to pieces.[28] who published it in 1646. For around a quarter of a century after this, it was debated Epistles which recension represented the original text of the epistles. But ever since 's strong defense of the authenticity of the Middle Recension in the late 17th century, there has been a scholarly consensus that the Middle Recension is the original version of the text.[4]:121 The Long Recension is the product of a fourth-century Arian Christian, who interpolated the Middle Recension epistles in order to posthumously enlist Ignatius as an unwitting witness in theological disputes of that age. This

4 individual also forged the six spurious Some doubts about the authenticity of the epistles attributed to Ignatius (see § Pseudo- original letters continued into the 20th Ignatius below).[29] century. In the late 1970s and 1980s, the scholars Robert Joly, Reinhard Manuscripts representing the Short Hübner, Markus Vinzent, and Thomas Recension of the Ignatian epistles were Lenchner argued forcefully that the epistles discovered and published by William of the Middle Recension were forgeries Cureton in the mid-19th century. For a brief written during the reign of Marcus period, there was a scholarly debate on the Aurelius (161-180 AD). Around the same question of whether the Short Recension time, the scholar Ruis-Camps was earlier and more original than the published a study arguing that the Middle Middle Recension. But by the end of the Recension letters 19th century, Theodor Zahn and J. B. were pseudepigraphically composed based Lightfoot had established a scholarly on an original, smaller, authentic corpus of consensus that the Short Recension is four letters (Romans, Magnesians, Trallians, merely a summary of the text of the Middle and Ephesians). These publications stirred Recension, and was therefore composed up tremendous, heated controversy in the later.[4]:121 scholarly community at the time,[4]:122 but today most scholars accept the authenticity Authenticity of the seven original epistles.[4]:121ff[32][33][34] Ever since the Protestant in the The original text of six of the seven original 16th century, the authenticity of all the letters are found in the Codex Mediceo Ignatian epistles has come under intense Laurentianus written in Greek in the 11th scrutiny. called the epistles century (which also contains the "rubbish published under Ignatius’ pseudepigraphical letters of the Long name."[4]:119 Some Protestants have tended Recension, except that to the to want to deny the authenticity of all the Philippians),[35] while the letter to the epistles attributed to Ignatius because they Romans is found in the Codex seem to attest to the existence of Colbertinus.[11] a monarchical episcopate in the second century. The Church has Style and structure long held up the authenticity of the letters Ignatius's letters bear signs of being written from past to present. [30] in great haste and without a proper plan, such as run-on sentences and an In 1886, Presbyterian minister and church unsystematic succession of thought. Ignatius historian William Dool Killen published an modeled his writings after , Peter, and essay extensively arguing that none of the John, and even quoted or paraphrased their epistles attributed to Ignatius is authentic. own works freely, such as when he quoted 1 Instead, he argued that Callixtus, bishop of Corinthians 1:18, in his letter to the Rome, forged the letters around AD 220 to Ephesians: garner support for a monarchical episcopate, modeling the renowned Ignatius after Let my spirit be counted as nothing for the his own life to give precedent for his own sake of the cross, which is a stumbling-block authority.[31]:137 Killen contrasted to those that do not believe, but to us this with the presbyterian salvation and life eternal. polity in the writings of Polycarp.[31]:127

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— Letter to the Ephesians 18, Roberts and the modern reader. An examination of his Donaldson translation[36] theology of shows that he regarded salvation as one being free from Theology the powerful fear of death and thus to bravely face martyrdom.[37] Ignatius is known to have taught the deity of Christ: Ignatius is claimed to be the first known Christian writer to argue in favor of There is one Physician who is possessed Christianity's replacement of both of flesh and spirit; both made and not the Sabbath with the Lord's Day: made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first Be not seduced by strange doctrines nor by passible and then impassible, even Jesus antiquated fables, which are profitless. For if Christ our Lord. even unto this day we live after the manner of Judaism, we avow that we have not — Letter to the Ephesians, ch. 7, shorter received grace. ...If then those who had version, Roberts-Donaldson translation walked in ancient practices attained unto The same section in text of the Long newness of hope, no longer observing Recension says the following: Sabbaths but fashioning their lives after the Lord's day, on which our life also arose But our Physician is the Only true God, the through Him ... how shall we be able to live unbegotten and unapproachable, the Lord of apart from Him? all, the Father and Begetter of the only- begotten Son. We have also as a Physician — Ignatius to the Magnesians 8:1, 9:1- the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ, the only- 2, Lightfoot translation. begotten Son and Word, before time began, Let us therefore no longer keep the Sabbath but who afterwards became also man, of after the Jewish manner, and rejoice in days Mary the . For "the Word was made of idleness. ...But let every one of you keep flesh." Being incorporeal, He was in the the Sabbath after a spiritual manner, body, being impassible, He was in a passible rejoicing in meditation on the law, not in body, being immortal, He was in a mortal relaxation of the body ... and not eating body, being life, He became subject to things prepared the day before, nor using corruption, that He might free our souls lukewarm drinks, and walking within a from death and corruption, and heal them, prescribed space. ...And after the observance and might restore them to health, when they of the Sabbath, let every friend of Christ were diseased with ungodliness and wicked keep the Lord's day as a festival, the lusts. resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all the days [of the week]. Looking forward to — Letter to the Ephesians, ch. 7, longer this, the prophet declared, "To the end, for version the eighth day," on which our life both He stressed the value of the , sprang up again, and the victory over death calling it a "medicine of immortality" was obtained in Christ. (Ignatius to the Ephesians 20:2). The very strong desire for bloody martyrdom in the arena, which Ignatius expresses rather graphically in places, may seem quite odd to

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— Letter to the Magnesians 9, Roberts and Church.[citation needed] This has led many Donaldson translation, p. 189. scholars[citation needed] to conclude that the appellation with its Ecclesiology ecclesial connotation may have been in use Ignatius is the earliest known Christian as early as the last quarter of the first writer to emphasize loyalty to a century. On the Eucharist, he wrote in his single bishop in each city (or ) who letter to the Smyrnaeans: is assisted by both () and . Earlier writings only Take note of those who hold heterodox mention either bishops or presbyters. opinions on the grace of Jesus Christ which For instance, his writings on bishops, has come to us, and see how contrary their presbyters and deacons: opinions are to the mind of God. ...They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer Take care to do all things in harmony with because they do not confess that the God, with the bishop presiding in the place Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus of God, and with the presbyters in the place Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and of the council of the apostles, and with the which that Father, in his goodness, raised up deacons, who are most dear to me, entrusted again. They who deny the gift of God are with the business of Jesus Christ, who was perishing in their disputes. with the Father from the beginning and is at — Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2–7:1 last made manifest. In his letter addressed to the Christians of Rome, he entreats to do nothing to prevent — Letter to the Magnesians 2, 6:1 his martyrdom.[13] He is also responsible for the first known use of the Greek word katholikos (καθολικός), meaning "universal", "complete" and "whole" to describe the Church, writing:

Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be; as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful to baptize or give communion without the consent of the bishop. On the other hand, whatever has his approval is pleasing to God. Thus, whatever is done will be safe Reflecting On The and valid. While we are celebrating our parish feast day in honor of our , St. Ignatius — Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8, J.R. Willis of Antioch, the scripture for today comes translation. from the normal scripture passages from the It is from the word katholikos ("according to 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is the whole") that the word catholic comes. important not to interrupt this cycle of When Ignatius wrote the Letter to the readings as we come the conclusion of this Smyrnaeans in about the year 107 and used Liturgical Year. the word catholic, he used it as if it were a word already in use to describe the

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As we continue to follow and witness Jesus’ His indictment should strike us as well. activities as events in march Where are our concerns? Are we focused on closer to that fateful end, we have today not money or on God? Are we sincere of heart, a parable (we had three in a row in as many or are we scheming? It’s likely too flippant weeks). Instead, we hear about a verbal on our part to say with a sincere heart that sparring match between Jesus and the we are focused only on God. Jesus’ words Herodians and Pharisees, adversaries to His verbal opponents are addressed to us themselves. But a common threat (Jesus) too: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to has united these two competitors. The Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Herodians and the Pharisees (or at least their disciples) scheme together to ensnare (which is another meaning of the Greek term translated as “entrap”) Jesus with a clever riddle.

The puzzle posed is sublime. When asked whether to pay the tax, Jesus might say to pay it, in which case He can be said to endorse the political system. Or Jesus might say not to pay the tax, in which case He can be said to endorse the overthrow of the political system. Either answer seemingly dooms Him. But their insincerity and their Living The Paschal Mystery plotting are plain to see. Instead of falling In the modern, individualistic world in into their “either/or” trap, Jesus does which we live, there is a temptation to something more cunning. After addressing believe that what we have, we have earned. them directly as “hypocrites,” He asks for a My possessions are mine, a result of my coin, something which He does not have. own hard work or that of others, such as They produce the coin, thereby family. But today’s gospel is a good demonstrating that they essentially endorse reminder that all we have is from God. As the system. He asks them whose image and such, we should not and cannot be hoarders whose inscription is on this coin they bear. of God’s good gifts. Even money itself With their reply, their fate is sealed. “Then should not be thought of as ours. repay to Caesar what belong to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Jesus calls us to an entirely new way of thinking. We return to be fed at the Table of Jesus is not issuing a dissertation on the His Word and at the Table of His Eucharist intersection of politics, religion, and the so often in part because we need to be economy. He is not endorsing or reminded of this way of thinking when we condemning an economic system. But by are so immersed in the world with its ways. His reply He has indicted the Pharisees and the Herodians for their inordinate concern Any resources we have are truly not our about money versus what ought to be a own. Even what we acquired through our concern for the things of God. own labor and efforts cannot be taken with us when we fall asleep in the Lord. Let us “die” to the notion of possessions – what is

8 mine versus yours – and let us instead engage in a lifestyle of discipleship, which shares what we have with the least among us. In that way we will be living the paschal mystery.

Each week’s liturgy, prayer, and scripture should cause us to ask important questions about our lives, our living, how we hear Jesus speak to us through the Word and what our response to all that might be. Today is no exception, especially as we About Liturgy: Citizens Of Both Cities remember the life, the ministry, and the The last major document from the Second martyrdom of our patron, St. Ignatius of Vatican Council was Gaudium et Spes, the Antioch. Here are some questions for your Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the reflection and meditation: Modern World. Although this document does not speak of the church’s liturgical life, Today’s psalm prompts us to “sing to the it has implications for the relationship Lord a new song.” Where is God calling between our liturgical life and our secular you to newness in your life? activities. Namely, it calls us to connect our liturgical practice of our daily lives. St. Paul begins his letter to the Because Christians are “citizens of both Thessalonians by giving thanks for their cities,” the Council encouraged them “to faith and “endurance in hope.” Who are the perform their duties faithfully in the spirit of people who inspire you with their faith and the Gospel” (43). In both our religious and hope? civic duties, Christians “by our faith are bound all the more to fulfill these The Pharisees say to Jesus, “You are not responsibilities according to the vocation of concerned with anyone’s opinion.” Would each one” (43). Therefore, as citizens of a you agree with this statement? How do the nation, we cannot ignore our duty to follow opinions of others affect you? its laws or to participate in the act of voting. Nor can we, as citizens of the heavenly Jesus tells the Pharisees, “Repay to Caesar kingdom, “immerse ourselves in earthly what belongs to Caesar and to God what activities as if these latter were utterly belongs to God.” What do you think He foreign to religion, and religion were means by this teaching? Did your nothing more than the fulfillment of acts of understanding change after listening to the worship and the observance of a few moral homily? obligations” (43). We must align the concrete public practices of our daily lives with the faith that we profess.

In all that we do, both in the parish and out of the parish, we are encouraged to work publicly for justice by participating in secular efforts that promote the common good. We can, and do, make a difference.

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What we do on Sunday is a rehearsal for minorities and to provide a safety net for how we are to live throughout the week. To those not able to support themselves. He do this well, we bring to our Sunday faults the leaders of the Democratic party for Eucharist the needs and concerns of the their uncritical support for a women's right world so that we may see clearly, through to choose and for marginalizing pro-life the lens of the gospel, how to connect the members of the party. He was especially faith we profess with the daily life we live. upset that the party dropped its longstanding support for the 1976 Hyde Amendment, prohibiting the use of Federal funds for abortion. Bill finds his own views represented in an August 2020 letter sent by 100 former elected Democrats to the Platform Committee, pointing out that 79% of Americans oppose allowing abortions at any time and that 60% oppose using taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions.

Bill is also ambivalent about the Republican party. He thinks their pro-life position is morally right and that overturning Roe v Wade would open up a productive instruction discussion in all the states on "Faithful Citizenship" as a Moral how to craft laws that reflect the actual Guide for Voters positions of the American public. He is not happy with Republicans who want to overturn the Affordable Care Act and who By Father James J. Bacik did not speak out against separating children from their parents as a way of controlling Bill, a committed practicing Catholic, has immigration. He is most upset, however, been prayerfully discerning his vote for with Republicans who refuse to accept the candidates in the upcoming 2020 election. scientific consensus that global warming is a Blessed with a loving family and 16 years of serious problem. He does applaud the Catholic education, Bill developed a strong Republicans who provided bi-partisan passion for social justice and a deep respect support for the First Step Act, which reforms for human life at all stages of development. federal sentencing guidelines designed to In articulating his own position, he relies on reduce the prison population. the consistent ethic of life popularized by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, which includes As to his 2020 vote, Bill reads as much as he opposition to abortion and euthanasia as can to form his conscience according to well as war and capital punishment, and, Catholic teaching. In the 2020 version of the more positively, calls for efforts to help the American bishops' voting guide, "Forming oppressed and marginalized to flourish. Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," he felt affirmed by the statement: "Catholics Politically, Bill does not feel at home with often face difficult choices about how to either party and refers to himself as an vote." He spent a lot of time carefully "independent." He likes the policies of the examining every word of the four key Democrats designed to secure the rights of

10 paragraphs of the document. "A Catholic character, integrity, and ability to influence a cannot vote for a candidate who favors a given issue. In the end, this is a decision to policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, be made by each Catholic guided by a such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted conscience formed by Catholic moral suicide, deliberately subjecting workers or teaching" (37). the poor to sub-human living conditions, redefining in ways that violate its As part of his decision-making process, Bill essential meaning, or racist behavior, if the talked to some of his friends about the voter's intent is to support that position. In upcoming election. Most of them had such cases, a Catholic would be guilty of already made their choices without paying formal cooperation in grave evil. At the much attention to what the bishops had to same time, a voter should not use a say. His impression was that their decisions candidate's opposition to an intrinsic evil to depended more on partisan politics than justify indifference or inattentiveness to Church teaching. For his part, he wanted his other important moral issues involving faith to guide his politics and not the other human life and dignity. (34) way around.

"There may be times when a Catholic who In that vein, he looked for guidance to his rejects a candidate's unacceptable position pastor, who made it clear in his homilies that even on policies promoting an intrinsically faithful Catholics could not vote for any evil act may reasonably decide to vote for candidate who is pro-choice. Searching the that candidate for other morally grave internet, he found that a number of reasons, not to advance narrow interests or individual bishops emphasized the line in partisan preferences or to ignore a "Faithful Citizenship": "The threat of fundamental moral evil (35). abortion remains our preeminent priority." He also discovered the story of a bishop in "When all candidates hold a position that Texas who went out of his way to praise a promotes an intrinsically evil act, the video done by a in Wisconsin, conscientious voter faces a dilemma. The claiming Catholics who vote for Democrats voter may decide to take the extraordinary will be damned to hell. step of not voting for any candidate or, after careful deliberation, may decide to vote for Continuing his discernment process, Bill the candidate deemed less likely to advance read an article by Bishop Mark Seitz of El such a morally flawed position and more Paso, Texas, who recognizes the stumbling likely to pursue other authentic human block created for religious voters by "the goods (36). ever stronger commitment of the Democratic Party to promoting abortion "In making these decisions, it is essential for without any sensible restrictions." On the Catholics to be guided by a well-formed other hand, the bishop points out that many conscience that recognizes that all issues do Christians pursuing "single-issue strategies" not carry the same moral weight and that the to end abortion have turned a blind eye to moral obligation to oppose policies "dehumanizing policies" on various issues, promoting intrinsically evil acts has a including worker's rights, voting rights, special claim on our consciences and our social support for the poor, racism, actions. These decisions should take into immigration and the environment, which has account a candidate's commitments, "widened the polarization in our society,

11 harmed the credibility of the commitment of abortion and euthanasia are not the only Christians to the common good and intrinsically evil acts; so are mistreating the compromised the integrity of our Gospel poor and racist behavior. values." Bishop Seitz supports his position with two statements of Francis: "Our In 2016, Bill voted for Donald Trump defense of the innocent unborn must be primarily because he could not, on moral clear, firm and passionate;" and "Equally grounds, vote for Hilary Clinton, who held a sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, position supporting abortion. Now in 2020, the destitute, the underprivileged, the infirm, Bill's choice is more complicated. Once the elderly and the victims of human again, he sees Joe Biden supporting policies trafficking." The Bishop goes on to urge us that allow as many 800,000 abortions a year to repudiate "single-issue political strategies and would even allow the use of his disconnected from an integral ethic of taxpayer dollars to pay for some of them. On human life." He recognizes that: "Neither the other hand, Bill has come to think party nor their presidential candidate reflects President Trump's words and policies in a consistent way the ethic of love and support the intrinsic evil of racism, light expressed by Jesus in the ." including his refusal to condemn white This means voters must make prayerful and supremacy in clear and unequivocal terms prudent choices, keeping in mind the and his policy to deter immigration by "sacredness and equal dignity of all human separating parents and children at the life as well as our duty to steward God's border. Faced with a choice between two creation." candidates both holding positions supporting intrinsically evil acts, Bill recalls the advice Bill found a similar line of argument in an of "Faithful Citizenship" to vote for the article by San Diego Cardinal Robert candidate "more likely to pursue other McElroy, who warned against prioritizing authentic human goods" (n36). any one of the "core life issues" because "it will inevitably be hijacked by partisan forces Some points are clearer for Bill in 2020 than to propose that Catholics have an over- four years ago. Voting is primarily about riding duty to vote for candidates that selecting the best candidate and not a espouse that position." Given the "growing referendum on specific issues. He is not culture of exclusion" in our country, compelled to vote against Joe Biden because McElroy insists that "the drive to label a of his stance on abortion. He must choose single issue preeminent distorts the call to between two flawed candidates who hold authentic discipleship in voting rather than positions supporting intrinsically evil acts. advancing it." In good conscience, he cannot vote for either one because of their immoral stance, but In his research, Bill heard conflicting only despite it. In general terms, his choice opinions from individual bishops. Some is dictated by which candidate will do the emphasize that abortion is the "preeminent least harm and contribute most to the issue" and make it sound like Catholics must common good. vote against pro-choice candidates. Other bishops argue that Catholics should not be This frees Bill up to bring into his "single issue voters" and should consider a discernment process a wide range of life wide range of life issues based on a issues as well as the character and "consistent ethic of life." They insist that competency of the candidate. He wants

12 elected officials who are committed to country is consumed by a threatening telling the truth and acting on principle and pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 not political expedience; who have the people, infected our highest levels of intelligence and skills to form coalitions that government and wreaked havoc upon our actually get significant things done; and who economic life. Racial, ethnic and cultural will effectively attend to a wide range of divisions challenge our nation to reimagine important life issues, including greater and restructure the most fundamental justice for minorities and more vigorous elements of our identity as a people. The efforts to protect the environment. fires raging in the West are a visible sign of the fact that we are destroying our planet. The Supreme Court is engulfed in a bitterly Bishop McElroy: US partisan conflict that will influence the Catholics, politically future of abortion law, health care, voting rights and protections for workers. And for homeless, face hard the first time since the Civil War, there are widespread fears about our ability to hold choices fair national elections and carry out a Oct 13, 2020 peaceful transition of power. by Bishop Robert McElroy How are we, as members of the Catholic community in the United States, called to discern our electoral choices in this turbulent year, so as to advance the common good and the dignity of the human person? The current party structures of the United States bifurcate Catholic social teaching, with each party embracing some essential elements of Catholic teaching while rejecting many others. Thus the faithful Catholic voter is automatically homeless in our political world, never feeling at peace with the

Volunteers in Fort Wayne, Indiana, set up voting specific constellations that her party has machines Oct. 5 for early voting. (CNS/Today’s chosen to accept, and certainly never feeling Catholic/Jodi Marlin) at peace with the partisan tribalism in both Democratic and Republican cultures that Editor's note: Bishop Robert McElroy deforms our politics and our nation. For delivered an address, "Voting in Faith, every voter, political choice is a mixture of Rebuilding in Hope," Oct. 13 during a satisfaction and regret. For the faith-filled public Zoom-based webinar hosted by Catholic voter the regret is greatly St. Mary's College, "Voting as an Authentic magnified. with Bishop McElroy," followed by a question-and-answer session. Below is the But given that we live in a real world that text of his speech. confronts us with limited choices in this political season, how should a Catholic voter We stand poised upon the most important discern the candidates that will most national election of the past 50 years. Our powerfully advance the dignity of the human

13 person and the common good? This is singularly determinative for voting in the discernment must begin with an evaluation current election cycle. Some have of the principles of Catholic social teaching categorized abortion in that way. Others, applied to the current historical moment. climate change. Still other Americans see the central issue in the 2020 election as the ability to heal our culture of exclusion and racism so that we can truly become a unified nation with a coherent political community. Each of these issues has a powerful moral claim upon the conscience of a faith-filled Catholic voter.

More than 750,000 unborn children are directly killed in the United States every year. At one time there was bipartisan support for erecting policies that made abortion rare. Now that commitment has been eviscerated in the Democratic Party in a capitulation to notions of privacy that

"Angels Unawares" by Timothy Schmalz seen simply block out the human identity and on the campus of Catholic University of rights of unborn children. Even in an age America in Washington, D.C., Sept. 27. The when sonograms testify with the eloquence life-size sculpture, which depicts a group of of truth and life itself that children in the migrants and refugees crowded on a boat, is a womb are genuinely our brothers and sisters, replica of the one unveiled in St. our daughters and sons, the annihilation of Peter's Square at the Vatican during the 2019 their humanity in perception and in fact World Day of Migrants and Refugees. continues. Catholic social teaching has (CNS/Tyler Orsburn) consistently demanded that there be legal

protections for the unborn, as they are the Salient issues of Catholic social teaching most vulnerable and victimized of humanity, Catholic social teaching calls us to protect and many Catholics conclude that a both the life of unborn children and the comprehensive dedication to protecting life sustainability of our planet that is the in the womb is a pre-requisite for supporting prerequisite for all human life. It calls us to any candidate for public office. embrace immigrants and refugees as our sisters and brothers and to protect the elderly Simultaneously, there is a clear international from the false lure of assisted suicide. The scientific consensus that climate change Gospel of Jesus Christ calls for an utter caused by the use of fossil fuels and other rejection of racism and the death penalty. It human activities poses an existential threat calls for shelter, jobs and health care for the to the very future of humanity, and that air poor and the strengthening of marriage and pollution resulting from fossil fuels is family life. It calls us to reject war and foster already a major cause of premature death on peace. our planet. Existing trajectories of pollutants

being placed in the atmosphere by human Frequently in discussions of the application activity, if unchecked, will raise the of Catholic social teaching to voting, the temperature of the Earth in the coming question is raised whether one specific issue

14 decades, generating catastrophic rises in Muslim community are widely characterized human exposure to deadly heat, devastating as aliens whose religion automatically rises in water levels and massive exposure to means they cannot be trusted, while a series of perilous viruses. In addition, there incidents of vile and pervasive anti- will be severe widespread famines, droughts Semitism are on the rise. For this reason, and massive dislocations of peoples that will many faith-filled Catholics believe that in cause untold deaths, human suffering and this election cycle the most compelling issue violent conflict. This year's devastating fires that arises from Catholic social teaching for are a prophetic sign of what lies before us, American voters is the need to repudiate and a testimony that, on so many levels, our radically this culture of exclusion before it current pollution of the Earth is stealing the spreads further and leads to new levels of future from coming generations. Because the injustice, moral paralysis and division in our trajectory of danger unleashed by fossil fuels nation. is increasing so rapidly, the next 10 years are critical to staunching the threat to our The difficult task of conscience for the faith- planet. The United States, which was once a filled voter is to assess how these three leader in this effort, has now become the issues should enter into the concrete leader in resisting efforts to combat climate decision to elect public officials in 2020. change and in denying its existence. And the Each of these issues finds compelling roots survival of the planet, which is the in Catholic social teaching. Abortion prerequisite for all human life, is at risk. For constitutes the massive direct taking of this reason, many Catholics are concluding human life and is rampant in our society. that in fidelity to future generations they Decisions on climate change in the next four cannot support a candidate for national years will either irrevocably amplify or office who does not vigorously fight climate arrest our world's trajectory toward climate change. annihilation and the possible ending of all human life on this planet. A failure to A third central issue of Catholic social address our historic national legacies of teaching in the current political moment lies racism and ethnic prejudice will further in the culture of exclusion that has grown so destroy the unity that is necessary for our dramatically in our nation during the last social, cultural and political systems to three years. Racial injustice is on the rise, function effectively and justly. buttressed by a new language and symbolism that seeks to advance the evil of How should a Catholic voter evaluate the white nationalism and create structures of claims put forth by many Catholic leaders racial prejudice for a new generation. The that Church teaching demands that systemic victimization of African Americans abortion, or climate change or rejecting and Hispanics by our criminal justice system racism is singularly determinative for has been crystalized in the killings of faithful voting in the election of 2020? George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. It is important for members of the Catholic Immigrants and refugees, who have been at community to recognize that any such claim the core of America's history as a source of is as much a political assertion as a doctrinal vitality and richness, are portrayed as a one. For this type of claim inevitably rests cause for fear and suspicion in our society upon a specific assessment of the entire rather than of solidarity. Members of the range of realistic political opportunities to

15 advance the common good in its totality at this moment in our history. And it is precisely in the contingent nature of such an assessment that the conclusions of bishops and the conclusions of faith-filled and well- informed laity are on equal footing in informing personal electoral choice. Pope Francis has called us to frame the defense of human life and dignity in expansive terms and on many issues:

Our defense of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a Residents of the Oakmont Gardens retirement human life, which is always sacred and community in Santa Rosa, California, use demands love for each person, regardless of wheeled walkers to carry some belongings as his or her stage of development. Equally, they are evacuated by bus during the fast- sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, moving Shady Fire Sept. 28. those already born, the destitute, the (CNS/Reuters/Stephen Lam) abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to Leadership, competence and character covert euthanasia, the victims of human In America today, a faith-filled voter is trafficking, new forms of slavery and every called to integrate into his voting decisions form of rejection. the major salient elements of Catholic teaching that touch upon the political issues It falls to faith-filled Catholics in their own of our day, understanding that these conscience to bring Catholic social teaching teachings vary in priority and claim, but are in its entirety to bear on their voting choices, united in their orientation to the common to ask deeply and without partisanship or good. self-interest what opportunities to advance the common good are available in 2020, and But voting for candidates ultimately which candidate will best advance the involves choosing a candidate for public common good through her actions. There is office, not a stance, nor a specific teaching no single issue which in Catholic teaching of the Church. And for this reason, faithful constitutes a magic bullet that determines a voting involves careful consideration of the unitary option for faith-filled voting in 2020. specific ability of a particular candidate to actually advance the common good. In making this assessment, leadership, competence and character all come into play.

Particularly in the election of a president, leadership is a critical criterion for voting. Good leadership comes in many forms. It can be vigorous and rousing, moving forward in a clear direction. It can be inspiring and motivational. It can be healing

16 and unifying. What form of leadership does making for faithful voters, I feel compelled the United States need at this moment of to address one very sad dimension of the crisis in our national history? election cycle we are witnessing — the public denial of candidates' identity as Competence is also a central metric for Catholics because of a specific policy faith-filled voters to consider. Faith-filled position they have taken. Such denials are voters must assess the intelligence, human injurious because they reduce Catholic relations skills, mastery of policy and social teaching to a single issue. But they are intuitive insights that each candidate brings offensive because they constitute an assault to bear, for voting discipleship seeks results, on the meaning of what it is to be Catholic. not merely aspirations. Today we are Being Catholic means having a grace-filled enmeshed in a series of quagmires which relationship with God. Being Catholic will require competent leadership and the means loving the Church. Being Catholic ability to discern competence in others. means participating in the sacramental life Finally, because our nation is in a moment of the Church. Being a Catholic means of political division and degradation in its trying to transform the world by the light of public life, character represents a the Gospel. To reduce that magnificent, particularly compelling criterion for faithful multi-dimensional gift of God's love to a voting in 2020. Today, leaders in single question of public policy is repugnant government embrace corrosive tactics and and should have no place in public language, fostering division rather than discourse. unity. The notion of truth itself has lost its footing in our public debate. Collegiality has In the end, it is the candidate who is on the been discarded. Principles are merely ballot, not a specific issue. The faith-filled justifications for partisan actions, to be voter is asked to make the complex abandoned when those principles no longer judgment: Which candidate will be likely to favor a partisan advantage. There is a best advance the common good through his fundamental lack of political courage in the office in the particular political context he land. will face? What pressures will the candidate have to face in achieving his goals? How For all these reasons, the personal qualities does the makeup of the legislative body of the candidates we elect constitute a affect what she can accomplish? What particularly central element in effective avenues of pursuing the common good will faith-filled voting at the present moment, the political climate actually allow? Such and another reason why faith-filled voting questions embrace the planes of principle cannot be simply reduced to a series of and character, competence and leadership. competing social justice teachings. The And for the faithful voter, the very pandemic will be wrenching for every complexity of this moral judgment demands dimension of our national life for a long a recourse to the voice of God which lies time to come, and the personal qualities of deep within each of us — our conscience. our president and congressional leadership will greatly impact whether the coming years are a time of increased suffering and division, or one of healing and unity. In speaking about the personal qualities of candidates that are central to decision

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candidate's plans to initiate a destabilizing nuclear weapons program.

A second problem with the argument from intrinsic evil is that the framing of legislation is inescapably the realm of prudential judgment, not intrinsic evil. Thus, while a specific act of abortion is intrinsically evil, the formulation of

A woman in a mask carries a child in a mask on individual laws regarding abortion is not. It her back while toting a bag of groceries in Los is an imperative of conscience for Catholic Angeles May 9. (CNS/Reuters/Patrick T. Fallon) disciples to seek legal protections for the unborn. But whether these protections take Conscience and prudence the form of sanctioning the doctor or the For the disciple of Jesus Christ, voting is a pregnant mother, whether those sanctions sacred action. In the words of The should be civil or criminal penalties, and the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the volatile issues pertaining to outlawing Church, it touches "the crossroads where abortions arising from rape, incest and Christian life and conscience come into danger to the mother are all questions of contact with the real world." For this reason, deep disagreement among advocates it cannot be reduced to a logical set of wholeheartedly devoted to the protection of propositions that yield a pre-determined unborn children. Like the issues of fighting result in the selection of candidates. poverty and addressing climate change, the issue of abortion in law and public policy is Some theologians have sought to find such a a realm where prudential judgment is logic of deduction in the concept of intrinsic essential and determinative. Thus the evil. holds that some assertion so frequently heard in many actions, such as abortion or artificial Catholic political conversations that the contraception, are intrinsically evil; that is, public policy dimensions of poverty and they are always and everywhere wrong. climate change are questions of prudential Because of this, some Catholic leaders have judgment, while the public policy asserted that candidates who seek laws dimensions of abortion and marriage are not, opposing intrinsically evil actions is simply false. automatically have a primary claim to political support in the Catholic conscience. Given these realities, how does the faith- One problem with this approach is that filled voter choose candidates in a way that while the criterion of intrinsic evil identifies integrates the tenets of Catholic social specific human acts that can never be teaching, recognizes the role that leadership, justified, this criterion is not a measure of character and competence play in the real the relative gravity of the evil in particular world of governing, and preserves a stance human or political actions. Telling a lie is of building unity within society? intrinsically evil, while escalating a nuclear arms race is not. But it is absurd to propose By understanding the depth, beauty and that telling a lie to constituents should count wisdom of the virtue of prudence. In the more in the calculus of faithful voting than a words of The Catechism of the Catholic Church, "prudence is the virtue that disposes

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practical reason to discern our true good in Rebuilding our political culture: The call every circumstance and to choose the right of Fratelli Tutti means of achieving it. … It is prudence that In most presidential election years, the immediately guides the judgment of primary responsibility of faithful citizens is conscience." In Catholic social teaching, to exercise their right to vote, having prudence is called "the charioteer of the discerned in their conscience the choices virtues;" it brings into balance all of the presented to them in the light of the Gospel virtues of the Christian moral life to provide and the teaching of the Church. But this a singularly incisive moral perspective for year, there will be an additional and the disciple confronting ethically complex similarly paramount responsibility of problems. It is at the heart of the workings faithful citizens which will occur after the of conscience. election, in the imperative to transform and rebuild our broken political culture. It is This is certainly true in voting for candidates impossible to imagine that the United States for public office. The constellation of will emerge from this election not deeply substantial moral elements that are relevant scarred by the divisions of 2020. It is vital to deciding which candidate is most likely to that we not simply lurch forward along the advance the common good during her time series of partisan, cultural and racial gulfs in office can only be morally comprehended that surround us, attuned to media outlets through the virtue of prudence. There cannot that reinforce our prejudices, and be faith-filled Catholic voting without the submerging the Gospel of Jesus Christ to virtue of prudence, exercised within the our self-interests and partisan delusions. sanctity of well-formed conscience. Earlier this month, on the feast of It is morally legitimate for a Catholic, St. Francis, the pope issued an encyclical on having integrated into her decision the social friendship, which can be the teaching of the Church in its integrity and counterpoint to our current national made her decision prayerfully out of a desire trajectory that could rescue our society from to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to its divisions along party and cultural lines. conclude in conscience that she should vote Pope Francis seizes upon the pandemic that to reelect President Trump. It is also morally consumes us and finds in the very isolation legitimate for a Catholic, having integrated and suffering of these days a societal call to into his decision the teaching of the Church renewal and transformation: in its integrity and made his decision prayerfully out of a desire to advance the Amid this storm, the façade of those Gospel of Jesus Christ, to conclude in stereotypes with which we camouflaged our conscience that he should vote to elect Vice egos, always worrying about appearances, President Biden. This is a decision which has fallen away, revealing once more the falls rightfully and fully to the individual ineluctable and blessed awareness that we and informed conscience of believers, and if are part of one another, that we are brothers exercised in this manner will be a moment and sisters of one another. of grace for the voter and for our nation. It is this blessed awareness which we as disciples of Jesus Christ must seek to recapture in our own life and bring into the

19 public square, replacing the divisiveness that party, identifying with the suffering of the reigns at this present moment. unborn child or the child separated at the border, with the suffering of those In his vision of social friendship Pope victimized by systemic racism or those Francis proposes that we must bring a series victimized by street violence, with those of specific virtues into the heart of our suffering from Covid or small business culture. Three of these virtues constitute a owners who need reopening. pathway for the healing our nation's broken political culture. We as people of faith must demonstrate how our nation can be rebuilt by citizens who identify with the vulnerability of others precisely by refusing to channel our compassion and compassionate action along the lines of party and class. We must follow the example of the Good Samaritan who had no connection of faith or blood to the beaten man by the side of the road, who risked his own life by ministering to him when the robbers might still be near, who saw only human suffering, and that was enough.

Twelve years ago the United States Catholic Charities staff and volunteers in the Conference of Catholic Bishops undertook a Archdiocese of Washington distribute 500 study to identify how the gulf between "pro- grocery boxes and 500 family meals in the life Catholics" and "justice-and-peace parking lot of the Basilica of the National Catholics" could be bridged. The study, of the July 10, during the coronavirus pandemic. (CNS/Tyler Orsburn) which reached deeply and broadly into the Catholic community, concluded that this The virtue of compassion bridge lay in the compassion for the The Parable of the Good Samaritan vulnerable that united these two elements of emphasizes the Samaritan's profound Catholic teaching. We must bring this bridge willingness to notice the suffering of the piercingly into the political culture of our man beaten by the robbers, to enter into that nation, refusing to tolerate or reinforce on suffering and to sacrifice greatly on his any level the walls that seek to channel our behalf. "The parable eloquently presents," compassion into competing political the pope says, "the basic decision we need to categories. For us as Americans, just as for make in order to rebuild our wounded world. the Good Samaritan, seeing human suffering in any form should be enough. … The parable shows us how a community can be rebuilt by men and women who identify with the vulnerability of others."

Our current political culture prevents us as a people from building such a community. It calls us to build walls around our compassion that correspond to our class and

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fundamentally graced by God and all of the sacrifices of prior generations.

Patriotism for an American does not arise from ties of blood. At its best, American patriotism is aspirational, not celebrational. It calls upon every generation to labor in solidarity to achieve, improve upon and broaden the principles set forth at the founding of our nation. It is a goal, not a possession. Bishop Jeffrey Monforton of Steubenville, Ohio, carries a monstrance during a "Unite Our In the closing remarks of his address to Nation" event to pray for healing and peace in Congress in 2015, Pope Francis said a nation the U.S. at Franciscan University of Steubenville is great when it defends liberty as Oct. 3. He was joined in the procession by over Lincoln did, when it seeks equality as 175 students and staff, local residents and other King did, and when it strives religious leaders. (CNS/Courtesy of Franciscan for justice for the oppressed as University of Steubenville) did. This is the notion of greatness our The virtue of solidarity nation should be pursuing. This is the vision If a comprehensive sense of compassion is of solidarity that we must bring to a political the first foundation for the transformation of culture that has lost its way. our political culture, solidarity is its complement. In the words of The virtue of dialogue the Compendium of the Social Teaching of "Approaching, speaking, listening, looking the Church, "The principle of solidarity at, coming to know and understand one requires that men and women of our day another and to find common ground: All cultivate a greater awareness that they are these things are summed up in the one word debtors of the society of which they have 'dialogue.' If we want to encounter and help become a part." What does it mean for us as one another, we have to dialogue." The Americans to become more deeply aware starkness and the obvious truth of these that we are debtors to the society of which words from Fratelli Tutti remind us how we are a part? impoverished and destructive our national political conversation has become. Instead It means a continual willingness to place the of dialogue, we have parallel monologues, common good before our own "self- seeking not understanding and encounter, interest." It means recognizing the bonds but merely to defend our opinions, reinforce which tie us to every man and woman and our prejudices and convince ourselves that child in our own society and to the world as we have been right all along. a whole. It means that exclusion and marginalization must be banished. It means The redemption of our political culture empowering every sector of society and cannot begin until a genuine toleration of culture. It means that aside from every and thirst for dialogue enters back into the contribution we have made to the well-being public square. The depth of our current of our nation, we have first been national crisis will not be addressed on a substantive level unless we as a society

21 engage more deeply, honestly and openly intentions. “Why are you testing me, you with those with whom we disagree on hypocrites!” He was furious at their two- important questions of culture, economics, faced question. Does the Pharisees trick partisanship and religious belief. sound familiar?

The pope has it right. "Authentic social We have just been through political debate dialogue involves the ability to respect the cycles that are filled with chaos and other's point of view and to admit that it may confusion. They have lacked civility. It is include legitimate convictions and hard to see how any unity can come from concerns." The Catholic witness in the bouts of accusations and continued criticism. public square during the coming months They become judgments about personalities must nurture such dialogue by adopting a rather than issues. Like the debates, so many new tone of encounter in our statements, our of us cannot hold decent conversations with priorities and our disagreements, especially family and friends without resorting to in our disagreements. It is vital that we be badgering people. Listening has become a less magisterial and more dialogical even on lost art and civility is crushed by those issues on which our convictions are opinionated shouts. most profound. The question arises, what do we owe Caesar We are called to be missionary disciples in a and what do we owe God? It is easy to political culture that has lost its way in a answer the second part of the question. We moment of profound societal crisis. That owe God our lives. We owe Him the discipleship lies in voting to advance the attempt to live in truth, justice and love. common good and the life and dignity of the We owe it to Him to bring compassion and human person. Even more important, it lies reconciliation to the discussions. We owe it in recasting our politics with a vision of to Him to follow Jesus' example. But what compassion, solidarity and dialogue. Our do we owe the state? responsibility is clear. In the words of Martin Luther King, "there comes a time People get all wrapped up in the flag and the when one must take a position that is neither pledge of allegiance. They sing the star- safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take spangled banner and other patriotic songs. it because his conscience tells him it is They study history and civics. If they are right." This is such a time. We must vote in honest, they see the gifts and warts of the faith and rebuild in hope to serve the nation democracy. In a democracy, enshrining that we love and the Gospel by which we are religious beliefs in law is unconstitutional redeemed. because it does not follow the premise that everyone is free to worship as one chooses. [Robert McElroy is the sixth bishop of San We must respect that right. The place that Diego, Califorina, installed in 2015.] “Caesar” meets God is in the heart of every citizen who tries to genuinely find the way Justice Corner by Carolyn Krantz, forward and respect each other in verbal Pastoral Associate disputes. In the Gospel, “We the people” Today's Gospel is very appropriate for our becomes more important than the “I” of time. The Pharisees wanted to trick Jesus. individualism. St. Paul in today's Epistle They begin with flattery. Jesus sees right lists the qualities of a Christian: full of through them and knew the deceit of their grace, peace, thanksgiving, joy and hope.

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This is our Christian heritage. “We the Parish Perspective by Peter Degl’Innocenti, people” challenges us to come down on the Pastoral Associate – “The Best of” side of the “we” rather than “I.” I have to The True You research the issues and respect other Perhaps Shakespeare said it best when he said, opinions. I have to see the “other” as part of “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits the community and try to reconcile and their entrances. And one man, in his time differences. plays many parts.” Though the bard wrote of a single man aging from infancy to death we do No one knew this better than St. Paul whose play many parts among the different groups, ministry was fraught with people in the new families, clubs, and societies we belong to. community of Christians who saw things Many of us would call it, “Wearing many differently. Yet he continually exhorted his ‘Hats.’” Christian communities to come together and find ways of remaining “we.” Once we are with one group we act and put-on a persona appropriate to the function we have Each of our lives is filled with “roads taken within that group. We do this for order, unity, and to progress with the group’s goals and and not taken.” Each of us carves within us desires. I’m not saying we all have Multiple a whole history of things done well and Personality Disorder; I’m just saying we behave things done not so well. We cannot know differently when we are with different groups of another's rationale without listening with people. The way we behave and speak when compassion. We cannot know why one touring a monastery is certainly going to be holds a particular view without going further different than when we’re watching the Super into one's background and upbringing. It is Bowl after a blown call by the officials. still important to “ask rather than tell” when it comes to discussing issues, to be a change So, the question we must ask ourselves is, agent rather than a disruptor. Let us bear “When are we our truest self?” To answer this insult and personal criticism without takes the two great gifts God has given us, our minds and our hearts. When do you feel most at responding in kind. In the spirit of rest, most at peace with yourself? Chances are reconciliation, let us move forward through that when you are most calm with other people this election holding on to the “WE.” of a certain nature, you are most like them. When you are least inhibited from speaking your In the history of elections in this country, we own mind among people, when you can share find continual disagreement, none more than some of your deepest feelings with them; those that which centers around racial strife. Jesus are the kinds of people who reflect the person lifted up the Samaritan and the tax collector, you are most likely to be. The next logical step outcasts among the . We know from is to consider your relationship to God and the teachings of Jesus that the “other” needs Jesus. How do you speak to God? What have to be respected and included. His teaching you shared with him? Do you feel comfortable in the presence of the one all-mighty God? Do in the Beatitudes tells us that the poor, the you strive each day to be more like Christ? homeless, the widow and orphan are part of His kingdom. Living this ideal from our In truth, we are the children of God. Our identity hearts is the way through this difficult time. should be deep into who God is, even if we Jesus writes His Gospel on the pages of our don’t understand him. When we attend Liturgy struggles. or any of the other sacraments of the Church; that is when we should feel most at home. Do we appreciate how we feel while at Liturgy and in the Lord’s presence? Is it truly where you

23 want to be? Have you ever, or often, been at office, the rectory or at the weekend liturgy. Liturgy and wished it would never end? If you These will be collected and handed out as didn’t have to eat, grow tired, or be obligated to part of the distribution process. do other things; would you stay and worship forever? Those are a lot of heavy questions. May We look forward to returning to our our true selves be faithful, enduring, and loving traditional outreach efforts next year, filling of God and all others. our sanctuary with baby clothes, diapers and

supplies for the Mary Project, backpacks As Shakespeare wrote at another time, “This above all: To thine own self, be true.” and school supplies for St. Peter and Thanksgiving baskets for the SVdP outreach.

If you or someone you know would like to receive a and food gift card as part of this outreach, reservations are

required. Call 757-7450 (English) or 757- 0941 (Español) on Monday, November 2 or Tuesday, November 3 from 9:00am – noon Thanksgiving Outreach 2020 and 1:00pm to 4:00pm on both days. Thanks to your generosity, this summer’s Reservations will be taken only at these Mary Project and St. Peter Martyr Backpack numbers and there is a limit of 150 Project proved to be very successful virtual reservations. If the lines are busy, keep events. Now the ongoing pandemic is also trying. You must speak to a representative in changing our role with the St. Vincent de order to make a reservation. Antioch Paul (SVdP) Thanksgiving distribution – it’s residency is required. going virtual too!

The distribution will be a drive through only event in our parking lot and participants will receive a turkey and a food gift card – no baskets. We are asking our parishioners to make cash/check donations in lieu of creating a basket. Please write Thanksgiving Outreach in the memo line on the check. All money collected will be forwarded to the SVdP Conference at Holy Rosary. PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE INDIVIDUAL GIFT CARDS. SVdP will purchase the gift cards and please do not purchase individual turkeys. The parish does not have any capacity to store frozen turkeys. Monetary donations will be accepted through Sunday, November 22.

If you would like to provide a Thanksgiving card with an expression of love and support, feel free to drop them off at the parish

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Catholic Vote 2020 St Anne Church Byron, CA. Issue 6 This series is for Catholic-Christians to reflect on the teachings of Jesus and his Church as we prepare to vote. The critical issues that we face at this time call for wise discernment

Environmental Catastrophe “Praise be to you, This summer the hottest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County was my Lord, through 121 degrees Fahrenheit. The rise in the global temperature has created conditions our Sister, for massive fires from Washington State to the bottom of California. The West Mother Earth, Coast of the United States is shrouded in smoke. This follows the disastrous fires who sustains and that recently swept through Australia and other extreme weather phenomena. governs us, and who produces various The pollution of the air from fossil fuels is already the cause of premature death on fruit with colored the planet. The trajectories of these human caused atmospheric pollutants, if not flowers and herbs.” checked, will raise the temperature of the earth in the coming years and decades. This will lead to deadly heat, rise in sea levels, and exposure to perilous viruses. In

addition there will be increasingly severe famines, droughts and the dislocation of St millions of peoples. This will lead to untold deaths, suffering and violent conflict. The Canticle of the

Creatures There is clear international scientific consensus that climate change caused by the use of fossil fuels and other human activities poses a threat to the very existence of human and other life on the planet.

Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego writes, “On so many levels, our current pollution of the earth is stealing the future from coming generations…the next ten years are critical to staunching the threat to our planet. The United States, which was once a leader in this effort, has in the current Administration become the leader in resisting efforts to combat climate change and

in denying its existence. As a consequence, the survival of the planet, which is the prerequisite for all human life, is at risk.”

We Have Wounded Our Mother In his pastoral letter on the environment, Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home Pope Francis names the reason for our mistreatment of the planet which is the first of God’s love. “This sister [Mother Earth] cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life…We have forgotten that we ourselves are the ‘dust of the earth’” (Genesis 2:7)

We must leave behind the attitude that the planet is for our exploitation, rather let us see it as a sacrament of God’s love and the first book of Scripture. “The Lord’s

are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it.” Psalm 24:1 Hope Prayer of Gratitude for “The current global situation engenders a feeling of instability and uncertainty, which in Creation turn becomes ‘a seedbed for collective selfishness.’ When people become self-centered and self-enclosed, their greed increases. The emptier a person’s heart is, the more he or she God of the universe, needs things to buy, own and consume…Obsession with a consumerist lifestyle…can We thank you for your many only lead to violence and mutual destruction.”—Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ good gifts: For the beauty of Creation Francis also offers hope, “Yet all is not lost. Human beings are capable of the and its rich and varied fruits, worst but are also capable of rising above themselves and choosing again what is good, For clean water and fresh air, making a new start…” This beginning is not only for us but for all forms of for food and shelter, animals life on the planet. We begin by overcoming the social conditioning of the and plants. economic order: consumerism, individualism, isolationism and endless competition. We can leave these behind finding new paths to true Forgive us for the times we freedom. have taken the Earth’s resources for granted, and A Charter for the Earth wasted what you have given us. Pope Francis asks us all to leave behind the current period of destruction which we have loosed on the earth. He urges us to develop a universal Transform our hearts and awareness needed to make a fresh beginning and urges us to embrace the minds so that we would learn challenge of the Earth Charter (29 June 2000, The Hague) to care and share, to touch “As never before in history, common destiny beckons us to seek a new the Earth with gentleness beginning…Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new and with love, respecting all reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening for living things. justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.” We pray for all those who suffer as a result of our Care for God’s Creation is a Sacred Duty waste, greed, and For the Catholic Christian we care for human life, biodiversity, and the indifference. And we pray earth, air, and water of the planet because they are holy. They bare the that the day will come when fingerprints of the Creator. everyone has enough food and clean water. We have misread Genesis which said that God gave humans ‘dominion Help us to respect the rights over the earth.’ ‘Dominion’ means ‘our careful stewardship and management,’ NOT ‘domination.’ Consumerism interprets our of all people and all species relationship to creation as one of exploitation—extracting as much as we and help us to willingly share can for our own use regardless of the consequences. your gifts today and always. Amen. We need to recognize the environmental challenge to life. Let us leave Fiona Murdoch, behind the denial of climate change. We need to convert our hearts from Eco-Congregation Ireland that of consumer to that of nurturer. Let us vote for leaders who will lead us to heal the planet.

NEXT: Exclusionism/racism