Bishop DiMarzio: ‘Faithful Citizenship’ misinterpreted
November 11, 2008
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn-- who oversaw the drafting of the US bishops’ 2007 statement on Catholics' political responsibilities, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,-- said yesterday that the document had been misinterpreted and misused. The statement, which initially won praise for emphasizing the centrality of the defense of human life and distinguishing instrinsic evils from more prudential political issues, was used as the basis for the Dallas and Fort Worth bishops’ October statement that ‘to vote for a candidate who supports the intrinsic evil of abortion or ‘abortion rights’ when there is a morally acceptable alternative would be to cooperate in the evil-- and, therefore, morally impermissible.’ In recent weeks, however, the document has come under criticism from Bishop Joseph Martino of Scranton, and from Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, who says, ‘It didn’t and doesn’t work.’ Bishop DiMarzio also dismissed the notion that Catholics should simply seek to reduce abortion rather than work to make it to illegal. ‘Would it be OK if we just tried to reduce slavery?’ he asked.
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Further information:
- Catholic bishops re-examining message after vote (AP)
- USCCB: We'll both help Obama and challenge him, George says (John Allen, NCRcafe.org)
- Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (USCCB)
- American bishops comment on Sen. Obama’s victory (CWN, Nov. 6)
- Bishop Kevin Farrell and Bishop Kevin Vann: Voting as ‘Faithful Citizens’ (Diocese of Dallas)
- Dr. Jeff Mirus: Our man Martino (Catholic Culture, Oct. 24)
- Phil Lawler: When Bishops Disagree: Contradictory Statements on the US Presidential Race (Catholic Culture, Oct. 29)
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