Comments for What Matters Now at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 31 out of 20 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Sun, 19 May 2013 20:07:54 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14893 My "takeaway" from the election is that the Constitutional Era of American history is coming to an end. No one can deny the contempt with which the president's world view is infused -- for the powerful restraints on state power once acknowledged in the Constitution. But the schools -- Catholic and public -- are obviously doing a shabby job of education overall when it comes to civic culture. One Catholic high school in the northern suburbs of Detroit had for many years a teacher who fed the young girls on a steady diet of Foner, Zinn et al and was celebrated for it in the pages of the Detroit News when he retired. I rarely meet a fellow babyboomer who recalls religious instruction in a Catholic school with anything but disdain. Or perplexity. But as with catechetical studies in the parishes, the enthusastically orthodox are discouraged from participating or warned for being too Catholic. I'm at the point where I'm ready to leave the parish where I entered the Church but which I could never formerly become member in any case. As at least one Catholic commentator has insisted -- we have to stop blaming Obama for everything. Which seems to be the ecclesiastical line in most archdioceses in America. Hypocrisy? Yes for some. As Seinfeld once asked, "Community? What community? For me what American identity? The institutional Church discourages it and has consequently participated not only in the division the country that now seems permanent, but in a more disturbing division with the Church herself. - Graham Combs Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:56:53 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14884 This article tells me nothing. I'm not registered in either party, but to equate D's and R's differing values is not the way to evaluate the situation. There's a good reason the Ten Commandments are arranged that way. From the Fourth Commandment on (those dealing with relationships to other people), they concern family, life, and sexuality first (the values that D's platform violates)because they are more important than the Sixth, Seventh, Eight and Ninth Commandments (which this article suggests that the R's violate.) Therefore D is not equal to R. The choice was clear. Catholics who are serious about their faith could not have voted D. So who Catholics were they? Surveys say they were mostly Hispanics. They didn't care that the D's supported abortion and homosexuality - they voted their own interest. No, not even immigration (according to Dr. Hanson, immigration is not the Hispanic's number one issue). It's entitlement. A newly-arrived Hispanic kid can easily go on Affirmative Action scholarship even if historically, Hispanics have no rights to it. Going on Affirmative Action should be a violation of the Seventh Commandment, but who cares? Once he becomes a voter, the kid is not going to vote R. He votes D. - Mara319 Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:35:58 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14879 Well written though it is articles like this continue to surprise me. As Catholics, fully aware that this decline is prophecies, why do so many stand around debating the rationale for everything that's happening. Wouldn't it in fact be far more useful, and fulfilling instead to fall to our knees, pray the rosary, deeply examine our consciences, truly begin to live a life in imitation of Christ and pray deeply for the individuals steering our world into its penultimate conclusion? - JP Tue, 11 Dec 2012 01:52:14 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14874 Russell Shaw writes in the "The Catholic World Report," November 29, 2012; "The Cardinal looked grim, "This is the situation now," he said. "One political party is dangerous and the other is stupid." The identity of the Cardinal is not known and Shaw won't reveal the name. These are the cards we've been dealt. The challenge before us is to win with them. - Frank Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:35:23 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14867 The media is a huge problem. Even if it were not for the bizarre bias (if the major media outlets were owned by the DNC, it would change what?), the level of intellect is beyond pathetic. Everything reduced to a sound bite. Reporting what so and do said, versus what the other so and so said--who gets to pick the quotes, and what happened to just reporting the facts? And rightly so, the article points out the 24/7 gaffe patrol (against Republicans at least), which means everything is scripted. Think about the breathless reporting that Pope Benedict approved condoms, or said that Jesus wasn't born in Bethlehem, etc. If you're a journalist you get to just make crap up, so long as it pushes the correct agenda. How is anyone supposed to win against that? Even a billion dollar ad campaign, through the media, just feeds the beast that missreported the news in the first place. The people who wanted to lead good lives and enjoy life did so, the secular minority took over the media and the schools to influence others. The 2012 election was the outcome. - Jacob Morgan Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:34:04 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14866 We are in a spiritual battle. we are battling satan. The weapons we need to rely upon are the Rosary and Eucharistic adoration. Pope Pius IX said give me an Army praying the rosary and I will conquer the world. when Mother Theresa was asked what will convert America and save the world she responded, What we need is for ever person to come before our Lord in holy hours of prayer. John Paul II asked that every parish have perpetual adoration. Had we done this when he asked we would have the upper hand on the battle of the culture of death. That is not to say we shouldn't be active in trying to change the world. However if we are not first praying the rosary and adoring the Lord in Eucharistic adoration on a daily bases our other efforts will not bear fruit or much fruit. Now people say yes yes we need to pray I am all for that at mention it once in a while. However they talk more about and put more effort into organizing activism. I think we need to put more of our efforts into organizing 24/7 adoration and Rosary groups than in all the activist events or strategies. This is what will give us success in our other battles. - Dave Hahn Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:46:01 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14863 I think it's a false dicotomy to declare that whereas Liberals love an overarching, all powerful state, conservatives are anarchists loving nothing but private enterprise and business. Not so. Not by a long shot. Virtually every conservative holds that government is necessary - at least to the point that we can have police and courts to enforce contracts and protect private property. This existed in the 1700s through the early 1900s. Most people did not owe taxes to the federal government or receive any direct monetary benefit from the far off federal government. Most people owed taxes and hence alligiance to their local, county and state governments and to juries of their peers. So I would suggest we don't get buffaloed into presuming we're faced with either tyranny or anarchy. - John Mon, 10 Dec 2012 09:58:12 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14862 The situation you describe is yet another reason of turning to God. I think basic evangelization is needed more then anything else. We need Christ. The road to making our society a Civilization of Love is conversion. You can set everything right in legislation and if noone believes in even basic Natural Law, you still have a civilization in decline. - Ed Hamilton Mon, 10 Dec 2012 07:45:49 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14861 Bravo. Excellent artile laying out the problems. Where I despair for our country is in understanding what we as individuals can do about these problems, particularly with regard to the media and the materialsim of the culture. Yes, we can try to raise our children to understand the truths, but I suspect that this is too little too late for the country at large. - thomas tucker Mon, 10 Dec 2012 07:28:33 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14855 "Do we really want every institution in America to serve the autonomous hyper-individualism that is at the root of both current American liberalism and current American laissez-faire free-market capitalism? Or can we as Catholics help America find a new vision of society, based on the communal and relational dimensions of the human person?" What works on a more practical level- the idea that every one should is an invidividual and free to choose to work hard, raise a good family, help their fellow man, etc. or the notion that the state will take care of you from cadle to grave? The latter notion now prevails and our economy, healthcare system, and general welfare will suffer as a result.We now worship the state instead of God. - Morrie Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:58:10 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14853 It seems to me that one may be a good capitalist and see the value of market forces as a regulator of market process, and still be a loving Christian with an abiding interest in the welfare of others because welfare is understood to be about morality. The seven deadly sins apply. Greed lust and gluttony are at the fore. The mechanism of distribution is moral or immoral depending on how it is practiced. The seven virtues apply. Charity is at the fore. One cannot be a statist and a good Christian because the state can only define welfare in a political, material sense. We see the result all around the world. The data are in - the obvious conclusion is purposely overlooked because the standard of moral judgment is prohibited. - Other Joe Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:14:48 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14850 Do we believe that Catholics should have some set idea or some set standard of what charity is within our culture and then have government enforce this? Who might be the one(s) that could set the 'just right' standards? Charity is a beautiful virtue given as a grace to us by God, we know this as Catholics, to be so. this can be lived and practiced within our everyday freedoms, whether we make use of it in government, ecomony, or any part of our culture. The fairly modern term "social justice" is not within the writings of the Bible...it would be better to be called charity, it would be more forthright and honest. We would not have had the freedoms that we have had in our country if those men that founded our country had not been greatly influenced by our Lord, it was really He that brought those freedoms to us, wanting us to manage and use them with charity. Free markets when used with charity are part of true freedom and are necessary for a free country. - Carole T. Sun, 09 Dec 2012 18:40:29 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14849 "It seems we have lost the ability to carry on serious, adult conversations in public about issues crucial to the common good." As a way to change this I suggest that all Catholics register as independents instead of one of the major political parties. Then let both parties know what it would take to get their votes. Perhaps this would move both parties into caring about (or at least appearing to be interested) in the common good. - John K Sun, 09 Dec 2012 18:34:22 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14848 I just stumbled on this post today. It breaks my heart sometimes feeling handcuffed to vote (R)..I'm not as well read as some of you gentlemen but I still let my Catholic teaching be my guide for the most part. We all know what's wrong.. inconsistent people as far as I can see.Sometimes I think that the (D) party sold out (abortion). And the (R)'s hijacked the Christian electorate. Either way I can"t remember a time when its been this messed up. The only thing that's consistent is Catholic teaching. I'm still hoping for the day when some media high profile media personality steps up and says"Enough!" in regards to jabs catholics have to endure. Professor Smith and mr diaper-man both made excellent points - gregorynotsogreat Sun, 09 Dec 2012 17:00:57 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14847 Thanks Mr. Smith....Based on what you just wrote and your above article I do see an honest attempt on your part to wrestle with the totality of Church teachings. As for other prominent voices on the Catholic right, not so much. I'm not allowed to link to things on this site...indeed I'd be very surprised if you could produce even one example of Novak, Sirico or Weigel criticizing late 20th century capitalism or Republican policies which have furthered it (Arkes I'm not sure of) or uttering one word of support for efforts to try to mitigate it. Certainly that is not the overall tenor of their work and it shows. Yes the market has made the country as a whole much richer...but in doing so has also produced a number of undesirable side effects which should concern any Catholic (access to affordable health care, housing, wage stagnation, unemployment, income inequality, lack of job security, too much indebtedness etc.). These authors are mainly focused on defending GOP policies on these things which is to say they are not concerned with them, because clearly the GOP isn't concerned with them. Let's be honest. When Paul Ryan disingenuously invokes Church teachings to support his program of dramatic spending cuts in aid to the poor and the elderly married with yet another round of tax cuts targeted to high income Americans, these authors utter not a peep of protest and actually seek to try to defend Ryan. Similarly with George Bush the Iraq war,, and just war doctrine. There's evidently really nothing the GOP can do to lose the support of these guys as long as they continue to nominate candidates who pay lip service to us on abortion. Bottom line. Mr. Smith, we're being taken advantage of--as I see it. We imagine that we pro-life Catholics control the GOP on abortion. The reality is that they control us on just about every other issue and have for quite some time. And this fact has actually hurt our ability to speak credibly on abortion (but that's another topic) I just wish that you'd speak a little more candidly about the problem, and show a little more empathy for voters like me who can still barely bring ourselves to pull the GOP lever but feel they are rapidly approaching the day when they can't Thanks for your reply. - diaperman Sun, 09 Dec 2012 16:57:59 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14846 If I may, I too would like to respond to "diaperman" and to Professor Smith, first by thanking the professor for his excellent essay and his excellent response to "diaperman"'s comment, which showed, I think, a lack of attention not only to Professor Smith's bibliography here but also to the many other authors who are making the same general point throughout the pages of this blog: for society to function well, the Church must exercise her rights and duties, and this exercise includes not only the exercise of her teaching office and her right to worship and to regulate her own affairs (in matters such as, say, the health care benefit provisions her various local churches and their various organizations make to employees), but also the right to announce the Gospel, and to live it, in the public square. So the gravity of the abortion matter, which Professor Smith so eloquently sets forth, is amplified by regulations adopted by the Administration that would not only advance the availability of abortion, and also of contraceptive methods disallowed in natural law, and by the advancement of their availability, their practice as well, but to force those who oppose such activities and behaviors on the basis of conscience and deeply considered religious beliefs to act against those beliefs, face onerous fines, or be driven out of the public square. One party said it is right so to coerce the Catholic Church, other religious institutions, and business owners (whether of the for- or non-profit kinds); one party said it is not. The same party that said coercion is right also says that marriage is a social construct capable of being redefined to include couples (or more, in time?) of the same sex; and one said it is not. In this case, whatever deficiencies in economic, political, or even social policy that one may adduce against the GOP were more than amply outweighed by its willingness not to advance the redefinition of marriage (though there be many in the GOP who would), nor to advance the practices that the HHS mandate enshrines (though, again, there be many in the GOP who have no objection to them), and by its willingness to undo the Sibelius regulations. In the face of fundamental assaults against the liberty of the Church and against the liberty of any organization or business entity to insure or not as their consciences may demand, it is clear why so many at this blog -- writing for it and commenting upon it -- wanted the GOP to win, its many flaws notwithstanding. Professor Smith's article strikes me as a very prudent call for all Catholics to be Catholics first and to answer our society's hyper-individualism by enunciating a more compelling vision of people and society that is based not only or solely in Church teaching (which is binding, principally and generally, on her faithful alone) but also in the perduring principles of a realist philosophy that shows why everything is not simply a matter of definition nor is the goal of life merely to find that set of circumstances, conditions, and practices that satisfy oneself. It strikes me as a clarion call to put first things first and to realize that by doing so, everything changes. I thank him again for what he wrote. - Dave Sun, 09 Dec 2012 16:29:37 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14845 FYI: 33 years ago today the most Venerable Fulton J Sheen was found passed away in his Chapel, the Novena Dedicated to him ended today. I ask that we all send a prayer up for his cause for Sainthood. Thanks, Jack - Jack,CT Sun, 09 Dec 2012 15:52:16 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14844 Mr Smith, With all due respect I see this piece as a "Rant" There is a reason for the seperation of Church and State, all you seemed to achieve was to depress a group of people. Jack - Jack,CT Sun, 09 Dec 2012 15:36:50 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14843 @Randall Smith I appreciated your remarks. And I have read Mary Ann Glendon's insightful work on rights. But Professor Glendon didn't explore an aspect of what's going on with rights-talk in Western democracies and the U.N. that I think is important. On the conservative side of the aisle, it mostly is as you outlined. But on the left side of the political divide, the drift has been to use rights-talk as a stalking horse for expansion of socialist agendas. These agendas find their roots not in a Hobbesian hyper-individualism, but in a Marxist collectivism. The general schema is to promise "rights" to a group (in traditional communism it was to "the workers"), then use the dependency created by the governmental grant of those rights to control and manipulate the group. A classic example is the Chinese Communist Party. Although ostensibly founded to free the workers in China, what has evolved is a state capitalism overseen by the wealthiest elite in the history of the world. The Democrat Party has become adept at promising its constituencies "rights" of various sorts, then manipulating them to support it even against their best interests. This is the spirit of the beehive, not hyper-individualism. - Ib Sun, 09 Dec 2012 15:25:19 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/what-matters-now.html#comment-14841 People need to wake up to the fact that in western Judeo-Christian tradition which produced the Founders' idea of rights endowed by the Creator, the religious sector (in our case, Catholicism) plays the important part of providing moral guidance independent of the commercial and government sectors. When we abandon the religious sector, we allow the commercial and government sectors to shape morals and ethics to their convenience. Thus many citizens end up in debt, in trouble, dependent on an in-debt government, and enslaved to politicians: Looks like where we are today. - Kevin H. Winn Sun, 09 Dec 2012 14:14:17 +0100