Milwaukee Catholic Herald

When, how Catholic voice
is heard in public square

Fr. Massingale raises questions ‘we’ need to address

By Brian T. Olszewski
Catholic Herald Staff

MILWAUKEE — While the more than 70 Catholics finished their breakfast at the Wisconsin Club May 17, Fr. Bryan Massingale gave them a lot more to digest – questions about the place they and their church have in the public square.

Fr. Massingale, an associate professor of theology at Marquette University and a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, was speaking to the business professionals who attend the monthly meeting of the Peter Favre Forum.

Referring to the 2004 presidential election, Fr. Massingale said that when it came to engaging the public square, neither “politicians nor bishops seemed to acquit themselves well in that discussion.”

“What are some of questions we, as Catholics, need to be asking together?” he said, adding “The operative word is ‘we.’ Everyone in this room needs to have a stake in this discussion; everyone needs to have a voice in this discussion.”

Referencing his material to the “Compendium of Catholic Social Teaching,” published by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in 2004, Fr. Massingale said, “We, as Catholics, do not believe that government is a necessary evil.”

While noting that Catholics believe political authority is necessary for a well-regulated society, the priest added, “The adage that ‘the government that governs least, governs best’ is not a Catholic position.”

While noting that Catholic social teaching sees political parties as instruments by which Catholics can participate in the political process, Fr. Massingale cautioned his audience, “Allegiance to one’s political party is not absolute, but always a critical loyalty. An uncomfortable loyalty. Whether we are Democrats or Republicans, we should be uncomfortable.”

Noting that a “Christian’s loyalty (to a political party) is never ideological, but always critical,” Fr. Massingale said, “Public servants who are inspired by their faith and Catholics who are inspired by their faith must constantly strive to make their parties and their party platforms serve the human dignity of all.”

The priest said there is “the proverbial elephant in the room” that has caused tensions in the Catholic community as to how the principles of Catholic social teaching can be applied to life in the public square.

He noted that the U.S. bishops had talked about abortion long before the 2004 presidential election, as the topic has been addressed in each of their political responsibility statements that they began writing for presidential elections since 1976.

What changed matters, according to Fr. Massingale, were three events near and during the last presidential election – a 2002 statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith instructing Catholic politicians to vote against legislation that attacks human life; a 2003 CDF statement that said Catholic lawmakers had a duty to vote against homosexual unions; and the decision by a minority of bishops to deny communion to Catholic politicians who supported abortion legislation.

He emphasized that only “some” bishops took this action were “bold, determined, and vocal,” while other bishops, whom he described as “conflicted,” while concerned about the church’s position on abortion and felt it deserved more serious attention, were more moderate in their statements and their approach. The moderates did not get the media attention that the vocal bishops did.

There was frustration on the part of the bishops and the Catholic politicians, he said.

“From the standpoint of the bishops, the frustration seems to be, one, they don’t understand what they see as the inconsistency of a politician’s professed personal stand of opposition to abortion and the lack of public advocacy against the practice. How can you be personally opposed and publicly supportive?” he said. “Secondly, why is it when we seek to bring our voice to the public square we’re accused of bringing up some kind of private, confessional opposition or imposition?”

According to Fr. Massingale, Catholic politicians had frustrations of their own. They wanted to know why they should be asked to take a stance (on abortion) that many Catholics do not endorse or support. And why issues such as abortion, are subject to ecclesial sanction, yet opposition to the church’s position on other social, ethical concerns such as the Iraq war, death penalty or living wage are not.

Fr. Massingale asked, “Are the bishops de facto saying they would support any candidate who opposes abortion and gay marriage no matter what his/her stances are that impact the common good?”

Saying it was time for the Catholic community to “move forward” with the discussion, Fr. Massingale advised Catholics to take an action that would be “harder” and “require patience.”

“What’s at stake is not the clarity of our position, but what’s at stake is stating that position and teaching that position. Just because we state something in our pluralistic society doesn’t mean that its rationale is immediately self evident and obvious,” he said. “We have to be willing to enter into the fray, and not assume people are going to listen to us because we say our position is grounded in common standards of human morality. We have to make the case.”

As he concluded, Fr. Massingale left the audience with a series of questions on which to reflect:

Is it true that the only principal duty of a Catholic public servant is to represent the majority view of his/her Catholic constituents?

Does a Catholic politician ever have a responsibility for not simply reflecting the public consensus but for shaping it? Does there ever come a time when we take a stand on principle, even if it’s not the majority view?

How do you understand relationship between your faith and concern for public square?

Is faith simply a private affair that makes us better parents, better spouses and nothing else?

If faith is something that permeates your entire being, really inundates your life, how does it influence ways which we craft legislation and public policy and decide which laws and public proposals to support or vote against?

If being a disciple is bearing witness to your faith in Jesus Christ, we show a preferential concern for the weakest and most despicable of society, then how do we bring that position to the public square?

“These are difficult questions. There are no easy, self-evident answers,” he said, noting that if he had made his audience uncomfortable, “Then I have served you well.”