On polarization within the church he said: "We are called to teach the truth, to correct errors and to call one another to greater faithfulness. However, there should be no place in the body of Christ for the brutality of partisan politics, the impugning of motives, or turning differences in pastoral judgment into fundamental disagreements on principle.
"Civility and mutual respect which we must witness are not signs of weakness or lack of commitment, but solid virtues which reflect confidence and faith.
"We don’t fit the partisan categories," he continued. "We are not chaplains of factions, but rather builders of genuine unity reflecting the truth of our faith and the diversity of our community. People can divide up the work, but they shouldn’t divide the church."
The task force was heavily criticized in some U.S. Catholic quarters for its insistence that there can be no hard-and-fast national rule forbidding Catholic politicians from receiving Communion if they adopt public policy stands that are in opposition to church teaching on fundamental moral issues such as abortion or euthanasia or same-sex marriage.
Instead, the task force said it is up to each bishop to seek to educate and persuade Catholic politicians on church teachings in such areas and to make case-by-case pastoral decisions whether certain members of their diocese should be told not to present themselves for Communion.
Cardinal McCarrick said his role on the task force was one of the most challenging he faced in nearly 30 years as a bishop.
"This is not about one election or one campaign," he said. "It is about how we as bishops faithfully fulfill our responsibilities as moral teachers, as caring pastors and as leaders of the Catholic community within a democratic and pluralistic nation."
He said as a result of the task force’s work, the USCCB recently "published, with the approval of the Holy See, the first comprehensive book of ‘Readings on Catholics and Political Life.’"
The book is being given to every Catholic member of Congress "and many bishops are using it as a basis for formation and dialogue at the local level. … Many episcopal conferences of other nations have asked for copies," he said.
Cardinal McCarrick said in preparing to address the issues involved, the task force consulted with other bishops about their policies and practices, with moral theologians and church law experts, with leaders of state Catholic conferences and retired Catholic politicians, with other episcopal conferences and with the Holy See, which was "both sympathetic and supportive of our efforts."
He said at the task force’s recommendation, the bishops’ doctrinal committee "is working on the specific matter of church teaching on the proper disposition to receive holy Communion, not only for politicians, but for all of us."
He said the task force has met with Catholic members of both parties in the House and Senate. "These meetings were candid and respectful exchanges on how Catholic faith and teaching should shape the actions of Catholics in public office," he said.
He added that the task force, which would end its work with a final meeting that night, would offer suggestions to the bishops on how to continue such dialogues with Catholic politicians at the state and local levels.
Noting that a number of Catholic members of Congress have requested more specifically Catholic gatherings on Capitol Hill, he said the task force has recommended "that the USCCB host periodic education/formation sessions on Catholic teaching." The first such session "is being held next Tuesday," June 20, and about 40 senators and representatives have said they plan to attend, he said.
Now, big props for that last tidbit – sort of shocking to think that this would be a new thing, isn’t it? It will be very interesting to know who is leading those sessions, what’s being said..and I’d love to see a copy of the booklet. Send me one, someone.
But I continue to take issue w/Cardinal McCarrick’s implication that the efforts taken by some bishops (I presume this is who he’s talking about) on this score amount to the interjection of partisan politics into church life. That’s a straw man. I’ve read carefully what bishops like Burke, Sheridan and Vasa have had to say about this, and what I hear is a deep concern for respect for human life and the integrity of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. I fail to see why the burden is continually placed on those who would defend human life rather than those who would stand, at the very least, indifferent to it or who would turn their backs on Church teaching for the sake of political power.
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