I could ignore the current presidential fracas: claiming that I’m too ‘spiritual’ for worldly matters, or can’t abide the pervasive political posturing and pandering.
But that’s not an option.
Neither, for me, is getting “political” in the sense of declaring that, if elected, candidate A will doom us all; while candidate B is America’s only hope.
Those attitudes aren’t new, and that’s another topic.1
This week I’ll be talking about why I don’t fit into current political pigeonholes: or, rather, why I fit into several.
Acting As If What I Believe Matters
I’m a Catholic, so I think that the common good matters.
That involves respect for the human person, the individual; the well-being and development of societies; and at least a measure of security and stability for societies and individuals. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1905-1912)
Also since I’m a Catholic, I can’t sit back and munch popcorn while the usual suspects put on their dog and pony shows.
Since I’m just some guy living in central Minnesota, the weight of the world isn’t on my shoulders. Which is fine by me.
But I am personally responsible for what I can do: taking a part in public life, as far as my circumstances permit. (Catechism, 1913-1917)
So: if I think the common good matters, how come I’m not denouncing someone or something; or declaring that our only hope is someone or something else?
Basically, it’s because I don’t think life is that simple. Not even life’s political side.
Besides, as I said last week, being a Catholic gives me a counter-cultural perspective.2 Which isn’t nearly as scary as it may sound.
Political Pigeonholes and the Big Picture
Years ago now, my father-in-law was asked if he’s conservative — or liberal.
His answer: “I’m Catholic”.
I’d have given the same answer.
Catholic teachings are quite definite, so I could peg them on the American political spectrum — as long as I didn’t look at the big picture.
On the other hand, taking bits and pieces of Catholic beliefs, and the history of Catholics in America, I could claim that the Catholic Church is conservative. Or that it’s liberal.
It’s neither, and that may take explaining.
Sex, Death, and Immigrants
The Church might look liberal because we’re told that sex is a good thing, social justice is important, and the death penalty is never a good idea.3 (Genesis 1:27, 31; Catechism, 1928-1942, 2267, 2331-2391)
“…It is necessary, therefore, to reaffirm that no matter how serious the crime that has been committed, the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and the dignity of the person….”
(Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to Participants in the Meeting Promoted by the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, Pope Francis (October 11, 2017)
We might look conservative because we’re told that extra- and non-marital sex is a bad idea, private property is a good idea, and both abortion and euthanasia are wrong. (Catechism, 2270-2279, 2348-2356, 2380-2381, 2401-2406)
The Church also says that immigrants are people, with rights and responsibilities. (Catechism, 2241, 2443)
This view of immigrants isn’t new, which doesn’t make it either conservative or liberal. It’s just something that’s made sense for millennia.
“You shall not oppress a resident alien; you well know how it feels to be an alien, since you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.”
(Exodus 23:9)“‘When an alien resides with you in your land, do not mistreat such a one.
“You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt. I, the LORD, am your God.”
(Leviticus 19:33–34)“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,”
(Matthew 25:35)
Next, let’s see what the Church says about defending lives, including mine.
Hawk? Dove?
I don’t like wars.
They kill people and break things.
Avoiding war is a good idea. But I’d make a terrible pacifist.
That’s because I think protecting folks is a good idea. Even when being polite won’t work.
Defending myself from a lethal attack would be okay; even if my action results in my attacker’s death. But I must use the least possible force. (Catechism, 2263-2267)
That’s because my life is precious. So is my hypothetical attacker’s. My intent should be saving my own life, not killing another person: even if that is the unintended effect of my action. (Catechism, 2263-2269; “Summa Theologica”, Second Part of the Second Part, Question 64, Article 7; Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1270))
The same “legitimate defense” principle applies to decisions national leaders face. That’s why using force isn’t always wrong. (Catechism, 2265-2269, 2307-2317)
I could make my beliefs fit pigeonholes like ‘hawk,’ ‘dove,’ ‘bleeding heart liberal’, or ‘heartless conservative’. All it’d take would be picking the bits of Catholic teaching I like and ignoring the rest. But I won’t. It wouldn’t make sense.
One more thing before wrapping this part up.
Long-Term Goals
I could, but won’t, argue that what the Church says about legitimate defense is inconsistent — since we’re told that killing prisoners is wrong, but that using force to stop an invader can be okay.
I don’t see it as a problem, since I think we’re still working toward Pope St. John Paul II’s “civilization of love”.
“…The answer to the fear which darkens human existence at the end of the twentieth century is the common effort to build the civilization of love, founded on the universal values of peace, solidarity, justice, and liberty….”
(“To the United Nations Organization,” Pope St. John Paul II (October 5, 1995))
But we’re not there yet.
Another work-in-progress is developing a “sufficiently powerful authority at the international level”, so that conflicts can be settled peacefully.
“…As long as the danger of war remains and there is no competent and sufficiently powerful authority at the international level, governments cannot be denied the right to legitimate defense once every means of peaceful settlement has been exhausted….”
(“Gaudium et Spes,” Pope Bl. Paul VI (December 7, 1965)) [emphasis mine]
We’re not there yet, either. And, as my news feed’s headlines keep reminding me, the danger of war is very real.
Even so, I think working toward an approximation of Tennyson’s “Federation of the World” and Pope St. John Paul II’s “civilization of love” is a good idea.
Along with remembering that turning good ideas into practical realities takes time.
“…For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see,
Saw the vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be;…
“…Till the war-drum throbbed no longer, and the battle-flags were furl’d
In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world.
“There the common sense of most shall hold a fretful realm in awe,
And the kindly earth shall slumber, lapt in universal law.…”
(“Locksley Hall“, Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1835)) [emphasis mine]“…Gone the cry of ‘Forward, Forward,’ lost within a growing gloom;
Lost, or only heard in silence from the silence of a tomb.
“Half the marvels of my morning, triumphs over time and space,
Staled by frequence, shrunk by usage into commonest commonplace!
“‘Forward’ rang the voices then, and of the many mine was one.
Let us hush this cry of ‘Forward’ till ten thousand years have gone.…”
(“Locksley Hall – Sixty Years After“, Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1886)) [emphasis mine]
Fear and Politics
I can see why folks who haven’t come to grips with America not being a strictly “Yankee” country might fear Catholics.
Many of us don’t have English ancestors.
I don’t think that makes us ‘un-American’, but then — I’m a Catholic. I wouldn’t.
We’ve been part of America since before America was a country.
Catholics lived in the thirteen colonies and other parts of today’s United States long before 1776, but we didn’t start arriving in disturbing numbers until the 19th century.
Catholic immigrants from Germany, Ireland, Italy, and other foreign parts were mostly working-class folks. Not surprisingly, given then-current conditions, most Catholic Americans voted Democrat: 70% overall, 80% for Irish Catholics.
That changed, of course. Children and descendants of the immigrants became white-collar workers, developing voting and other habits that were closer to the American norm.4 Which can be a problem, and that’s yet another topic.
Me? I’m part-Irish. I’ve been blue-collar, white-collar, and unemployed. That’s given me opportunities for appreciating several viewpoints.
I take my faith seriously, which means I try to be a good citizen. That includes voting as if what’s right and wrong matters.
Thinking about issues and candidates, voting for whoever and whatever is best — or likely to do the least damage, in some cases — good grief. It’s pretty much the opposite of easy. Particularly since I can’t kid myself that voting a straight party ticket is a good idea.
That’s all I’ll say for now. Apart from mentioning a few ideas I wouldn’t mind seeing reflected in politics, and the best news humanity’s ever had.
Love, Hope, and Making Sense
Recapping: taking an active part in public life is part of being a Catholic. That starts with my personal responsibilities: in my family, at work, in my community. (Catechism, 1913-1917)
I’m retired now, so I’ve got more time for family and other activities: like researching and writing these posts.
I enjoy learning and sharing what I find, but that’s not why I keep doing this.
Sharing what we’re learning about about God’s universe and humanity’s long story will, I hope, be fun — if nerdy — reading; and also be a case in point, showing that faith and reason, science and religion work together. Or should, and that’s yet again another topic.5
Plus, I’ll occasionally pass along the best news humanity’s ever had.
God loves us, and wants to adopt us. All of us. (Matthew 5:44–5; John 1:12–14, 3:17; Romans 8:14–17; ; Ephesians 1:3–5; Peter 2:3–4; ; Catechism, 1-3, 27-30, 52, 1825, 1996)
Accepting God’s offer means I should take the ‘family values’ seriously. Happily, they’re quite simple. Incredibly difficult to follow, but simple.
Our Lord said loving my neighbor, and seeing everyone as my neighbor, is behind “the whole law and the prophets.” (Matthew 5:43–44, 22:36–40; Mark 12:28–31; Luke 6:31, 10:25–27, 29–37; Catechism, 2196)
Over the last two millennia, folks like Saints Augustine of Hippo, Teresa of Ávila, Thomas Aquinas, Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, and Thérèse of Lisieux,6 have thought about what Jesus said.
It still boils down to love and hope. That works for me. So does remembering that some things matter more than conforming to current conventions:
- “Humanae Vitae Award: Fr. Greg Paffel, Parishes on the Prairie“
(July 20, 2024) - “Freedom of Speech: On the Whole, I Like It“
(July 6, 2024) - “Truth, Beauty, and the Evening News“
(June 15, 2024) - “Capital Punishment: It Could be Worse“
(February 3, 2024) - “Free to Agree With Me: Cancel Culture and Freedom of Expression“
(November 18, 2023)
1 “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion” — or — why I don’t miss the “good old days”:
- Wikipedia
- 1884 United States presidential election (not one of my country’s shining moments)
- Romanism (“This article needs additional citations for verification….”)
- Gilded Age (U.S.A. 1869-1901)
- James G. Blaine (a “towering figure” in his day)
- Mugwumps (American activists, 1884- ca. 1894)
- Samuel D. Burchard (minister) (coined “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion”)
2 I’ve talked about why human life matters, and capital punishment is no longer an option:
- “Humanae Vitae Award: Fr. Greg Paffel, Parishes on the Prairie” (July 20, 2024)
- “Capital Punishment: It Could be Worse” (February 3, 2024)
3 I’m surprised at the apparent lack of anguish over our new capital punishment rule:
- The Holy See (vatican.va)
- Declaration of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith “Dignitas Infinita” on Human Dignity, 08.04.2024, Summary of Bulletin, Holy See Press Office (April 8, 2024)
- New revision of number 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the death penalty – Rescriptum “ex Audentia SS.mi”, 02.08.2018, Summary of Bulletin, Holy See Press Office (August 2, 2018)
- Letter to the Bishops regarding the new revision of number 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the death penalty, from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 02.08.2018, Summary of Bulletin, Holy See Press Office (August 2, 2018)
- Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to Participants in the Meeting Promoted by the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, Pope Francis (October 11, 2017)
- I’ve talked about this; with a before-and-after comparison of Catechism, 2267
- “Capital Punishment: It Could be Worse” (February 3, 2024)
4 Catholics living in America; politics, attitudes, and a little history:
- Wikipedia
- Alma Bridwell White (sought to protect her country from people like me)
- Anti-Catholicism in the United States
- Catholic Church and politics in the United States (“This article needs more complete citations for verification….”)
- Catholic Church in the United States
- History of the Catholic Church in the United States
- History of immigration to the United States
- Ku Klux Klan (defending America from ‘foreigners’ like Blacks, Jews, Catholics)
- Immigration to the United States
- White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (AKA WASP, a term with flexible definitions)
- Yankee (who or what this means depends on context)
5 Part of my take on faith, reason, and a lively interest in God’s universe:
- “Science, Religion, and Saying Goodbye to the 19th Century” (May 25, 2024)
- “Evolution and a Gene Expression Code Library” (April 20, 2024)
6 A half-dozen Saints and Doctors of the Church, and what “Doctor of the Church” means:
- Wikipedia
Thanks very much for this refresher, Mr. Gill! Also, that talk about pigeonholes got me thinking that the opposite of those is probably niches.
My pleasure. This week’s was a rewrite and expansion of one I did about seven years back: nothing new in what the Church says, apart from the death penalty thing – which may have been done after verifying that nobody’s in such a desperate situation – – – I’ll stop now.
“Niches” got me thinking – looked the word up on https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/niche – and found this definition: “a job or position that is very suitable for someone, especially one that they like”. Which is, in a sense, the opposite of a pigeonhole: in the sense of being a compartment one is assigned. Good one, and thanks!
You’re welcome again, Mr. Gill!