...Scientific progress has resulted in
advances that are unsettling for the consciences of men and women and call for
solutions that respect ethical principles in a coherent and fundamental way. At
the same time, legislative proposals are put forward which, heedless of the
consequences for the existence and future of human beings with regard to the
formation of culture and social behaviour, attack the very inviolability of
human life. Catholics, in this difficult situation, have the right and the
duty to recall society to a deeper understanding of human life and to the
responsibility of everyone in this regard. John Paul II, continuing the
constant teaching of the Church, has reiterated many times that those who are
directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a «grave and clear obligation to
oppose» any law that attacks human life. For them, as for every
Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them.[19]
As
John Paul II has taught in his Encyclical Letter Evangelium vitae
regarding the situation in which it is not possible to overturn or completely
repeal a law allowing abortion which is already in force or coming up for a
vote, «an elected official, whose absolute personal opposition to procured
abortion was well known, could licitly support proposals aimed at limiting
the harm done by such a law and at lessening its negative consequences at
the level of general opinion and public morality».[20]
In this context, it must be noted also that a well-formed Christian conscience
does not permit one to vote for a political program or an individual law which
contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals. The Christian
faith is an integral unity, and thus it is incoherent to isolate some particular
element to the detriment of the whole of Catholic doctrine. A political
commitment to a single isolated aspect of the Church’s social doctrine does
not exhaust one’s responsibility towards the common good. Nor can a
Catholic think of delegating his Christian responsibility to others; rather, the
Gospel of Jesus Christ gives him this task, so that the truth about man and the
world might be proclaimed and put into action.
When political activity comes up against moral principles that do not admit of
exception, compromise or derogation, the Catholic commitment becomes more
evident and laden with responsibility. In the face of fundamental and
inalienable ethical demands, Christians must recognize that what is at stake
is the essence of the moral law, which concerns the integral good of the human
person. This is the case with laws concerning abortion and euthanasia
(not to be confused with the decision to forgo extraordinary treatments,
which is morally legitimate). Such laws must defend the basic right to life
from conception to natural death. In the same way, it is necessary to
recall the duty to respect and protect the rights of the human embryo.
Analogously,
the family needs to be safeguarded and promoted, based on monogamous
marriage between a man and a woman, and protected in its unity and stability in
the face of modern laws on divorce: in no way can other forms of cohabitation be
placed on the same level as marriage, nor can they receive legal recognition as
such. The same is true for the freedom of parents regarding the education
of their children; it is an inalienable right recognized also by the Universal
Declaration on Human Rights. In the same way, one must consider society’s
protection of minors and freedom from modern forms of slavery (drug
abuse and prostitution, for example).
In addition, there is the right to religious
freedom and the development of an economy that is at the service of
the human person and of the common good, with respect for social justice, the
principles of human solidarity and subsidiarity, according to which «the
rights of all individuals, families, and organizations and their practical
implementation must be acknowledged».[21]
Finally,
the question of peace must be mentioned. Certain pacifistic and
ideological visions tend at times to secularize the value of peace, while, in
other cases, there is the problem of summary ethical judgments which forget the
complexity of the issues involved. Peace is always «the work of justice
and the effect of charity».[22] It
demands the absolute and radical rejection of violence and terrorism and
requires a constant and vigilant commitment on the part of all political
leaders...
...no Catholic can
appeal to the principle of pluralism or to the autonomy of lay involvement in
political life to support policies affecting the common good which
compromise or undermine fundamental ethical requirements. This is not a
question of «confessional values» per se, because such ethical precepts
are rooted in human nature itself and belong to the natural moral law. They
do not require from those who defend them the profession of the Christian faith,
although the Church’s teaching confirms and defends them always and everywhere
as part of her service to the truth about man and about the common good of civil
society. Moreover, it cannot be denied that politics must refer to
principles of absolute value precisely because these are at the service of the
dignity of the human person and of true human progress.
6. The appeal often made to «the rightful autonomy of the participation of
lay Catholics» in politics needs to be clarified. Promoting the common
good of society, according to one’s conscience, has nothing to do with «confessionalism»or religious intolerance. For Catholic moral doctrine, the rightful
autonomy of the political or civil sphere from that of religion and the Church
– but not from that of morality – is a value that has been attained
and recognized by the Catholic Church and belongs to inheritance of contemporary
civilization.[23]
John
Paul II has warned many times of the dangers which follow from confusion between
the religious and political spheres. «Extremely sensitive situations arise
when a specifically religious norm becomes or tends to become the law of a state
without due consideration for the distinction between the domains proper to
religion and to political society. In practice, the identification of
religious law with civil law can stifle religious freedom, even going so far as
to restrict or deny other inalienable human rights».[24]
All
the faithful are well aware that specifically religious activities (such as the
profession of faith, worship, administration of sacraments, theological
doctrines, interchange between religious authorities and the members of
religions) are outside the state’s responsibility. The state must not
interfere, nor in any way require or prohibit these activities, except when it
is a question of public order. The recognition of civil and political
rights, as well as the allocation of public services may not be made dependent
upon citizens’ religious convictions or activities.
The right and duty of Catholics and all citizens to seek the truth with
sincerity and to promote and defend, by legitimate means, moral truths
concerning society, justice, freedom, respect for human life and the other
rights of the person, is something quite different. The fact that some of
these truths may also be taught by the Church does not lessen the political
legitimacy or the rightful «autonomy» of the contribution of those citizens
who are committed to them, irrespective of the role that reasoned inquiry or
confirmation by the Christian faith may have played in recognizing such truths...
The principles contained in the present Note are intended to shed
light on one of the most important aspects of the unity of Christian life:
coherence between faith and life, Gospel and culture, as recalled by the Second
Vatican Council. The Council exhorted Christians «to fulfill their duties
faithfully in the spirit of the Gospel. It is a mistake to think that,
because we have here no lasting city, but seek the city which is to come, we are
entitled to shirk our earthly responsibilities; this is to forget that by our
faith we are bound all the more to fulfill these responsibilities according to
the vocation of each... May Christians...be proud of the opportunity to
carry out their earthly activity in such a way as to integrate human, domestic,
professional, scientific and technical enterprises with religious values, under
whose supreme direction all things are ordered to the glory of God»....
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