CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR LEADS EFFORT FOR OBAMA

CATHOLIC EDUCATOR EDUCATES VOTERS TOO

Professor Stephen Schneck, of the Catholic University of America, our national Pontifical university, is the subject of a news article in CUA's student paper. 

The article reads:

Stephen Schneck, professor of political science and director of the University’s Institute for Public Policy and Catholic Studies (IPC) and the acting dean of social work does not limit his public influence to his professional career: he is also a co-chairman for Catholics for Obama.

Schneck actively campaigns with the Catholics for Obama campaign team, which includes Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and 18 others, and will travel all over the country in the upcoming weeks giving speeches on why Catholics should reelect President Barack Obama in November.
...

Victor Nakas, associate vice president for public affairs, said that Schneck’s actions are not a conflict of interest and are in line with the University and the Catholic Church’s stance that individuals are called to participate in the public sphere.

...
Schneck has not been quiet about his political beliefs and how he reconciles his faith with his party affiliation, especially on the subject of abortion and religious freedom.

He gave interviews to both EWTN and PBS describing his belief that it was actually more in line with Catholic teaching on abortion to vote for Obama

read the full story here: http://www.cuatower.com/news/2012/09/27/university-professor-leads-catholics-for-obama/

BARACK OBAMA ON FAITH

Barack Obama’s life and leadership is grounded in his own Christian faith, as well as his experiences working and serving with people of faith who are pursuing the common good. His mother was a deeply spiritual individual who instilled in him the values of service and empathy that drew him to public service.

As a young man, the President chose a different path than many of his peers. He decided to use his experiences and talents to serve as a community organizer, and with the help of grants from the CatholiCampaign for Human Development, he worked with local churches to help families who were struggling in the shadow of closed-down steel mills. From the very start of his career, President Obama witnessed the robust role that faith plays in American life:

And something else happened during the time I spent in these neighborhoods—perhaps because the church folks I worked with were so welcoming and understanding; perhaps because they invited me to their services and sang with me from their hymnals; perhaps because I was really broke and they fed me. Perhaps because I witnessed all of the good works their faith inspired them to perform, I found myself drawn not just to the work with the church; I was drawn to be in the church. It was through this service that I was brought to Christ.

—Barack Obama

Another person also became central in his life—Michelle, his wife and his “rock.” Together, they started a family and are raising two beautiful daughters. The President has said that his role as a father is the most important job that he has.

The President’s faith has sustained him in his journey from Chicago to the White House, and he has sought to live out his faith while improving the lives of the American people:

Treating others as you want to be treated. Requiring much from those who have been given so much. Living by the principle that we are our brother’s keeper. Caring for the poor and those in need. These values are old. They can be found in many denominations and many faiths, among many believers and among many non-believers. And they are values that have always made this country great—when we live up to them; when we don’t just give lip service to them; when we don’t just talk about them one day a year. And they’re the ones that have defined my own faith journey.

And today, with as many challenges as we face, these are the values I believe we’re going to have to return to in the hopes that God will buttress our efforts.

—Barack Obama

PARISH VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS

CATHOLIC VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES

AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY

Many Catholic parishes are holding voter registration drives to help enroll parishioners as registered voters.  This is perfectly legal.  No law prohibits Catholic parishes, organizations, schools or other facilities from holding non-partisan voter registration drives.  Because deadlines are approaching, these drives need to be planned and implemented soon.

Catholics for Obama across the country are volunteering to help parishes in these drives.  Of course, it is most important that Catholics in congregations that are mostly minority, low income, working class or part of the 47% conduct these drives.  It is a Catholic good work to help those who have not been fully included and empowered in society to participate in the political process.

These drives must be strictly non-partisan and not try to instruct people how to vote or pick and choose who they will register.  To do so is a violation of the law and will endanger your parish's tax status and good standing with the Catholic Church.

However, we know that most Catholics are planning to vote for Obama.  That alone makes these drives important and useful in re-electing the President.  When they are in minority or "47%" parishes, it will be even more helping in bringing in more votes for Obama.

Even in affluent, conservative, only whites parishes, research has shown that while these parishes might mostly vote Republicans, the subset of those who are not registered to vote still lean towards Obama.  So no matter what kind of parish you are in, the voter registration drive is helpful to the President's election.

OBAMA SURGES AHEAD AMONG CATHOLICS

CATHOLICS FOR OBAMA EFFORTS SEE SUCCESS

According to a new poll by Pew Research, the Catholic flock is flocking to President Obama in huge numbers.  Among all registered voters, Obama leads Romney 51-42 percent, according to Pew.  For Romney, this is a five point decline from summer even though since then he selected a Catholic as his running mate (as is Vice President Joe Biden).

Right-wing Catholic groups have generally followed the same failed strategy they used in 2008 when they miserably lost the Catholic vote to Barack Obama.  Efforts have almost exclusive focused on getting conservative Catholics angry and riled up against the President and making harsh judgments on the faith and spirituality of Catholics who are undecided or who consider their vote a personal discernment.

These tactics have only alienated undecided Catholics and caused conservative Catholics to put an ugly face on their political activism. Catholic Democrats in turn have been respectful of the moral ability of good Catholics to vote either way, while making polite case for our candidates.

More information here:

http://www.religionnews.com/politics/election/poll-obama-surges-ahead-among-catholic-voters

A LETTER FROM THE NATIONAL CATHOLICS FOR OBAMA COMMITTEE

In 2008, Catholics from all walks of life and backgrounds came together to help elect Barack Obama as President of the United States. Today, we join together as Catholics who are committed to our faith and our country to endorse President Obama for re-election.

We endorse the President because of his tireless focus on economic security for middle-class families. President Obama is committed to the basic promise of our country: If you work hard and play by the rules, you can build a good life for yourself and your family. The President cut taxes for the average middle-class family by $3,600 in his first term. He has saved over a million American jobs in the auto industry, shielding countless families from heartache and bankruptcy. Despite inheriting the worst economic crisis in a generation, the President extended unemployment insurance to those hit hardest, providing a lifeline for millions of our nation's families. And, after a decades-long struggle, President Obama signed into law health reform that enhances the security and welfare of every American family.

As Catholics, we believe that every human being is made in the image of God. From this we discern that, individually and as a nation, we share a moral obligation to care for one another. As the President has so passionately affirmed throughout his career: “I am my brother’s keeper. I am my sister’s keeper.” The President has upheld and advanced this principle in many ways, including his support for pregnant women and the Adoption Tax Credit, and his pursuit of immigration reform. We are proud of the President for his opposition to the budget proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, embraced by Republicans in Congress, and heartily endorsed by Mitt Romney. The Republican plan would shred our nation’s compassionate safety net, gutting Medicare, food assistance programs, Head Start, and many other programs—all while cutting taxes for the wealthy.

Finally, we endorse the President because he has led with our values abroad, proving that America can lead in the world with both power and principle. The President opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning, and as president, he kept his promise to bring the war to a responsible end and is now working to bring our troops home from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. He signed the New START treaty—a priority for Catholic bishops around the world—moving us closer to a world with no nuclear weapons.

President Obama understands Catholics and our values, because he understands the importance of an active faith in pursuit of the common good. This has guided him from his work with Catholic churches on the South Side of Chicago through his career as a public servant.

The President is right: This is a make-or-break moment for the middle-class, and it is a make-or-break moment for America. President Obama’s record, his character, and his values make the choice in this election clear. We are proud to stand with the President, and we look forward to joining millions of Catholics in this country in casting our vote for Barack Obama.



Sincerely,

Catholics for Obama National Co-Chairs

http://www.barackobama.com/catholics/meet-us

NOTRE DAME INVITES PRESIDENT OBAMA; MITT ROMNEY INVITED TO SPEAK ON CAMPUS

PRESIDENT INVITED TO RETURN TO THE FIGHTING IRISH

The University of Notre Dame announced Monday that University president Fr. John Jenkins CSC, and student body president Brett Rocheleau have extended invitations to President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate W. Mitt Romney to speak on campus during the fall election campaign.

If President Obama is able to schedule a visit, it will be a return for him to the campus of one of the nation's leading Catholic universities from when he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Notre Dame.  At that time, President Obama spoke to the graduating class that welcomed him with warm enthusiasm.

President Obama continues to enjoy strong support among Catholic university students and employees.  The President has also received an honorary degree from Xavier University of Louisiana and has spoken at Georgetown University. 

PROTECT OUR PARISHES

THE TABERNACLE OF THE LORD,

NOT THE PARTY CLUBHOUSE

Earlier this month, a priest in the Archdiocese of New York included an endorsement of Mitt Romney in the Sunday bulletin.

Including an endorsement of a presidential candidate in the Sunday bulletin isn’t just illegal, it violates the sacred space of our sanctuaries. 40,000 Catholics and people of faith signed a petition asking Cardinal Dolan to clarify church policy that partisan politics has no place in the Catholic Mass.

The Mass is a time for us to reflect, pray, and worship God, not hear partisan political messages. As we get closer to election day, we could be seeing this in other parishes.  Either outright endorsements or partisan biased "Voter Guides." 

Our friends at Catholics United will be conducting a campaign to protect our parishes.  Anyone who becomes aware of inappropriate actions, fliers or bulletin announcements in their parish is urged to contact Jason Miller, Catholics United's parish protection coordinator at jmiller@catholic-united.org. 

Quick and speedy exposure of these actions are critically important.

IS IT ALL OVER FOR THEM?

TOUGH TIMES FOR

POLITICALLY RIGHT WING CATHOLICS

It is tough times for the Catholic Right in their efforts to influence American elections. The granddaddy of this movement, Deal Hudson, admitted that “same-sex marriage doesn’t raise the temperature of the bulk of Catholic Mass-going voters.” He advises conservatives to use other issues to get Catholics to vote Republican. Notice he didn’t even say gay rights in general. Just a few years ago conservative Catholics were fighting for laws to put homosexuals in jail and to allow any boss to fire gay people at will. They now consider it highly rude to bring up this history, having settled for the more controversial issue of same sex marriage. And now even that doesn’t sell. Also embarrassed by data showing a lack of Catholic support for their agenda, four years ago they started talking only of frequent Mass going Catholics to move the numbers in their direction. Even with that attribute, Hudson still finds the issue a loser.

Acting not on principle, but out of political hackery, Catholic conservatives tried to attack the President on the issue of Jerusalem. While Obama supports long standing American policy that Jerusalem is the de facto capital of Israel but that the future of Jerusalem should be the subject of a negotiated settlement, this is more pro-Israel than Pope Benedict’s stance that Jerusalem is not and should not be the capital of Israel. They backed themselves into bad-mouthing the Pope.

Even on the abortion issue, the Catholic Right is losing creditability by carefully limiting their pro-life advocacy to where it does not offend Big Business or TEA Party principles. You hear much about taxpayer funding of abortion – and taxpayer funding of social service groups that have seven or eight degrees of separation from groups maybe involved in abortion (always non-profits; private corporations get a pass). It dovetails with the TEA Party agenda of cutting public funding for all social service programs. But Mercury abortions caused by industry? Not a word, as that would put them in alliance with environmentalists.

None of this is surprising as these social conservative groups are kept afloat by wealthy Republicans including pro-abortion Republicans who know that the real impact of their money is to further the conservative economic agenda.

Thomas Peters over at the Right-Wing “Catholic Vote” has now admitted that Obama is running ahead with Catholic voters. Democratic senate candidates such as those in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, Arizona, Virginia and Minnesota are also leading with Catholics.

The problem is that they are unable to come up with a core principle to justify their politics. We may well see them out of the picture politically come 2016.

THE POPE SPEAKS

Through the combination of social and economic change, trade union organizations experience greater difficulty in carrying out their task of representing the interests of workers... The repeated calls issued within the Church's social doctrine, beginning with Rerum Novarum, for the promotion of workers' associations that can defend their rights must therefore be honoured today even more than in the past...



Benedict XV, Caritas in Veritate

T. ROMNEY AND MANDATED ABORTION

This is very troubling.  During the Republican National Convention, W. Mitt Romney's sister assured ori-choice delegates that Romney would never go against the right to an abortion.  Now this in regarding Romney's son.  A contract to mandate abortion:

http://www.tmz.com/2012/09/20/mitt-romney-son-tagg-abortion-clause-surrogate-birth-agreement-contract-bill-handel/

Signed 'Abortion' Clause in Contract

Mitt Romney's son Tagg -- who had twins this year through a surrogate -- signed an agreement that gave the surrogate, as well as Tagg and his wife, the right to abort the fetuses in non-life threatening situations ... and Mitt Romney covered some of the expenses connected with the arrangement ...

Tagg and his wife Jen, along with the surrogate and her husband, signed a Gestational Carrier Agreement dated July 28, 2011. Paragraph 13 of the agreement reads as follows:

"In the event the child is determined to be physiologically, genetically or chromosomally abnormal, the decision to abort or not to abort is to be made by the intended parents. In such a case the surrogate agrees to abort, or not to abort, in accordance with the intended parents' decision."

And there's another relevant provision in Paragraph 13:

"Any decision to abort because of potential harm to the child, or to reduce the number of fetuses, is to be made by the intended parents."

Translation: Tagg and his wife, Jen, had the right to abort the fetuses if they felt they would not be healthy.


Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2012/09/20/mitt-romney-son-tagg-abortion-clause-surrogate-birth-agreement-contract-bill-handel/#ixzz278sSAsBw

Willard Caesar Romney?

THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS TO CATHOLICS

CATHOLICS FOR OBAMA RELEASES VIDEO OF THE PRESIDENT SPEAKING TO CATHOLIC VOTERS

"While I'm proud of what we've achieved together, I'm far more mindful of my own failings, knowing exactly what Lincoln meant when he said, 'I have been driven to my knees many times by the overwhelming conviction that I had no place else to go."

--  President Barack Obama


We thank God that we have a president with the faith and humility to say, without reservation, that he knows exactly where to turn when faced with trials and adversity.  Many, many Catholics have been sharing the above video with their friends, family and parishioners.  Please do the same.  Don't only send this video to people in your parish who are undecided, but also to those supporting the President, so they can send it out to Catholics they know.  God bless you.

OUR CATHOLIC VALUES PUT US WITH THE PRESIDENT

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

L'SHANA TOVA!

To our Jewish friends, with whom we are spiritual children of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, we send you wishes of joy as you welcome the Jewish New Year, 5773.  As you gather with your friends and family, in homes and synagogues, we Catholics for Obama unite ourselves with you in prayer for the peace and security of Israel and the world, and to recommit ourselves to the Jewish vision of social justice, Tikkun Olam, "repairing the world."  Enjoy the ancient sound of the shofar, and the apples and honey!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/zekejmiller/obama-extends-lead-with-jewish-voters

President Barack Obama is close to extending his lead with Jewish voters, leading among registered voters 70-25 percent according to unreleased Gallup daily tracking poll data.  This represents another faith community that Romney is failing to make any inroads since the 2008 election.

ROMNEY STARTS TO GIVE UP ON CATHOLIC VOTE

ROMNEY CEDES CATHOLIC STATES TO OBAMA

The Romney-Ryan campaign is giving up on millions of Catholic voters in key swing states.  The above map shows the twelve battleground states early this year.  Since then, the Romney campaign has given up efforts in the three most Catholic of those battleground states -- New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Michigan.  These heavily Catholic states are now expected to support President Obama in the November election.  The Romney-Ryan campaign has ceased major efforts in all three.

At this point, the only battleground state where the Romney-Ryan ticket is leading is North Carolina, the least Catholic state in the nation. 

The fact that the first states the Romney campaign retreats from are the most Catholic battleground states shows the profound trouble he is having with Catholic voters.  It is also a sign of the excellent work that is being done by the Obama-Biden campaign in our state, diocesan and parish Catholics for Obama committees.

Bishop Rallies Black Catholics to Vote in Upcoming Election

BISHOP BRAXTON DOESN'T TELL CATHOLICS HOW TO VOTE, BUT URGES EVERY BLACK CATHOLIC TO VOTE

In his homily delivered at the Opening Mass of the Eleventh National Black Catholic Congress, Bishop Edward K. Braxton of Belleville, Illinois, urged the nearly 3,000 participants to exercise their responsibility and vote in the presidential election.


He told them the Black Catholic community must not to abandon their "essential participation in democracy and become a part of the sad statistic of nearly 45% of Americans who are eligible to vote in a presidential election and abdicate this important civic and Christian duty. No matter how flawed you may think the candidates are, you have an obligation to participate."


The Bishop encouraged Black Catholic voter turnout without giving any instruction on how Catholics should vote.  "Both candidates are imperfect human beings. The American political system does not produce saviors for the nation or knights in shining armor who fulfill all of our hopes and expectations" said Braxton.

In memory of September 11, 2001. We will never forget.

CATHOLICS FOR OBAMA NATIONAL CO-CHAIRS

The President's re-election campaign has named the national co-chairs for Catholics for Obama.  These leaders will help us with our state, diocesan and parish Catholics for Obama committees.  The co-chairs are:

Former State Rep. Polly Baca, Colorado

Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, Washington, D.C.

Rep. Xavier Becerra, California

Prof. Nicholas Cafardi, Pennsylvania (Duquesne Law School)

Former Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, Pennsylvania

Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, Connecticut

Sen. Dick Durbin, Illinois

Miguel Foster, Michigan

Prof. Thomas Groome, Massachusetts (Boston College)

Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Ohio

Victoria Reggie Kennedy, Massachusetts

Victoria Kovari, Michigan

Sr. Jamie Phelps, Louisiana (Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University)

Gov. Martin O'Malley, Maryland

Former Rep. James Oberstar, Minnesota

Lawrence Parks, Washington, D.C.

Fred Rotondaro, Washington, D.C.

Rep. Tim Ryan, Ohio

Prof. Stephen Schneck, Washington, D.C. (Catholic University of America)

Former AFL-CIO President and Papal Advisor John Sweeney, Maryland

Mark Tuohey, Washington, D.C.

BL. TERESA OF CALCUTA

Bl. Teresa of Calculta, Pray for Us!  Pray for the Poor! 

OVERHEARD AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AT PRAYER

As our Party gathered in North Carolina for the Democratic National Convention, each session was opened and closed with a prayer, including the closing benediction by Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Each day there were also special prayer meetings for the delegates as well as various workshops and meetings for faith groups.

Here are some of the comments made during the Convention:


PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: We draw strength from our victories, and we learn from our mistakes, but we keep our eyes fixed on that distant horizon, knowing that Providence is with us, and that we are surely blessed to be citizens of the greatest nation on Earth.


SISTER SIMONE CAMPBELL (Executive Director of NETWORK): Together, we understand that an immoral budget that hurts already struggling families does not reflect our nation’s values. We are better than that.


PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: While I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together, I’m far more mindful of my own failings, knowing exactly what Lincoln meant when he said, “I have been driven to my knees many times by the overwhelming conviction that I had no place else to go.”


PROFESSOR STEPHEN SCHNECK (Catholic University of America): When I look at the policies outside of the abortion arena, when I look at things like Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act and community health centers and public housing programs, these are all programs that are proven to have a good impact in lowering the abortion rates in the United States


CHRISTINA FORRESTER (Christian Democrats of America): A lot of our values as Christians are about taking care of the least of these, it’s concerning the poor, immigration, caring for people with mercy so we’re looking at things like, in the context of mercy, compassion and that’s what the Bible really talks about and that’s what Jesus tells us to do.  


HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN NICHOLAS (Greek Orthodox Bishop of Detroit): Let freedom reign in our hearts so that we would…never fear to give shelter to the homeless and displaced, never fear to treat our neighbor as ourselves, and never fear to give dignity and opportunity — as in Detroit and elsewhere in America — to the struggling unemployed and less fortunate.

  SEN. HARRY REID (US Senate Majority Leader): I’m a Democrat because I am a Mormon.


TAYLOR HARTLEY (LDS Democrats): As I think about how we are to put upon charity above all other virtues, I then think to myself, Ok, which political party most closely follows the virtues of charity and compassion and clearly, it’s the Democratic Party.

OBAMA GOT HIS START ON CATHOLIC PAYROLL

BARACK OBAMA: CATHOLIC SOCIAL ACTIVIST

I think most readers here remember that Barack Obama got his start in 1986 as a community organizer in Chicago, working on a projected funded by the Catholic Church. He worked out of a Catholic rectory.

We here have always been immensely proud of this fact. We are getting a little help in reminding people of this fact from the right-wing activist Phyllis Schlafly who it seems has her panties in a bundle over not only Obama's wonderful work as a Catholic financed community organizer, but their recent discovery that his travel expense checks were written off the Archdiocese of Chicago bank account.

Again, we could not be more proud of our President. As for the annoyance it brings Schlafly, oh well!

Sr. Simone Speaks to the Democratic Convention

NUNS ON BUS COMES TO CHARLOTTE!

Our friend, Sr. Simone Campbell addressed the Democratic National Convention last night.  For those who did not see or hear her amazing speech, below is a link to it.  Isn't it fantastic that the Democratic Party has invited a Catholic religious to actually speak to the Convention on issues rather than just limit religious figures to giving a prayer? 

Sister spoke beautifully about our responsbibility to all and gave strong support to the Catholic bishops' condemnation of the Paul Ryan Budget.  Sh eintroduced herself by saying "I'm one of the nuns on the bus,"  referring to the multistate bus trip a groups of Catholic religious sisters took to support the Catholic Church in its oppostion to the Paul Ryan budget plan.

In April, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued an unusually strong letter opposing many of his proposals. They “stated that the Ryan budget failed a basic moral test,” said Sister Simone, saying that the cuts would harm families living in poverty.

“We agree with our bishops,” Sister Simone said, emphasizing her words slowly, adding, “And that’s why we went on the road.”


http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/DNC-Event/C3872415/

MORMANS FOR OBAMA!

ANOTHER FAITH GROUP ORGANIZING TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBAMA

To our fellow children of God who are members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, this blog commends you for the new organizing effort "Mormans for Obama." 

Yes, not all Mormans are supporting Romney.  At the Democratic National Convention yesterday the LDS Democrats gathered to show their support for President Obama.  The room at the Holiday Inn was packed to overflow. 

Among them was 53-year-old nurse practitioner Jennifer Meldau of South Carolina. She considers health care, education, and the environment to be her top causes. “Romney does not reflect my political beliefs,” she said.

Mormons for Obama have also mobilized on Facebook, where their page has roughly 300 “likes.”  Here is the Facebook link:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mormons-for-Obama/113491828735304

Their website is here:  http://mormonsforobama.org/

And don't forget, tonight at the Democratic National Convention, Sr. Simone Campbell will be speaking sometime after 8:00 pm EDT.

CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS AGREE

Protestant Ministers Join Catholic Bishops To Say Romney-Ryan Agenda is ‘Dangerous for America’

African American Ministers in Action, a national coalition of African American pastors, spoke out on Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan to be his running mate.

“Mitt Romney already had a dangerous agenda for America – especially Black America – and now he’s doubled down,” said Rev. Dr. Robert P. Shine, Vice-Chair of African American Ministers In Action. “Paul Ryan’s appalling budget proposal, if enacted, would strike an enormous blow to our social contract. It would absolve the very wealthiest of their obligations to give back to the country that supports them, while increasing the burdens on working people who are struggling to get by. It would rob from health care and food assistance and education to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. It would deny the least fortunate among us the opportunity to change their circumstances, while showering the most fortunate with tax cuts. These skewed priorities do not align with the teachings of Christ or with our highest American ideals.

“Like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, we believe that Paul Ryan’s vision for American ‘fails to meet… moral criteria.’ Now, Mitt Romney, in an effort to pander to the farthest of the far right, has adopted Ryan’s flawed vision as his own. We can’t afford to have Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in the White House.”

From the Catholic Labor Network

What Do the Catholic Bishops Point to as Examples of Subsidiarity?  Labor Unions!

The thoughtful 2012 USCCB Labor Day Statement "Placing Work and Workers at the Center of Economic Life" gently admonishes the current generation of politicians, noting that "In the current political campaigns, we hear much about the economy, but almost nothing about the moral imperative to overcome pervasive poverty in a nation still blessed with substantial economic resources." And at a time when some wish to invoke "subsidiarity" as a justification to attack the social safety net, Bishop Blaire, writing for the USCCB, points out that "Unions are a sign of subsidiarity." Blaire continues, "Like other institutions, including religious, business and civic groups, unions sometimes fall short... when labor institutions fall short, it does not negate Catholic teaching in support of unions and the protection of working people... indeed, economic renewal that places working people and their families at the center of economic life cannot take place without effective unions."


Read the Bishops full statement here: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/labor-employment/labor-day-statement-2012.cfm


And a happy and blessed Labor Day.