Faithful Citizenship

Thanks to all who attended the Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship Dialogues in Oct. at St. John the Evangelist Church. 

These dialogues were presented as part of a city-wide Catholic collaboration to bring awareness to our obligation to participate as citizens and Catholics.   It was also a St. John collaboration between Faith Formation and Social Action to present another of our continuing Adult Faith Formation events. If you have not had the opportunity, please read the Bishop’s statement “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship”. 

In our first evening, the document was opened by Suzanne Belongia, Director of Parish Social Ministry for the Diocese of Winona through Catholic Charities.  We are to consider the multi-faceted development of conscience and through prayerful reflection take on the obligation to vote AND participate in the political process of helping shape public policy for the common good.  This incluedes both opposing the intrinsic evils AND supporting the common good.  The difficulty of this in our present political atmosphere is that neither of the two major parties fulfill all the requirements of word AND action that support ALL the life issues.

In our second evening of perspectives we heard from a medical professional/father/Catholic that we place the intrinsic evils beside the common goods and see that the theme of human life AND dignity must be upheld in all areas.  Our Bishop reminded us that we must remain firm in our opposition to the intrinsic evils, but must work hard to voice the morality of policy needed to benefit the common good, for example in immigration reform.  Our Franciscan/woman/health care professional who worked with people of poverty for many years brought the vision of the common good as serving the poor and vulnerable, across the life spectrum, as crucial.  This is expressed in the principle of Catholic Social Teaching “Option for the Poor”.

On our third evening, we were challenged to be willing to engage in divisive dialogue to seek the common good, by finding a variety of ways to change the conversations that have locked us into polarization, then seeking solutions.  We were also challenged to understand and participate in the process of our government’s structure, checks and balances, and lawmaking.  We are to voice the Gospel values in shaping moral public policies and laws while using language common to these processes. 

Our dialogues reminded us that we come from different times, backgrounds, educations, families and other life experiences that influence our perspectives.   We are sometimes not even aware of the biases we hold.  There are even certain terms or words that lock us into a mind-set that prevents us from seeing another perspective.  We often hold on to a position so rigidly that we cannot see or speak beyond it.  We can also listen carefully, hear new insights and imagine new ways to partner with each other even from different places.  We can appreciate each other’s passion for certain aspects of human life and dignity.  We can support each other as voices for change in our political systems and process.  We can envision a way of being American which upholds the sanctity of life AND human dignity at all stages.  We can change the conversation and partner with others who are also seeking the common good based on Gospel values.  We can claim our Baptismal calls as “priest, prophet and king/queen” to pray, speak the truth about the signs of our own times, and bring practical voice and action to the current political process during and after this election.

Thanks!