September 6, 2006
by Daithí Mac Lochlainn

.from the National Review:

"On the Left, Catholic leaders are urging religious voters to concentrate on other issues, namely the Iraq War. By focusing their public criticism on the President, they are hoping to make the congressional elections a referendum on Bush that energizes voters hungry for change. A group of Catholic sisters meeting in Milwaukee last month made headlines by publicly rebuking the president for policies ?that continue the war in Iraq, that violate human rights along our borders, that intensify poverty, that pollute our earth, and that deny our interdependence with all peoples.' On Aug. 3, the name of death-penalty opponent Sr. Helen Prejean of Dead Man Walking appeared on a considerably more pointed statement in the New York Times that called for Bush's ouster on account of his support for 'a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism,' torture, 'a murderous' war, 'a culture of greed, bigotry, intolerance and ignorance,' and attempts to curb abortion. Prejean later distanced herself from that last criticism - which directly contradicts the teachings of her Church - but she made no apologies for the ad's vitriolic tone and comparison of Bush to Hitler. 'I signed the ad because as a follower of the way of Jesus and a U.S. citizen, I cannot stand by passively and silently as I witness my government wage such grievous oppression and violence,' Prejean said in a statement published on her website."

Ms. Campbell's portrayal of Sister Helen is a fair one, more so than I would expect to read in the National Review these days.

(Although her referral to a woman religious solely by her surname makes me cringe. Then again, I am probably more traditional than most would think.)

Unfortunately, however, one would think that the author believes that aversion among Catholics to blowing up other human beings, their villages, market places, houses of worship, bridges and general infrastructure is found solely on the "Left".

I doubt whether the left/right paradigm is useful anymore in U.S. politics, let alone Catholic sociology. Anyway, "left", "right", "liberal" and "conservative" are political terms, not ecclesiastical ones.

Significant opposition to the Bushling's mischief in Iraq (and by proxy, Lebanon) is found among rather orthodox and even traditional, Catholics. (And certainly quite a number were under the bombs dropped on those countries!) Indeed, only an extremely liberal reading (with a paper shredder in lieu of spectacles) of Saint Augustine's "just war" doctrine would allow for the disaster inflicted upon the people of Iraq.

As the article pointed out, Sister Helen has repudiated the statement's position on abortion. This leaves no moral or doctrinal reason for barring her from speaking in the Diocese of Duluth, unless of course, the Infallibility of the Bushling is now taught as doctrine within that local church. If this is the case, this is a theological innovation and should be brought to the attention of Rome.

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And why should Sister offer apologies for her criticism of the Administration? As an informed Christian and an American, it's her duty and right to do so.

Shall we demand an apology from Saint Ambrose of Milan? From Saint Maria Skobtsova? From Saint Maximillan Kolbe?

Or is making allusions to fascism the sole prerogative of the Secretary of Defense?

Sister is the product of the U.S. Catholic school system, as is yours truly. We were both taught about the "just war" theory as well as the greater body of the Church's Social Doctrine. I think that I can speak for both of us when I express gratitude for our Christian education. We were taught these things for a reason.

According to Saint John's Gospel, Jesus attended a wedding, at which he turned water into wine. (This, of course, happened at Cana, or Qana. The vicious bombing of this ancient town was recently perpetrated with enthusiastic cheering from "Christian Zionists" and the connivance of an alleged mystic living in the Washington, D.C. area. )

I find impossible to believe that our Lord would change water into wine for these newlyweds and then insist that they don't drink it. (Yes, I am aware that some Christians seem to believe just that!)

Why then, is our Church offering the transformative teachings on Social Justice, only to have our Bishops tell us not to speak or practice them?

It seems that the central spring mechanism of the U.S. Catholic "Activist Trap" pivots solely on one's support for this current Administration in Washington. It gives a free ride to wolves and shepherds who gather together for breakfast and mutual backslapping, and quite ungentlemanly ensnares a nun who sincerely teaches and practices the Faith.

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Daithí Mac Lochlainn [send him email] is a researcher, journalist, conceptual artist, community activist and shameless agitator. Find all of his writings at http://gaelicstarover.blogspot.com/