Church should be 'engaged but not used' in politics, bishops say

Published: 2003-10-13

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- In today's political climate, the U.S. Catholic Church must be "engaged but not used," the U.S. bishops' Administrative Committee said in a document designed to promote dialogue before the 2004 elections. The document, "Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility," was unanimously approved by the 47-member committee in September and made public Oct. 13. A similar document has been issued before every presidential election for the last 28 years. "We welcome dialogue with political leaders and candidates, seeking to engage and persuade public officials," the bishops said. "But we must be sure that events and 'photo ops' are not substitutes for work on policies that reflect our values." The Administrative Committee -- made up of the executive officers of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, elected committee chairmen and elected regional representatives -- is the highest policy- and decision-making body of the bishops apart from the entire body when it meets twice a year in general assembly. Much of the 8,500-word document is devoted to a discussion of issues that church leaders would like to see taken up in the presidential campaigns.

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