Cardinal McCarrick: No simple answers on bishop-politician relations

Published: 2004-06-23

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- "There are no simple answers" as to how bishops should relate to politicians, Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington told the U.S. Catholic bishops at a national gathering near Denver. He said bishops need to be "political but not partisan" as they exercise their teaching, pastoral and leadership roles in the church, addressing the responsibilities of Catholic politicians and the relation between moral values and the political process. They must also be "principled but not ideological ... civil but not soft ... engaged but not used," he said. Cardinal McCarrick addressed the widely discussed issue of whether Catholic bishops should deny Communion to Catholic politicians who regularly contradict church teachings in their public policy positions on fundamental moral issues like abortion or euthanasia. "In our (the task force's) view the battles for human life and dignity and for the weak and vulnerable should be fought not at the Communion rail but in the public square, in hearts and minds, in our pulpits and public advocacy, in our consciences and communities," he said. Cardinal McCarrick, head of the Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians formed by the bishops' conference last fall, was one of three task force members to speak to the bishops during their June 14-19 meeting in Englewood, Colo. The meeting was closed to media but their texts were released in Washington June 23.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .