US Conference of Catholic Bishops Statement on the Economy

September 26, 2008

Dear Secretary Paulson, Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader Boehner:

The economic crisis facing our nation is both terribly disturbing and enormously complicated. I write to offer the prayers of the U.S. Catholic Bishops and express the concerns of our Conference as you face difficult choices on how to limit the damage and move forward with prudence and justice. As pastors and teachers, my brother bishops and I do not bring technical expertise to these complicated matters. However, we believe our faith and moral principles can help guide the search for just and effective responses to the economic turmoil threatening our people.

* Human and Moral Dimensions: This crisis involves far more than just economic or technical matters, but has enormous human impact and clear ethical dimensions which should be at the center of debate and decisions on how to move forward. Families are losing their homes. Retirement savings are at risk. People are losing jobs and benefits. Economic arrangements, structures and remedies should have as a fundamental purpose safeguarding human life and dignity. The scandalous search for excessive economic rewards even to the point of dangerous speculation that exacerbates the pain and losses of the more vulnerable are egregious examples of an economic ethic that places economic gain above all other values. This ignores the impact of economic decisions on the lives of real people as well as the ethical dimension of the choices we make and the moral responsibility we have for their effect on people.

* Responsibility and Accountability: Clearly, effective measures are required which address and alter the behaviors, practices and misjudgments that led to this crisis. Sadly, greed, speculation, exploitation of vulnerable people and dishonest practices helped to bring about this serious situation. Many blameless and vulnerable people have been and will be harmed. Those who directly contributed to this crisis or profited from it should not be rewarded or escape accountability for the harm they have done. Any response of government ought to seek greater responsibility, accountability and transparency in both economic and public life.

* Advantages and Limitations of the Market: Pope John Paul II pointed out that the free market is the most efficient instrument for utilizing resources and effectively responding to needs, but there are many human needs which find no place on the market. It is a strict duty of justice and truth not to allow fundamental human needs to remain unsatisfied. Both public and private institutions have failed in responding to fundamental human needs. A new sense of responsibility on the part of all should include a renewal of instruments of monitoring and correction within economic institutions and the financial industry as well as effective public regulation and protection to the extent this may be clearly necessary.

* Solidarity and the Common Good: The principle of solidarity reminds us that we are in this together and warns us that concern for narrow interests alone can make things worse. The principle of solidarity commits us to the pursuit of the common good, not the search for partisan gain or economic advantage. Protection of the vulnerable - workers, business owners, homeowners, renters, and stockholders - must be included in the commitment to protect economic institutions. As Church leaders we ask that you give proper priority to the poor and the most vulnerable.

* Subsidiarity: Subsidiarity places a responsibility on the private actors and institutions to accept their own obligations. If they do not do so, then the larger entities, including the government, will have to step in to do what private institutions will have failed to do.

This is a challenging time for our nation. Everyone who carries responsibility should exercise it according to their respective roles and with a great sensitivity to reforming practices and setting forth new guidelines that will serve all people, all institutions of the economy and the common good of the people as a nation. This includes not just the leaders of the economic life of our country. It means the political leaders and all those whose own expertise can contribute to a resolution of the current situation.

Our Catholic tradition calls for a society of work, enterprise and participation - which is not directed against the market, but demands that the market be appropriately controlled by the forces of society and by the state to assure that the basic needs of the whole society are satisfied (Centesimus Annus). These words of John Paul II should be adopted as a standard for all those who carry this responsibility for our nation, the world and the common good of all.

Sincerely,

Most Reverend William F. Murphy
Bishop of Rockville Centre
Chairman, Committee on Domestic Justice and
Human Development

Saints Cosmas and Damian

Lectio of the Day
Readings of the Day

Ss. Cosmas and Damian

Little is known of the lives of this set of twins from Aleppo, Syria. They are honoured throughout the Mediterranean, where they are called the anargyroi, or the money-less ones. They acquired this appellation because they were doctors who healed people without pay. It is known that they healed people in Syria and Arabia, and taught many the Catholico-Orthodox faith (as they taught what has become in the region the modern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Churches).

Palin "blessed to be free of witchcraft"?!?

Today, Yahoo!News reported that Sarah Palin was once "blessed to be free of witchcraft" at one of the churches which she attends. This may sound quaint or possibly reminiscent of another era, but it is both disturbing and bigoted. I feel that this news story needs to recieve more coverage in the press, as it points to the fact that having an Administration with Palin in it would be far worse than the Bush Administration has been. Numerous people have made fun of Bush's mis-interpretations and mis-applications of Christianity over the past eight years; Palin it seems would provide even more egregious examples of "bad Christianity".

The You Tube Video of the blessing is problematic because the Bishop Thomas Muthee (note he is NOT a Bishop in the Catholic or Othodox faith, but in the Word of Faith Church!) and the church of which he is a part focuses their doctrine and actions "on ridding the world of demons — and witches". This is disturbing as many conserative "christian" sects view Catholicism and Orthodoxy as being "pagan" or "witchcraft". Consider how members of faiths such as Heathenism, Wicca, Asatru, Hellenismos, Hindusm and others which practise polytheism or pantheism would be viewed by Palin.

I am so upset by this, that I can't really say much more than this is just one more reason why I do not see how a Christian who beleives in Social Justice, Human Rights and Good Stewardship as taught by Christ himself in the Gospels can vote for McCain/Palin.

I will comment more later.

St. Padre Pio

"The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain" (a saying of Padre Pio)

Lectio of the Day
Daily Mass Readings Online

Saint of the Day:
Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

EWTN has a special site set up to celebrate the life of Padre Pio, which is loaded with facts, quotes, personal history, and photos of the saint.

Today's First Reading, from the Wisdom book of Proverbs is most interesting and relevant considering the economic news :

Like a stream is the king's heart in the hand of the Lord;
wherever it pleases him, he directs it.

All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes,
but it is the Lord who proves hearts.

To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrafice.

Haughty eyes and a proud heart --
the tillage of the wicked is sin.

The plans of the diligent are sure of profit,
but all rash haste leads certainly to poverty.

Whoever makes a fortune by a lying tongue
is chasing a bubble over deadly snares.

The soul of the wicked one desires evil;
his neighbour finds no pity in his eyes.

When the arrogant man is punished, the simple are the wiser;
when the wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.

THe just man appraises the house of the wicked;
there is one who brings down the wicked to ruin.

He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself also call out and not be heard.

My Personal Commentary:

I look at the news headlines and consider how ignorance of these proverbs on the part of our leaders has led to the crisis we now face. It isn't that people have not been speaking out for months that our economy was headed for trouble - it was that the Bush Administration and those responsible for the health of the economy in our country didn't heed their warnings. The Bush Administration and the Republicans worked hard to deregulate the mortgage and investment banking industries so that they could profit, and now the retribution for their risky behaviour and predatory lending to the economically disadvantaged is at hand.

Pope Benedict XVI, in his recent visit to Lourdes warned against placing too much reliance upon money and material goods. The Pope focused on the ills of modern materialism, taking time to specifically condemn unbridled passions for power, possessions, and money. It seems as if the past eight years in this country have been ruled by these very passions; despite all their talk about being "good Christians", the Republicans have made idols out of money and power.

Let us consider the following as we meditate on today's proverbs:

"Have not money, the thirst for possessions, for power - and even knowledge - diverted man from his true destiny?" Pope Benedict XVI

The Autumn Equinox

Today is the Autumn Equinox, which is a harvest festival in many faiths. The beginning of Autumn is viewed as a time for introspection and balancing. This festival is sometimes called Second Harvest or Harvest Home because it is the time of the harvesting and preparation of the second round of crops. It is a time to store up goods and foods for the coming winter months. The full moon following the equinox is known as the "harvest moon" because before electric lights, the full moon's bright light helped workers in the fields to gather crops.

The Fall Equinox is a holiday that Catholics share with Pagans, Wiccans, and anyone wanting to live in harmony with nature and the seasons. An inclusive way to celebrate the holiday with friends and family of other faiths is to decorate your home and altar with brilliant autumn leaves, ears of corn, stalks of wheat, pine cones, and gourds as an offering of thanks for the harvest, and have a dinner party that incorporates fresh fruit, vegetables, and meats harvested locally by farmers in your area.

Over the next few weeks, make sure that you take time for reflection on your words, thoughts, and actions, as this can help you to analyze your own personal harvest... this is also a good period of the year to take time to bring projects to a close (especially those that are taking many moons and seasons to complete) so that you can accept newness in your life. It is also a time for you to look at areas of your life to see if there is chaff which needs to be winnowed out - fall is a good time to get rid of the old to make way for the new which is to come in future seasons.

Finally, be sure to enjoy the changing of the seasons - appreciate the cooler air, say thanks that soon the hurricane season will be over, praise God that we have a harvest and food, and most of rejoice and praise the beauty of the leaves. If possible, go to a state or national park near you and just spend some time among the trees and nature and thank God for life and the seasons. If you do visit a park, make sure to make a donation to the park rangers and staff in thanks for their work and to support the preservation of nature!

To see where fall foliage is changing in your area, or to see pictures on your computer, click here.