11/14/07

An important message from a muted voice...


Here are excerpts from a statement of the outgoing President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, William Skylstad, Bishop of Spokane. His November 13 statement calls for bipartisan cooperation towards responsible transition in Iraq.

For two years the US Catholic Bishops have been, in strong language, for responsible transition in Iraq. It is tragic that other moral issues mute the teaching authority of the Church to the degree that important statements like this one go largely unannounced and unnoticed. (You can find the full text of Skylstads' statement and an informative Q&A here.)
…Our Church both ministers among our troops and shares deep spiritual ties to the Church and people in Iraq. Pope Benedict XVI in his Urbi et Orbi Easter message of 2007 focused the world's attention on Iraq, a nation "torn apart by continual slaughter." As pastors and teachers, we are convinced that the current situation in Iraq remains unacceptable and unsustainable. Our Conference offers once again the goal of a "responsible transition" as an overall ethical framework for national decisions.

…As pastors, we have called for bipartisan action for almost two years. Our country needs a new direction to reduce the war's deadly toll and to bring our people together to deal with the conflict's moral and human dimensions. Our nation needs a new bipartisan approach to Iraq policy based on honest and civil dialogue.

Our Conference encourages our national leaders to focus on the morally and politically demanding, but carefully limited goal of fostering a "responsible transition" and withdrawal at the earliest opportunity consistent with that goal. The moral demands of this path begin with addressing the humanitarian crisis in Iraq and minimizing further loss of human life.

…Catholic teaching has long held that peace is more than the absence of war; it is built on the foundation of justice. This moral insight means that building a just peace in Iraq requires far more than military action; it demands a comprehensive political, diplomatic and economic effort. This effort begins in Iraq, but it does not end there. For this reason, we believe sustained U.S. efforts to collaborate with the other nations,including Syria and Iran, are critically important for bringing some measure of stability to Iraq.

The responsibility for stabilizing and rebuilding Iraq rests primarily with Iraqis, but the United States as well as other nations have a practical and moral obligation to act. Given the extensive devastation in Iraq, the U.S. has a unique and inescapable obligation to continue to offer major and continuing support for economic development and reconstruction. Respect for Iraqi self-determination suggests that our nation should reiterate our pledge not to seek permanent military bases in Iraq, nor control over Iraqi oil resources.

…A staggering two million refugees have fled Iraq; another two million Iraqis are internally displaced. The U.S. should immediately make more substantial commitments to Iraqi refugees by expanding admissions,eliminating roadblocks to resettlement, and supporting countries in the region burdened with war-related refugee populations. Extensive aid should be provided to internally displaced persons. The protection and promotion of human rights, especially religious freedom, in Iraq remain critically important.

…In all military actions, ethical norms require protecting civilians,using proportionate and discriminate force, rejecting torture, and fighting terrorism with nonmilitary means and the legitimate use of force when necessary. This is morally essential and also necessary for winning hearts and minds, especially in the struggle against terrorism.

Our concern for human life and dignity extends to the members of our own military. We support those who risk their lives in the service of our nation and recognize their generous commitment. U.S. policy must take into account the growing costs and consequences of a continued occupation on military personnel, their families and our nation. There is a moral obligation to deal with the human, medical, mental health and social costs of military action. Our nation must also make provisions for those who in conscience exercise their right to conscientious objection or selective
conscientious objection.

…We call on Catholics and others to persist in praying for peace and those most affected by the war and to engage these moral questions...

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for including this incredibly important stand the Bishops have taken. It is heartening to hear these words. I wish, as you mentioned, the church would be even more publicly outspoken against this terrible war. Iraq is devestated. So many lives lost. Our soldiers are coming home broken people. We will need to seriously step up as a faith community to help them in their healing. All of us also need to feel the responsibility of the toll of this war and work to heal the wounds.

    There are other important issues the church doesn't speak up about - global warming, for instance - protecting God's creation. Why do Catholics shun this topic? Why don't we preach about protecting the environment? Why don't we organize environmental service work? (I know, I should start it myself. And I intend to try.)

    Why did we switch the words "good earth" to "creation" in our Sunday intentions at mass?

    Thanks again for the message of peace!

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  2. Although I recall, at some point, rewriting the intercessions I don't recall why I changed "good earth" to "creation" in the intercessions. I don't believe, however, that it was out of any political or philsophical reasoning that I did so.

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  3. I am stunned, in the midst of this unjust war that has killed however many thousands, that O'Malley is stating that abortion is “the most important moral issue facing policymakers.” (front page Globe 11/15) He wants us to be single issue voters - in this political atmosphere!! Scandalous.

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