By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 9/23/04)

"I’m not going to tell you who to vote for," was the one line that was repeated throughout the day at the Peace and Justice Seminar held at St. Charles Borromeo in Arlington last Saturday. The second theme that emerged was that before being people of politics, Catholics are called to be, first and foremost, people of faith.

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde celebrated the Mass that began the day’s seminar. He reminded participants of the recent terrorist attacks in Russia and how fragile peace is in a world of terrorism.

"If you want peace, work for justice," Bishop Loverde said, quoting Pope Paul VI. He continued by explaining that peace comes from being in right relationships to one another and society — by giving another what is due.

"What is due to another in our present society?" the bishop asked. "Fundamentally, a respect for life, as the ground for which all other policies need to be built. To foster and promote a culture of life … is not an option, but a requirement of the Gospel. To be unconditionally pro-life from conception to death, is nothing less than being just to one’s neighbor, whether that neighbor is the defenseless person in the womb or the person already born. To be pro-life is to respect life at every stage." (See full text of homily on page 7).

Father Gerry Creedon, pastor, welcomed the participants to the seminar that was organized by the Peace and Justice Commission. He hoped not only to educate and inform participants on issues of life, justice, solidarity and peace, but to offer materials that will translate the ideas into practice.

Dr. Stephen Colecchi, newly-appointed director of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Office of International Justice and Peace, gave the keynote address. He advised attendants to "leave their hats at the door." Whether one wears a conservative or liberal hat, an elephant or donkey hat, "the only hat we wear today is the hat of faith." For those who give into partisan politics, he said, are not seeing the Church’s world view. It is possible for any party to find something within Church teaching to support their view, but this ignores the bigger picture.

Colecchi explored the Church’s role in the public square. The separation of church and state has created an unintentional wall. In quoting "Faithful Citizenship," the document put out by the U.S. bishops, he refered to Catholic social teaching as a "consistent and compelling moral framework ... that will illumine the conscious of the faithful.

"The Church, by its nature, is universal and not committed to any social system," said Colecchi. The Church does not want to attach itself to any one political party. It transcends politics and is able to offer a critical eye to each situation and issue, he said.

Colecchi said that because the faithful live in an imperfect world, there are imperfect situations. Voting is an individual decision. "Jesus is not running for public office," he said. "Our choices remain pregnant with moral demands."

The goal is that voters look at each candidate as a whole. Voters should be interested in all the issues, as well as the integrity of the candidate, Colecchi said.

In assisting Catholics to make informed and moral decisions in the voting booth, Colecchi described a list of seven issues that ought to be considered: life and dignity of the human person, protecting the family, human rights, options for the poor and vulnerable, dignity of work, solidarity and caring for God’s creation. While all these issues are important to consider, "the right to life is pre-conditional for exercising all other rights," he said.

"Faith doesn’t allow us to confine our concerns to national ones," Colecchi said. "Borders are of great concern to us, but very little to God."

He said that the U.S. is in a unique position to help fellow nations in need by supporting international laws and "adopting generous immigration and refugee policies."

"Faithful Citizenship" calls for Catholics to be more than voters. "In all roles we help shape society, especially after the voting is done," Colecchi said. After voting, the political process continues, and it is the Catholic’s duty to share disagreements with politicians and call them to change.

"All Catholics are called to work within society as leaven," he said. "We need democrats and republicans and independents who are first of all Catholics."

After the keynote address, more than 100 participants attended breakout sessions to learn more. During the first session, Erik Giblin, program officer for the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights in Washington, spoke about "Fostering Solidarity," and Father Thomas P. Ferguson, pastor of St. Thomas à Becket Parish in Reston, spoke on "Defending Life." For the second session, Helen Brewer, principal of St. Mark School in Vienna, spoke on "Promoting Peace," and Colecchi spoke on "Advancing Justice."

"The breakout sessions allowed for needed dialogue and listening to one another," Father Creedon said.

At the end of the day, Father Creedon reminded the crowd that faith is nothing without works. He encouraged them to go back to their parishes with renewed vigor to promote peace and justice issues.

Father Creedon also said that he was thrilled with the level of participation at the event that he hopes will become a yearly project.

"My hope is that this will lead to stronger commitment to organizing social ministries on a parish level — to promote service and justice, not just service," Father Creedon said. "We should strengthen our witness to the unborn and accompany it with a consistent advocacy of life in all situations where life is threatened by violence and poverty."