Catholics at the Capitol

MADISON — In his encyclical Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love), Pope Benedict XVI said, “The Church . . . cannot and should not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper.”

Bishop Peter F. Christensen of Superior said this quotation summarizes what he wanted to say in his keynote address, “Reclaiming the Common Good in the Year of Faith,” at the eighth biennial Legislative Conference, Catholics at the Capitol, held on April 10 in Madison.

Catholics from around the state attended the conference, which began with sessions at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center and concluded with participants having the opportunity to visit the offices of their state legislators.

Why we are here

Bishop Christensen asked, “Why are we here? Why spend time in this arena?”

He answered these questions with three points:

• We need to be educated on topics of the day, the work of government, and our role in it.

• We need to remind ourselves of our responsibility as citizens to participate.

• We should celebrate the gift of our faith in a marketplace setting and remind others that everything we have is from God. The election of Pope Francis, said the bishop, has especially given us “every reason to be proud, especially of the charitable witness of our pope.”

While some people might think we should keep religion out of politics, Bishop Christensen asserted, “As citizens we have every right to be here and make our voices heard. As Christians we enter fully in the public arena, because we have a right and an obligation which stems from our baptism.”

Bishop Christensen read from a letter written in the year 130 AD by Diognetus, a Greek tutor of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The emperor had asked his tutor to describe what Christians look like.

Diognetus said Christians were indistinguishable from other people, with no particular speech or dress. “They follow the customs of the city, but they are citizens of heaven,” he said. “Christians love all men. They live in poverty but they enrich many. They are defamed. A blessing is their answer to abuse.”

Bishop Christensen called this a “powerful letter,” reminding us that Christians are a “leaven”and “a light in the city.”

This letter reveals tensions between Christians and the rest of society. “Not everyone wanted what the Christians offered,” the bishop noted.

Yet, he reminded, it is the responsibility of Christians — especially the lay faithful, as Pope Benedict said in Deus Caritas Est — to work for justice in economic, social, administrative, and cultural areas and to work for the common good.

Catholic Social Teaching

The Catholic Church works for the betterment of the entire society as shown in the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching, said Bishop Christensen. He summarized them:

• Call to family, community, and participation — The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society affects human dignity. Marriage and the family are central social institutions that must be supported.

• Rights and responsibilities — Human rights must be protected. Every person has the right to life and a right to those things required for human decency.

• Option for the poor and vulnerable — A basic moral test is to see how the most vulnerable are protected in a society. We must serve the least of our brothers.

• The dignity of work and the rights of workers — The economy must serve the people, not the other way around. The basic rights of workers must be respected.

• Solidarity — We are one human family. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

• Care for God’s creation — Care for the earth is a requirement of our faith.

Bishop Christensen said we should take these principles seriously in the arena of politics and “use the gifts of reason and faith.”

Importance of civility

Above all, “Do it with great charity,” he said.

“Civility begins with self-respect. We need to know our identity and it comes from God. Every one of us matters to God. A civil person is respectful of the needs of others.”

He mentioned that George Washington followed 110 Rules of Civility compiled by French Jesuits. “He recognized the importance of civil behavior at an early age,” said Bishop Christensen.

Talking to the young people in the audience, Bishop Christensen said, “Perhaps God may be calling you to a vocation in working in politics. We need people to use their minds and hearts in public service.”

Bishop Christensen urged participants in the Legislative Conference to pray for their government and its leaders that “they be wise and strong in courage.” He then led the audience in praying of the “Our Father.”

John Huebscher, executive director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC), which organized the conference, said that Bishop Christensen’s keynote address “set a good tone for the day.”

Huebscher mentioned four key budget-related issues (here) for citizens to address with their legislators.

Governor Walker speaks of budget priorities

Governor Scott Walker spoke at the conference luncheon. “I appreciate the leadership of the bishops and others here,” said the governor, pointing to their “commitment to your faith and this great state.”

Governor Walker emphasized his support for expansion of school choice. He noted that there have been “tremendous outcomes” in the Milwaukee school choice program, including more students graduating and going on to college.

“This is happening to schools in the most impoverished areas and in challenging circumstances,” he said.

The program was expanded to Racine and there are proposals to expand it to other communities, including but not limited to Green Bay, Madison, Kenosha, Beloit, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, West Allis, and Waukesha.

“The goal should be that every child in this state should have access to a great education,” said Governor Walker. “For many it’s public schools. We’re not giving up on public schools. We expanded charter schools and made it easier for home schooling and virtual schools.”

Governor Walker said he is “still cautiously optimistic” about school choice expansion.

He also noted that he has proposed $29 million in his budget to expand mental health services across the state. This was being planned well before the Connecticut school shootings. “We’ve had great success in some counties. We want to push to replicate it in all 72 counties,” said the governor.

He also explained that he hopes to encourage able-bodied adults on food stamps to be given the “skills, work-ethic, and training to get a job.”

Panel discussion

Concluding the conference was a panel discussion on “Voicing Catholic Values in a Diverse Society” featuring Bishop Christensen; Auxiliary Bishop Donald Hying of Milwaukee; Julianne Stanz, director of evangelization for the Diocese of Green Bay; and Barbara Sella, associate director of the WCC. Huebscher moderated the discussion. Panelists discussed two issues, followed by discussion at tables among the conference participants.

The first topic was: Catholics often hear it said that religious groups should not address public policy issues, nor hinder the freedom to follow personal conscience and findings of science.

Bishop Christensen pointed out that about 25 percent of Americans are Catholic. “We are citizens and we should have a voice,” he said. “Catholics are for the most part well-educated. Catholics should be looked upon for their views on the issues of the day.”

Stanz, who works with young adults, said that “religion should bind us together.” However, she said for many young people, “life is compartmentalized.”

Stanz is from Ireland. She said at one point Catholics in Ireland were prohibited from being educated or attending Mass. She held up a cross with shorter arms. “The arms are shorter so it could be hidden,” she explained. Even with these challenges, the Catholic Church in Ireland flourished during this time, she said.

Bishop Hying said that “religion speaks to the freedom of the human spirit.” That is perhaps why every oppressive government has tried to stamp out religion, he said. “As Catholics we have street credibility because of what we do for the poor, social services, health care, and education.”

Sell said that Catholic positions on issues “are accessible to people of all faiths or no faith. We can offer the world our rich spiritual tradition.”

The second topic was: How can Catholics express their values to advance the common good in a way that persuades citizens in a pluralistic society.

Bishop Hying suggested that Catholics must “be more articulate in what we’re for, not what we’re against.” He also said the Gospel “needs to be acted out today.” Actions for peace, justice, and charity need to be part of the New Evangelization.

The conference was a collaborative effort between the WCC and Catholic organizations around the state, including archdiocesan and diocesan offices of social concerns and respect life, Catholic Charities agencies, the Catholic Health Association of Wisconsin, Councils of Catholic Women, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious-Region IX, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul-Milwaukee Archdiocesan Council.