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About The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (April 23, 1987)
OCi $ — r c I. - PAGE 5 — The Georgia Bulletin, April 23, 1987 Ivan J. Kauffman Making Peace Democracy And Gospel Linked “A culture of death is beginning to impose itself more every day in our country, be it through terrorism of the op position or through terrorism of the state.’’ — Archbishop Jose Ascarza Archdiocese of Concepcion, Chile Papal Mass, April 5 Pope John Paul It’s visit to Chile recently not only had a major impact on the political struggle there, it had much wider implications as an indication that he is committed to combining human rights and democracy in a way that makes both of them essential components in Catholic social teaching. This was not a totally new development of course, but the language which Pope John Paul used on this trip was clearer than he or any other pope has used, and his actions — which spoke even more loudly than his words — appear to have committed the Catholic Church to a political course which if followed could have major implications throughout the world. What set the stage for the unusual significance of his statements on this trip is the political situation in Chile. Gen. Pinochet, who heads the government, took power 13 years ago in a coup. There is a strong Communist Party in Chile and Gen. Pinochet justifies his dictatorship — and the tor ture he uses to stay in power — as the only alternative to communism. When Pope John Paul arrived in Santiago, Gen. Pinochet immediately appealed to his anti-Communism. But the Pope had already told reporters enroute that he considered 1 the General’s government “dictatorial” and that he intended for the Church to play the same role in Chile as it had in the Philippines last year. “This is part of the pastoral mission of the Church,” he said. When he was told Gen. Pinochet had said bishops should spend their time praying and stay out of politics, Pope John Paul firmly rejected the idea. There are political leaders and other people everywhere in the world who say to Church leaders, “Stay in the sacristy and do nothing else,” he said with emotion. “The Church cannot let itself die” by ignoring social issues he told reporters. Again and again he stressed that working for human rights is an essential part of the Church’s religious mission. When a reporter asked the Pope whether he hoped to bring democracy to Chile, he answered, “Yes, yes.” He added, “I am not the evangelizer of democracy, I am the evangelizer of the Gospel,” but then — in what appears to be one of the more significant statements of his papacy — he said, “To the Gospel message, of course, belongs all the problems of human rights, and if democracy means human rights it also belongs to the message of the Church.” Linking democracy to the essential message of the Gospel in this way appears to be a new departure in papal thought. Some 19th century popes had even opposed democracy because it was supported by anti-Christian political movements. But what the whole world is discovering in our time is that democracy is the only alternative to dictatorships of either the right or the left, and that the only practical way to pro mote human rights is to promote democracy. Pope John Paul’s explicit adoption of democracy was the only way he could provide a practical, non-violent option to the Chilean people, who were chanting in the streets, “Pope John Paul, free us from the tyrant!” Once again we have seen how impossible it is to classify Pope John Paul as either conservative or liberal. Along with those who call themselves conservative he is staunchly anti communist, but at the same time with those who call themselves liberal he places human rights above everything else. For him there is no contradiction; he opposes com munism because it denies human rights, and he opposes dic tatorships like Gen. Pinochet’s for the same reason. And as an alternative to both he offers democracy. Antoinette Bosco The Bottom Line "Family Leave" Is Pro-Fami Parental leave bills were proposed recently in both the Senate and the House. Opposition was immediately heard from several groups, including the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, which said parental leave would be too costly for employers, primarily in finding temporary replacements. Lest anyone get the idea that we’re talking about continu ing to give a paycheck to mothers who stay home after giving birth, let’s clarify immediately what the bills are about. All that is being asked is some job security. For example, the Senate bill introduced by Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., simply asks that a mother be able to take 18 weeks of unpaid “family leave” to care for a newborn or newly adopted baby or severely ill child. Businesses with fewer than 15 employees would be exempt. The senator believes a woman should not have to choose between caring for her infant or her job. He got right to the heart of the matter, telling fellow senators, "If all of us in the United States are to continue to depict ourselves as being pro-family, it is time we put our words to action and consider this bill during the 100th Congress.” Sen. Dodd hit a sensitive button when,he used the term “pro-family.” We have to admit that the United States — which talks a lot about family values — is loathe, in practice, to help parents, particularly mothers. Rep. Patricia Schroeder, D-Colo., who introduced a family and medical leave act in the House, pointed this out. She said, “If you printed a map of the world that showed only the countries without parental leave, there would be only a handful — the United States, Upper Volta, the Sudan and South Africa.” Sen. Dodd’s motivation for the bill he proposed is humane and practical. “Today, close to half of all mothers with infants under 1 year of age work outside the home,” he said. “And two out of every three women working outside of the home today are either the sole providers for their children or have husbands who earn less than $15,000 a year.” They need to have the assurance that their job — not a luxury, but a necessity — will be waiting for them after they have launched their new infant. Yet, in 40 states a working woman who takes some time off to have a baby faces the real possibility of losing her job. On ly 10 states guarantee pregnant women some kind of leave and reinstatement benefits — Connecticut, California, Mon tana, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Kansas, Illinois, New Hamp shire, Ohio and Washington. The bottom line is that families have changed and the workplace has changed — but old attitudes about both haven’t. We know better, but we still revert to images of the nice family model where the mother stays home, has the babies and raises them while the father works on the job that pays enough to provide a good, comfortable home. A parental leave bill is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the consideration that should be given to an American family, particularly an American child. But at least it is a start. It is long past time to be pro family in ways that count. (Copyright (c) 1987 by NC News Service) Father John Dietzen Question Corner A Question About Marriage Q. | am a Catholic, at least by birth, involved with and plan ning a future commitment with a baptized Lutheran. My ques tion is probably very fundamental. I previously was married in < the United Church of Christ and have since been divorced. Does this prevent me from receiving the sacrament of matrimony in the Catholic Church? Since the crisis involved in my divorce, I have grown in faith as many do when faced with something that depends on one’s hope and faith. I pray very hard that the Catholic Church will accept my re quest to be married in my faith. (North Carolina) * A. From what you have told me, no obstacle prevents your marriage in the Catholic Church to another Catholic, or to a member of any faith or of no faith. You were baptized a Catholic, apparently in your infancy or at least when you were very young. According to Catholic Church regulations, you should be married before a Catholic priest in order to be validly married in the eyes of the church. 1 Apparently that has not happened up to now. It is possible for you to enter the marriage you contemplate and have that marriage completely valid and recognized by the church so that you will confine to be a full member of our ' faith. Please contact a priest in your parish or in your area and explain to him the facts you have given me. I am sure something will be worked out very simply. Q. I am a Catholic who was married in the Catholic Church years ago. After 17 years and three children my husband sud denly said he wanted a divorce so he could marry a young girl, only five years older than our oldest daughter. We were finally divorced. He remarried and so did I. My se cond husband died in 1956. Since then I have not remarried. I am now a great-grandmother, 76 years old. Is it possible for me to go back to Holy Communion? Do I need to talk to a priest about it? (Rhode Island) A. I’m sorry you waited so long. Nothing prevents your receiving the sacraments and there is no need for a special visit with a priest. Please go to the sacrament of penance as soon as you can and get back to receiving the Eucharist. I hope you do it soon. Q. In the liturgy of the Mass the priest says, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.” Is it not wrong for us to be giving thanks to the saints or the Virgin Mary for prayers answered, as the classified sec tion of our diocesan paper suggests? Scripture instructs us in several places to give thanks to God the Father always and for everything. (Florida) A. Have you ever asked someone to pray for you and then, if you receive what you prayed for, thanked that person for his or her prayers? I imagine you have done so and that is precisely the mean ing of our “thanks” to any of the saints or to the mother of Jesus for their prayers. It is true, all good things come to us from God our Father through Jesus our Lord. However, if we believe in the efficacy of prayer it does not detract from the honor due to our heavenly Father to thank the people who pray for us. In thanking the people in heaven (any of the saints, in cluding our own friends and relatives in heaven and the Mother of Christ herself), we detract nothing from the thanks due to God our Father, since their prayers as well as ours are directed to him and all things, we believe, come to us from the infinite bounty of that Father. A free brochure outlining marriage regulations in the Catholic Church and explaining the promises in an interfaith marriage is available by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Father John Dietzen, Holy Trinity Parish, 704 N. Main St., Bloomington, III. 61701. Questions for this column should be sent to Father Dietzen at the same address. (Copyright (c) 1987 by NC News Service)
