THIS CATHOLIC'S VIEW
By Thomas J. Reese, S.J.During the 2008 presidential campaign, there was a steady
drumbeat of opposition to Barack Obama from some U.S. Catholic
bishops, which only increased after his election. But despite the
attention these attacks received in the media and on Internet blogs,
polls show that the Catholic people are not listening.
He has been criticized:
• for being the most pro-abortion president ever, even though he
wants to develop programs that will reduce the number of abortions
while keeping it legal under most circumstances (he supports
restrictions in the third trimester with an exception for the health of
the mother);
• for allowing organizations that do abortions outside the U.S. to
receive government funds, even though the funds cannot be used
for abortions but only for non-abortion-related activities such as
health care and birth control;
• for proposing to revise the Bush regulations dealing with stem cell
research, even though the proposed revisions are less radical than
many anticipated (no cloning is allowed and only stem cells from IVF
embryos that would otherwise be discarded can be used; plus the
informed consent rules are tightened);
• for proposing to revise the Bush regulations that allow
conscientious objection in health care, even though it is clear from
the law that the revised regulations cannot require doctors, nurses
or hospitals to perform abortions;
• and for supporting the Freedom of Choice Act, even though
everyone in Congress says FOCA is going nowhere (it has not even
been introduced in this Congress) and the President has said it is
not one of his priorities (which is the equivalent of deep-sixing it).
These critiques seem to be falling on deaf ears.
In the presidential election, Catholics voted for Obama, and
Hispanic Catholics, who are a growing percentage of U.S. Catholics,
gave him around two-thirds of their vote. Since the election, Obama
has continued to do as well if not better with Catholics in the polls.
Nor are Catholics listening to those bishops who have condemned
Notre Dame University for inviting the President to speak at its
commencement this month. According to a Pew Forum poll, 48
percent of Catholics have not even heard of the controversy. And
when asked whether it was right or wrong for Notre Dame to invite
Obama to speak and to give him an honorary degree, 50 percent of
Catholics said it was right and only 28 percent said it was wrong.
What is wrong?
Why are the bishops not being listened to?
Many think they lost their credibility because of the sex abuse crisis.
Others say it was even earlier when the laity rejected the hierarchy's
opposition to artificial birth control.
I think part of the problem is that the bishops stopped listening and
teaching and started ordering and condemning. With an educated
laity it no longer works to simply say, "it is the teaching of the
church." This is the equivalent of a parent shouting, "Because I said
so."
The bishops must persuade and convince with arguments not by
turning up the volume. When they resort to commanding and
threatening punishments, people are turned off. Banning speakers,
denying Communion, silencing theologians is a sign of weakness not
strength.
Censorship and violations of academic freedom come
across as admissions that their arguments are not convincing and
therefore the opposition must be silenced.
The result is that the sales of books go up after a theologian is
condemned. Obama's Notre Dame speech will be covered by every
cable news channels. Even movie producers understand this
dynamic, which is why "Angels and Demons" is having its world
premier in Rome and is just begging the Vatican to condemn it.
The bishops are being egged on by Republican activists whose
presidential candidate lost the election. There is clearly a
conservative conspiracy to do whatever is possible (
including lying
about ambassadorial candidates) to create conflict between the
Catholic Church and the Obama administration.
They want the
Catholic Church to be the Republican Party at prayer. Some bishops
are falling for this. But the Vatican is not falling into this trap. It clearly wants to have a
positive relationship with Obama. The Pope sent him a
congratulatory note after his election, although it is normal Vatican
protocol not to do this until after the inauguration. Recently, an
article in L'Osservatore Romano stated that the first 100 days of
the Obama administration have not confirmed the Catholic Church's
worst fears about radical policy changes in ethical areas.
No American bishop has been brave or honest enough to say this.
The best Vatican journalists John Allen of the National Catholic
Reporter and John Thavis of Catholic News Service could find no
evidence of an anti-Obama sentiments from the Pope or the Vatican
Secretariat of State. The Vatican has had centuries of experience
working with governments where they agree and talking to them
about those issues where they disagree.
The bishops who oppose the President's presence at Notre Dame
are going to be embarrassed by the warm welcome he receives from
the commencement audience. Every round of applause will be a
repudiation of their condemnations.
The bishops will also be embarrassed when Pope Benedict
welcomes President Obama at the Vatican, or are all these people
going to tell the Pope that he cannot talk to a pro-choice
President?
Thomas J. Reese, S.J., is Senior Fellow at Woodstock
Theological Center at Georgetown University.
