Fr. Michael Lampe shares the truth in love through his homilies and other recordings. May all who come to this blog be drawn more closely to Jesus Christ!
There are lots of things that are going on in our lives and demanding our attention. Globally, there is the pandemic. Nationally, we have our elections coming up. The holidays will be here soon too. We are bombarded with many forms of entertainment and material things to consume. How do we figure out what is most important? How do we prioritize the many options of our lives?
Jesus was teaching about being faithful citizens first as members of the Kingdom of Heaven, which started with our baptisms, but also in our countries here on earth. Be faithful in both. What then does God through His Church teach us about being faithful citizens? Listen to my homily to find out!
This audio recording is from the 5:30 pm Mass and the video recording below is from the 9:15 am Mass. The bulletin articles mentioned in the homily can be found below as well.
Here are the articles that appeared in the bulletin over the last few weeks:
Moral Issues and Voting
Below are some excerpts from the USCCB document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.
22. There are some things we must never do, as individuals or as a society, because they are always incompatible with love of God and neighbor. … These are called "intrinsically evil" actions. They must always be rejected and opposed and must never be supported or condoned. A prime example is the intentional taking of innocent human life, as in abortion and euthanasia. In our nation, "abortion and euthanasia have become preeminent threats to human dignity because they directly attack life itself, the most fundamental human good and the condition for all others" (Living the Gospel of Life, no. 5). …
23. Similarly, human cloning, destructive research on human embryos, and other acts that directly violate the sanctity and dignity of human life are also intrinsically evil. These must always be opposed. Other direct assaults on innocent human life, such as genocide, torture, and the targeting of noncombatants in acts of terror or war, can never be justified. …
25. The right to life implies and is linked to other human rights … As St. John XXIII taught, "[Each of us] has the right to life, to bodily integrity, and to the means which are suitable for the proper development of life; these are primarily food, clothing, shelter, rest, medical care, and, finally, the necessary social services" (Pacem in Terris, no. 11).
26. St. John Paul II explained the importance of being true to fundamental Church teachings:
Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights-for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture-is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination. (Christifideles Laici, no. 38)
What does the Church teach about Catholics as citizens?
From the Archdiocese of St. Louis document Political Process Guidelines for Parishes, Schools, and Agencies (#1.1):
The Church teaches that human persons need to live in society as a requirement of their human nature and in order to fulfill their human vocation.1 … The role of legitimate authority in society is to “ensure as far as possible the common good,”2 exercising their authority in ways that are not “contrary to the dignity of the human person or the natural law.”3
Catholics are called to participate in promoting the common good and, as far as possible, to take an active part in public life.4 …
To fulfill this calling, Catholics must be informed, active, and responsible participants in the political process. … They need to know about current social issues, to understand the Church’s teachings about their moral dimensions, to form their consciences in light of their faith, and to act out of their moral convictions. …
Among all the concerns and issues facing society, there is an order of priority. Conditions upon which other conditions depend must receive first consideration. Therefore, the first consideration must be given to the protection of human life itself, and within considerations of protection for human life, the protection of the life of innocent, defenseless, weak, and burdened persons must have primacy of place.13
“In weighing all of the social conditions which pertain to the common good, we must safeguard, before all else, the good of human life and the good of marriage and the family.”14 “The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death is always wrong and is not just one issue among many. It must always be opposed.”15 “The family – based on marriage between a man and a woman – is the first and fundamental unit of society and is a sanctuary for the creation and nurturing of children. It should be defended and strengthened, not redefined, or further distorted.”16
