John Boehner Meets The Catholic Faith

[Amskeptic]

Is it time for the church to speak out about American legislative decisions?
Colin

John Boehner Draws Catholic Criticism for Record on the Poor
ABC NEWS

House Speaker John Boehner delivered the commencement address at Catholic University Saturday despite some unusually scathing criticism from a group of prominent Catholics who say he's failed on a key matter of faith: caring for the poor.

"Your record in support of legislation to address the desperate needs of the poor is among the worst in Congress," the group of 75 Catholic academics and community leaders wrote Boehner Thursday in a letter published by the National Catholic Reporter.

"This fundamental concern should have great urgency for Catholic policy makers. Yet, even now, you work in opposition to it," they said.

The signatories, many of whom work at the University, focused their criticism on the House Republicans' 2012 budget, which passed last month and includes deep cuts to some social service programs.

It "guts long-established protections for the most vulnerable members of society. It is particularly cruel to pregnant women and children," they wrote.

The authors didn't suggest rescinding Boehner's invitation to speak or the honorary degree, but they pressed the Republican leader to recommit himself to what is considered a core church teaching.

"It is your moral duty as a legislator to put the needs of the poor and most vulnerable foremost in your considerations," they said. Boehner responded to the criticism Thursday, telling reporters he believes his congressional record "upholds the values of my faith."

"I think America has a strong safety net for those who live near the bottom of our economy, and I think that we should," he said. "And like any religion, you'll have some who are a little bit more liberal and some are a bit more conservative."

Boehner has said that Catholicism plays a foundational role in his life. "While I don't wear it on my shirt sleeve, I have deep abiding faith in our Lord," he said in an interview with Diane Sawyer last year.

Yuval Levin, a former domestic policy advisor to President George W. Bush and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said the letter attempts to "use the facade of religious authority to score political points."

""Who is to say that a higher rate of growth in Medicaid funding, rather than policies aimed at more robust economic growth that could lift people out of poverty, are better for the poor? It's a prudential question, which most religious traditions leave to prudential policymaker and voters to decide," Levin said.

"The writers can certainly express their disagreement with how Boehner makes those prudential calls, but it's hard to believe they are justified in claiming that their detailed policy views are simply backed by Catholic doctrine," he said.

The controversy is not the first for a Catholic university over the selection of a prominent political figure to deliver the commencement address.

In 2009, the University of Notre Dame's invitation to President Obama sparked outrage in some Catholic circles given his views on abortion, gay rights and embryonic stem cell research -- all of which contradict church teaching.

[Lanval]

No love for Boner [sic] here, but the Catholic Church is literally the last group that should be lecturing anybody on ethics. The Church is nothing more than a large corporation which profits on the backs of the poor. If they were even remotely concerned with the poor, they Church would sell it's many hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of art and other valuable items. A trip through the Vatican (which displays a small portion of the wealth housed in the Vatican only) proved to me that if they believe in charity, then it should start at home.

If they sell their art/antiques, they'd raise money that could help millions, while making the visual history of the Church and Europe much more widely available. Don't wait up for the Pope on that one, though.

Mike

[Cindy]

I don't disagree with you, Lanval, but charity is a HUGE part of Catholic theology and individual people (if not the corporate entity of The Church) have reason to be critical. Catholicism REQUIRES charity, and this is very apparent when you speak to any individual practicing Catholic. The Church often fails to carry out its principles, yes, but if these officials were speaking under pressure from their communities, I would say it's a legitimate complaint. And honestly, any institution who makes this guy's hypocrisy more visible--more power to 'em.

Cindy

[Bleyseng]

yes, the more the merrier!

[Amskeptic]

yes, the more the merrier!

I agree. And I want insurance companies to speak out on global warming as their payouts increase. There is truth threading through the flapping sheets to the political winds.
Colin

[ruckman101]

For a good decade it has been my opinion that the insurance companies would lead the call to act re: climate change. It's hitting them in the profit book.


neal