Bishop Aquila challenges Catholic politicians to act in accord with their faith

Fargo, ND, Feb 15, 2007 / 03:37 pm (CNA).- Bishop Samuel Aquila, the Bishop of Fargo, has issued a strong challenge to Catholic politicians, reminding them that they have a responsibility to ensure that their actions reflect their Catholic faith.

In his diocesan newspaper column posted today on the Diocese of Fargo Web Site, the bishop reminds politicians that, “every act of violence that attacks an innocent human person from the moment of conception to natural death is against the will of God and rejects the inherent dignity of the human person.

” Therefore, the Bishop said, “every Catholic politician must recognize and act upon this truth to be a faithful Catholic."....

”We cannot leave God at the door when we walk into the legislature,” the bishop tells Catholic politicians, “but rather we must allow the truth of God and the truth of the dignity of the human person to guide us in every decision we make. With each law or bill we consider, we must be, first, a people who recognize that there is the inherent dignity of human life that is bestowed by God and that can never be violated.”

“Once we begin to be the ones who determine what is good or what is evil, once we begin to be the ones who determine which human person has dignity and which one doesn’t, we will see…what happens to a society."

In his column, Bishop Aquila also refers to the recent movie “Blood Diamond,” saying, “In that society the lust for power, the lust for money, the lust for control overtakes and guides the human heart, with the result that violence and murder govern the society.” [Entire Post]

The full column can be found at www.fargodiocese.org.

My Comments:

Isn't it a blessing to hear these words of truth from a Bishop? Yes, we Catholics need to hear our U.S. Bishops speak out the truth not just in North Dakota but in every Catholic diocese. People today are often confused about the teachings of our faith because of the inconsistent messages and actions or inaction that some of Catholic clergy and lay people display. We need to shout out the truth to the world and make it clear to all what the teachings of Christ are and live out the faith in our lives. I am thankful for Bishop Aquilla and others like him who aren't afraid to follow the Church's teachings and to boldly proclaim the gospel message. I can still hear John Paul II's voice speaking out to all of us, "Be not afraid!"
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