South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 38, Ed. 1 Friday, March 23, 1984 Page: 4 of 16
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Opinion
March 23,1984 • 4
Viewpoint
Bishop’s voting
stand follows
papal example
By William G. Bilton ~
STC executive editor
Two weeks ago, Bishop Rene Gracida called for voter
registration stations to he set up in all parishes. Priests were in-
structed to encourage and aid their parishioners to register so
they can actively participate in the upcoming elections—local,
state and national.
The bishop also announced his intention to poll the major
candidates to learn their positions on various topics of intense
interest to the Church, abortion, tuit'on tax credits, death
penalty, nuclear arms to name only four.
In doing so, Bishop Gracida caught the attention of the
media. Ever since the U.S. bishops released their peace
pastoral, the role of the Church in the public forum has been
“news."
In his public comments, Bishop Gracida did not make ex-
cuses for his actions. He made it dear that the Church s
ministry in the public forum must continue to be cultivated.
There are those who accuse bishops who act as Bishop
Gracida of violating the separation of church and state. It seems
though, that the phrase is often used to tell religious bodies to be
quiet.
However, my reading of the constitutional principle—and
the theology which affirms its truth—is that separation of
church and state is designed to provide religious organizations
space to speak.
Bishop Gracida made it crystal clear that his goal was not to
encourage any Catholic to support any particular candidate.
Rather, his goal is to encourage active participation by all
members of the diocese in the election process of our democratic
society. This requires cultivation of an informed public opinion
on key questions, coupled with being registered voters so we
mav exercise our right—o>»r duty—at the ballot box.
Bishop Gracida knows, a popes have addressed themselves
to the fact, that if the Church fails at such cultivation, then it
loses an important moral as well as political resource.
Pope John XXIII wrote, in his famous apostolic letter Pacem
in Terns, that the Church has the right to be involved in the
political process. He said, “it must not be forgotten that the
Church has the right and duty not only to safeguard the prin-
ciples of ethics and religion, but also to intervene authoratively
with her cnildren in the temporal sphere when there is a ques-
tion of judging the application of these principles to concrete
cases. ’
Public opinion, whether it is an informed or uninformed opi-
nion, does have an effect o«, political realities. Thus, an inform-
ed public opinion is central to the public role of the Church.
We are all faced with complex issues. The four named above
are only examples of very visible public issues which require
that those concerned with the eihics of policy examine the
prem ises of candidates and make them known to the communi-
ly‘
The U.S. bishops’ peace pastoral is an example of how the
public role of the Church can set an atmosphere of moral
scrutiny and contribute to the good of all concerned.
Bishop Gracida is continuing that same effort as he en-
courages voter registration and informed participation in the
elections facing us this year,
Catholic
Official newspaper of the Diocese of Corpus Christi,
Published 45 times a year. Subscriptions $7 annually.
Bishop Thomas J. Drury
Salo Otero
Publisher Emeritus
Staff writer
Bishop Rene H. Gracida
Mary Turner
Publisher
Circulation/A dvertising
William G. Bilton
Lana Laurel
Executive Editor and General Al onager
Production
1200 Lantana St. Second class postage
Corpus Christi, TX 78407 fcpo) paid al Corpus Christi, TX
512/289-^501 v~/ (USPS - 540-8601)
The Human Side
Family farms
the future?
in
By Father Eugene Hemrick
NC News Service
The news on farm life isn’t very good these
days.
Recently, NC News reported that the decline
in the number of family farms in the Diocese of
Sioux City, Iowa, has accelerated dramatically
during the past five years.
At the same time, the Washington Post cited a
report which read, “While all farmers are having
problems, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission
reported in 1982 that black farmers face special
difficulties that stem from racism and limited
credit. As a result, more than 57 percent of all
black farmers went out of business during the
past 10 years, reflecting a major loss of black-
owned land.”
If farmers are leaving the land and the numher
of family farms is dwindling, should this be con-
sidered bad news?
Five years ago the U.S bishops addressed this
question in the document titled “The Family
Farm.” Stewardship, they point out, is essential
to farm life,
The owner-operator of a farm has incentives to
preserve the health of the land that others cannot
be expected to have. Personal love of the land,
the bishops fear, could easily be lost and the land
left to speculators interested in the personal gain
of the moment if farmers are forced to leave.
The document is a plea to all of us to become
involved in stemming the demise of the family-
farm lest we lose precious land needed for pro-
viding food.
No doubt there are some who disagree with the
need to have a family farm. It ran be argued that
we are living in modern times in which the cor-
porate venture has replaced the efforts of the in-
dividual. Technology demands that old tradi-
tions give way to the new.
Without corporate ventures, ma.iv new
horizons would never have been reached It took
a corporate venture to send us to the moon.
Could not one big corporation, therefore, buy up
the Corn Belt and be just as successful in
developing new horizons for farming? Would
this not also alleviate the struggling of hundreds
oV farmers?
I have to say nU Ancient wisdom teaches us
that nature always has been considered sacred
The earth is life-producing and demands as
much personal reverence and care as we can give
her.
Is it not true that in the name of progress we
have polluted much of our air and killed wildlife?
Have not manv of these mistakes caused us to
reassess the need for personal touch and concern?
Phis nxed for reverence and the persona] touch
lead me to believe America could make one of its
biggest mistakes if by the turn of the century
family farms disappear.
Many of us who live in cities or suburbs have
never had the opportunity to think much about
the family farm. A family farm is out there,
somewhere in the distance. As long as food keeps
coming at a reasonable price, the farm from
which it comes never enters our mind.
In light of the disturbing statistics, the lime has
come to direct our thinking to the future of the
family farm. It is not enough to have a document
by bishops or a few columnists address this issue.
All of our youth and adult population who
reap the fruits of this land must be involved.
It is very urgent that our Catholic educators
strongly promote the study of the bishops’ docu-
ment on this subject, *t has many suggestions on
how to become involved effectively in saving the
familv farm.
Father Eugene Hemrick is director of
research for the National Conference of
Catholic Bishops.
Readers
F orum
Agrees with editor
I read the Viewpoint column, A Return to
Caveman Days?’’, (STC, 3-9-84), with total
agreement concerning the problems of sexual
assault.
In addition to working for tougher rape laws
there are steps each one of us can take: We can
refuse to be a part of stories and jokes that “put
down” people whether women or men; we can
take a stand on the violence being exhibited par-
ticularly on the television ar.d movie screens; we
can also take a stand against violence in the
printed media; and we can show reverence and
respect to all creatures and our land.
Individual people can make a difference,
Sincerely,
Kay West
Sexual Assault Coordinator
Information, Referral & Crisis Intervention Ser-
vice, Corpus Christi
Finds Hart confusing
In the Washington Letter (STC, 3-9-34), Gary
Hart said he was personally opposed to abortion,
and it is a matter of personal choice, but that he
was opposed to the use of capital punishment on
moral grounds.
How is it possible to be pro choice and ap-
orove the murder of unborn human beings, and
vet be opposed to the use of capital punishment
on moral ground/ It seems that Mr, Han thinks
that it is really wrong to permit capital punish-
ment, but not really wrong to permit murder of
innocent, defenseless unborn babies, at least it is
not wrong enough for him to try and stop it, and
he is quite willing to let it continue. With such
mixed up morals, we have to wonder what posi-
tions Mr. Hart would ha^e to protect human life
at all the other stages of existence,
Whrn any politician either cannot, or does not
draw the line where human life iz involved,
where can they draw it? Is it not crystal clear that
they have no principle) Is it not clear that their
position is only for their own benefit in the hope
of election? If the greatest value of every human
being is a life itself, and such transcendent value
is not acknowledged and supported by a politi-
cian, there is no reason why anyone should trust
him or her for any public office.
Sincerely,
Clifford L. Zarsky
Corpus Christi
Letters policy
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from our readers. Letters shoulcbbe brief and to
the point
The newspaper reserves the right to edit all let-
ters for clarity and length. All letters must be
signed.
Send letters to the South Texas Catholic, 1200
Lantana, Corpus Christi, TX 78407.
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Bilton, William G. South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 38, Ed. 1 Friday, March 23, 1984, newspaper, March 23, 1984; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth840329/m1/4/: accessed June 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .