Well, here's what we've been waiting for...
Not the full report, but an 'interim' report from the USCCB Task Force on 'Catholics in Political Life.'
There's little that's surprising or unexpected. It reiterates the essentials of Catholic teaching, both on the immorality of abortion, the role of morality in the political sphere, the necessity of examination of conscience before receiving the Eucharist, and the primacy of the episcopal ordinary in decisions of disciplinary and sacramental practice, etc.
In short, it's vague enough, in every aspect, to justify nearly any interpretation. In sentence after sentence, just when you think they're gearing up for a punch ("The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms . . .") they qualify it with an arbitrary phrase which makes any disciplinary response or judgment utterly impossible (". . .which would suggest support for their actions").
One could have wished for something with a little more punch, but I suppose such a wish would have been unrealistic.
# posted by Jamie : 8:21 AM
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