US Bishops, Bishop Malone and Franciscans Advice on Voting and Abortion Discussed at Holy Family Parish, Albion

One party is pro-choice and the party that calls itself “pro-life” has poor record on abortion and other life issues.

Ultimately we have to ask, which party is more apt to support other initiatives against abortion and the other “life” issues that the Catholic Church (and others) identify.

About two dozen people attended morning and evening sessions in the Msgr. McCabe Room at Holy Family Parish in Albion to discuss voting and Bishop Malone's statement as it appeared in the October issue of WNY Catholic, the Franciscans for Justice on Election, and a synopsis of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. Copies were distributed.

Golden highly recommended the Bishops' document, which he said provided guidance for not only voting, but for thought and action by all believers for the future.

He reviewed what he believed was the basic tenant from Forming Consciences: “Catholics often face difficult choices as to how to vote. This is why it is so important to vote according to a well-informed conscience that perceives the proper relationship among moral goods. A Catholic shouldn't vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, deliberately subjecting workers or the poor to subhuman living conditions, redefining marriage in ways that violate it essential meaning, or racist behavior, if it's the voter's intention to support that position. In such cases a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate's opposition to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness to other important moral issues involving human life and dignity.”

Both the Bishops and Bishop Malone, say that we “should vote for positive as well as negative issues.”

Abortion became a major issue:

“How can we vote for someone who would allow abortion?”

“How can we vote for someone, who isn't equally concerned about born children?” Golden queried back. “Out of greed, pride, desire to have power over others, or neglect, we allow practices that sicken, maim and kill children in this country and all over the world.”

From Golden's reflection on the Bishops' paper, he observed: “Although, all children are covered in the document, born children are not named among those 'most vulnerable.' Yet, a significant percentage are physically, sexually and emotionally abused, neglected, rejected, raised with violent and/or mentally ill parents, and even in this country illegally employed and exploited and murdered We need to be concerned about children out of the womb as well as children in the womb.

Also, we rank 30^th in infant mortality out of 35 developed nations.

The so-called “pro-life” candidate says he'll deny health care coverage to immigrants' and undocumented parents' children. How is that pro-life? Bishops say that “all” should get health care.

Bishops further: 'Children are to be valued, protected and nurtured.'”

Another a frequent marcher at DC rallies insisted that all issues are not “morally equivalent” echoing the Bishop and Bishops. He said: “Abortion, Euthanasia, Stem cell research are non-negotiable issues.”

Bishop Malone pointed to all “direct killing” as above and also included genocide, targeting of non-combatants, terrorism and racism.”

Pro-Life marcher: “I have to vote for the one party, because “pro-life” is in their platform.”

Golden pointed out one party says they're pro-life and therefore opposed to abortion. It's been in their platform for probably 40 years. But “By their 'fruits' you shall know them” (quoting our founder, Jesus Christ). Although they say they're opposed to abortion, and had a 40 year majority in the Supreme Court, and had control of Congress for 29 years of 35 years they've passed no law or made any change significantly limiting abortions. The chance to add a Hyde-type amendment (disallowing funding for abortions) to Affordable Care Act, was ignored because the party that says it's didn't want to give President Obama “a victory.” So stated by Senate leader Mitch McConnell and others. As far as this party seemed concerned, victory over Pres. Obama was more important than children in the womb, and 'the common good.'”

Further their last two presidential candidates were publicly Pro-Choice, until they decided to run for president on the “pro-life” party ticket. So power was(is) more important than abortion.

This party doesn't seem to support many of the other issues the Catholic Church cites as pro-life.

Christ the King seminarian, Justin Steeg provided an article from ETWN that the “pro-life” candidate has been “pro-choice” in the past. Further he's considering his sister for Supreme Court. She recently, as Judge, struck down a New Jersey law, which outlawed late term abortions.

So you have one party that says it's pro-choice. And the other major party says it's pro-life, but acts the opposite.

Franciscans for Justice: “We believe that only by defending against all threats to life and creation will Catholics be able to credibly make the case for the culture of life and inclusion.”

US Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The right to life implies and is linked to other human rights to the basic goods that every human being needs to live and thrive. All life issues are connected for the erosion of respect for any individual or group in society necessarily diminishes respect for all life.”

Golden: Passing a law outlawing abortion is nowhere near enough. His religion prof at Holy Cross, in 1958, told us that there are an estimated ½ million abortions annually in the US, despite its being against the law. The rich and powerful would get abortions for their daughters, based on some medical “need,” and the desperate poor, in back alley clinics. Simply passing a law will not stop abortions. The rich will continue to get them and the poor will take the risks.

We have to do more to stop abortions, for instance:

a. Seek to eliminate the sexual abuse and exploitation of women and, therefore, also “unsought” pregnancies.

b. Support women who choose to have the child. The Buffalo Diocese Pro-Life Program provides great examples of doing just that.**

c. Make adoption easier and more affordable.** Rosanne Golden Leach, member of several Parish activities and anti-domestic violence advocate, told that her granddaughter's lawyer wanted $40,000. for an adoption.

d. Support adoptive parents and the adopting-out mother.**

*Note the number of other crimes that are committed: homicides, thefts, fraud, and hiring of “undocumented” immigrants, all of which are against the law.

**Information on these activities and how you might support them are available through Buffalo Right to Life Unit and suggestions from this writer: goldenjazz59@gmail.com.

Again, ultimately we have to ask, which party is more apt to support these four things and the other “life” issues that the Catholic Church (and others) identify: proper food, water and air, health care, especially for children and elderly, stopping pollution and global warming, protection of children from abuse and death, acceptance of immigrants and just enforcement that doesn't break up families, no racism and genocide, physician-assisted suicide, slave labor, trafficking and death penalty, and paying a “just wage.”

In the interest of space, the other discussions are not included. You can email or call for those discussions at goldenjazz59@gmail.com or call 585-682-4821.

The author notes that he writes from his own lens, which involves 16 years of Catholic education, with continued vigorous religious education and practice. He's been active at the parish, diocesan, community, state and national levels, which includes 43 years in criminal justice, 50 years of work and involvement with battered women and their batterers, and 52 years with migrant and immigrant farm-workers and farmers.

Robert E. Golden additionally is a graduate of Holy Cross(Jesuit), has a Master's Degree in Counseling, was a chair of a Pres. Reagan advisory committee, a member of the Bishop Kmiec's Justice and Peace Commission, who has written several articles for WNY Catholic and Buffalo, Rochester and other newspapers, and journals, and reviewed over 50 books at local libraries.

One concern: Justice; But, Many Issues

“As Catholics...Not Single Issue Voters”

Open Letter to Catholic Church, AMA and Local Government on Health Care Costs

(This article appears in the November 2016 WNY Catholic)

The Catholic Church is taking up a special collection for the health care for priests. One major reason: Health care is so expensive in this USofA. Unnecessarily expensive.

In the second Presidential debate, Sunday, October 9^th, Don Trump and Hillary Clinton were asked how to reduce health care costs.

I plead with the Catholic Church, the American Medical Association, Rite-Aid Pharmacy(our pharmacy) and all pharmacies*, local government, and both political parties to call out the health insurance companies, big pharma and medical implement companies on their greed-driven costs.

We know of patients who don't take certain prescribed medicines because they can't afford it, even if “covered” by insurance. We know people who don't go to the doctors because their spend-down and/or co-pay is so high and they can't afford it. We know people that still can't afford health insurance, despite the ACA, and chose the lesser penalty tax instead.

We see the ads for medical implements, “which will cost us nothing,” except as tax- and premium payers. Will cost us “nothing” except reduced police protection, education, health, mental health and veteran care, because government, saddled with unnecessarily high insurance and medicaid costs, can't afford adequate essential services.

In the meantime, insurance CEO's earn $10's of million, even, in one case $102 million/per year. That's not a million dollars per year, folks. That's 102 million dollars in one year. Not for producing a cancer cure. For taking our money, gambling with it and then doling our money back to us, sometimes stingily.

We took a cruise, about 15 years ago down the Miami Beach Intercoastal waterway. The tour guide pointed out a $32 million dollar winter home, and said “that's owned by a drug dealer.” The passengers gasped. “He's a vice-president(not president or CEO) of Pfizer Chemical.” We had a friend, with a PhD. in chemistry, who worked for a drug company. He told about staying at the Waldorf Astoria and eating at top NYC restaurants on his employer expense account.

Meanwhile, seniors and children and poor and middle class are suffering and even dying, because they can't afford their medications, doctor visits or insurance, which even then covers only a portion of the cost of care.

How did Trump and Clinton answer? Trump didn't. He went on a tirade against “'Obama' Care,” and went back to “Voodoo” (George H. Bush phrase) economics: competition will bring down costs, which might work if we didn't essentially have mainly monopolies and “price-fixing.” These are the same economics that failed Reagan, who promised to balance the budget, but instead doubled our debt, and multiplied the deficit. Trump never gave specifics as to how he'd reign in costs. By the way, it's the ACA (Affordable Care Act) not “Obama Care.” Obama Care would have been a single payer system, which would have halved the cost of health care, or at least Public Option, which would have forced Big Insurance to compete with government insurances, so they couldn't afford these huge salaries and their exorbitant expense accounts. So what we have is the Republican-modified ACA.

Then, Clinton answered with such a complicated answer, I had trouble following it. She stayed clear of the excesses of the Insurances and Pharmaceuticals. She had good reason. She'd learned from, when, as First Lady, she proposed universal health care, the huge financial power of the health insurances and pharmaceuticals blasted her out of the water.

The Catholic Church is concerned about “Justice” and “Life.” The AMA and Rite-Aide (and other pharmacies) are concerned about their customers' health and care. Local governments are concerned about their citizens.

If the Catholic Church, the AMA, Rite-Aid Pharmacy, local government and the NYS Association of Counties (NYSAC), and National Association of Counties (NACO) spoke out and acted out against the unfair costs of health care, it should have a positive impact.

There are solutions. Many have been proposed. Thusfar, they've been blocked by big insurance, big pharma and their publicity/advertising power. Many politicians, because of the ridiculous costs of campaigns, are beholding to these businesses, or fear the backlash from their fabulously deep pockets.

With the backing of the Catholic Church and other Churches, and others mentioned, maybe big business would do the right thing and/or our politicians would withstand the influence and vocal power of big business and take just actions.

Forming Consciences, the six Encyclicals on “Just Wage,” and Laudato Si, among many other Catholic and Christian articles I read, recommend: studying, acting, joining others in acting, in order to effect “justice” and change.

There's news that Affordable Care Act costs are rising considerably, but the increases are less than the CBO estimated in 2009 and much less than the annual increases in health care costs before the ACA. Further the costs are most caused by Big Insurance and Big Pharma, among other private for profit providers. We obviously need Public Option, as Pres. Obama proposed and we need to change the sweet-heart deal we made with Pharma12 years ago, as Nobel Prize economist, Joseph Stiglitz has so often argued.

So if we work together in our parishes, doctors, with our pharmacists and our local governments, we can support our churches and service providers to speak out and act.

*Rite-Aid, after buying out three other pharmacies, is now being bought out by Walgren's. Sounds like close to monopoly especially in our Western New York area. Maybe pharmacists would join in the effort to eliminate predatory pricing.

We also might consider in voting, which party is more apt to try to control these costs.

Robert E. Golden, 9 years(most as an officer) on a health center board, 4 years on President Reagan's Migrant Farmworkers Health Advisory Commission (2 as its Chair), 43 years in Criminal Justice; Republican (until 10/4/16), served on the Legislative and Executive Committees of NYSAC, and the Criminal Justice Committee of NACO. 16 years of Catholic education, Eucharistic Minister, a decade of doing CCD, Pre-Baptismal Dialogues and Pre-Cana, served on the Buffalo Bishop' Kmiec's Justice and Peace Commission, chairs his parish Social Justice Committee. Has published six prior articles for WNY Catholic. (Bob can be contacted at 585-682-4821, goldenjazz59@gmail.com)

 For WNY Catholic: 9/13/2016

US Bishops, Bishop Malone and Franciscans Advice on Voting Discussed at Holy Family Parish, Albion

One party is pro-choice and the party that calls itself “pro-life” has poor record on abortion and other life issues. Voting is a difficult choice was the crux of the discussions at Holy Family Parish, Albion

About two dozen people attended morning and evening sessions at Holy Family to discuss: Bishop Malone's statement as it appeared in the October issue of WNY Catholic, the Franciscans for Justice' on Election, and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.

(Moderator and Social Justice Chair, Bob Golden had outlined their three positions on the blackboard. The committee distributed copies of Bishop Malone's statement, the Franciscans' on Election, and Golden's three page synopsis of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' 39 page Forming Consciences.)

Abortion, environment, racism, health care, “just wage” and immigration sparked vigorous, but civil discussion.

Golden led off by highly recommending the Bishops' document, which he said provided guidance for not only voting, but for Catholic thought and action by the faithful for the future.

He reviewed what he believed was the basic tenant from Forming Consciences: “Catholics often face difficult choices as to how to vote. This is why it is so important to vote according to a well-informed conscience that perceives the proper relationship among moral goods. A Catholic shouldn't vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, deliberately subjecting workers or the poor to subhuman living conditions, redefining marriage in ways that violate it essential meaning, or racist behavior, if it's the voter's intention to support that position. In such cases a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate's opposition to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness to other important moral issues involving human life and dignity.”

Golden concluded: “However, we can support and vote for a candidate for other reasons, e.g. because they may be more concerned about the poor, children, women, racial minorities, environment or because we think they may be more successful in getting 'something' done. In fact, both the Bishops and Bishop Malone, say that we should vote for positive as well as negative issues.”

A member of the Holy Family Pro-Life effort and active parishioner, took issue. “How can we vote for someone who would allow abortion?”

“How can we vote for someone, who isn't equally concerned about born children?” Golden queried back. “Out of greed, pride, desire to have power over others, or neglect, we allow practices that sicken, maim and kill children in this country and all over the world. In criminal justice, if you even accidentally kill someone in the process of a crime, it's murder. It seems that if you're responsible for killing or injuring someone in the process of sinning gravely, that it's the same, and it's justice to view it the same.”

From Golden's reflection on the Bishops' paper, he observed: “Although, all children are covered in the document, born children are not named among those 'most vulnerable.' Yet, a significant percentage are physically, sexually and emotionally abused, neglected, rejected, raised with violent and/or mentally ill parents, and even in this country illegally employed and exploited and murdered We need to be concerned about children out of the womb as well as children in the womb.

“Further, if we're concerned about children in the womb, we must demand pre-natal care for pregnant women. It's critical to a child's future physical and mental health.

Bishops: 'Children are to valued, protected and nurtured.'”

Another Pro-Life activist, frequent marcher at DC annual rallies and leader in many other Church activities, insisted that all issues are not “morally equivalent” echoing the Bishop and Bishops. He said: “Abortion, Euthanasia, Stem cell research are major issues.”

Bishop Malone pointed to all “direct killing” as above and also included genocide, targeting of non-combatants, terrorism and racism.”

All three documents named racism (or prejudice of any kind) as a life issue.

Golden reflected on why “racism” is included. He quoted from Pope St. John XXIII's daily prayer, “Lord help me to be humble, so I don't hurt others.” Golden pointed out, it is when we believe that we are better, even better as a class, that someone is less than us, that we feel justified in exploiting, commanding, abusing and even eliminating/killing them. He told how he did groups with men who battered their wives for nine years with Genesee Hospital in Rochester. He used this quote often with the men. “Men have been led to believe throughout history, the they are better, more intelligent and out of this belief, feel justified in treating their wives in the same way we're inclined to treat racial, national and religious minorities.

“We believed it was all right to drive off and even eradicate the Native Americans. After all they were 'savages.' Who turned out to be the savages? Many have used religion, including our own, to kill “heretics” and others that opposed us. We insist on Muslims being like that, but Christianity has a similar history and two of the worst, Hitler and Stalin were raised Catholics.”

Gary Kent, Social Studies teacher and past County Legislator, pointed out that although one of the candidates insists that we should call out “radical Islamic terrorists,” we don't call the KKK, “radical Christian terrorists.” Golden added, that we didn't call Timothy McVeigh, who tragically bombed hundreds of mainly children in Oklahoma City, a “radical Irish-Catholic terrorist.”

From Golden's synopsis, “Bishops(USCCB) in their Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, led off with these exhortations from our current Pope's Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francis: We have “...a fundamental response: to desire, seek and protect the good of others” “...the Church(us) ...must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.” (Go to USCCB Forming Consciences for the full text-39 pages.)

Pope Paul VI, in his Progress of Peoples encyclical also on “just wage,” said that we wouldn't need charity, if we had justice. He concluded that the rich and powerful are content to let the Church and other charitable organizations make up for their exploitative, unjust treatment of workers.

Another asked: “Why do we hate the rich?”

It's not that we hate the rich. As did the six Popes on “just wage” and also Pius XII in a major speech and Francis I in his “human ecology” portion of his encyclical on the environment, we rightly deplore those employers, who commit the sin of greed and give less than a “living wage,” while they themselves profit excessively.

Gary Kent: “How can someone opposed to universal health care call themselves Pro-Life?”

We discussed scandalously high costs of medicine and insurance, and the greedily high salaries and expense accounts of insurance and pharmaceutical executives and upper staff that cause them. These costs are life-threatening to most elderly and the poor and even some middle class.

Margaret Golden, Eucharistic Minister and past Parish Council President, and also a leader in many other Parish activities, “we have to be concerned about all 'life' issues, including health and the environment as it affects health, especially clean water and clean air.”

Seminarian Justin Steeg, who is assigned to our Parish for ten months, pointed out that the recent popes in their encyclicals, have asserted that God's creation belongs to all human beings. Although we believe in the right to private property, a small group of people don't have the right to deprive the rest of us of clean air, water, good soil, access to the waterways, beaches and other beauties of nature. Further the pollution of these is sinful, wrong. He pointed out that according to Oxfam:, currently 62 persons control as much wealth as the bottom half of all humanity. That means the three billion of the lower half share what 62 persons have.

Golden: The last three popes, St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis have asserted again in encyclicals, that the environment is endangered and man is contributing and obliged to stop polluting. This is a life issue in central China and Africa and especially for coming generations. Pope Benedict hired 32 internationally known scientists, who concluded that global warming is real, that humans contribute to it and that we have to change our behaviors now.

Further: “Forming Consciences continues: “The right to life implies and is linked to other human rights—to the basic goods that every human person needs to live and thrive. All the life issues are connected, for erosion of respect for the life of any individual or group in society necessarily diminishes respect for all life.”

Franciscans For Justice: “We believe that only by defending against all threats to life and creation will Catholics be able to credibly make the case for the culture of life...”

Again quoting from the Bishops: “...Catholic moral teaching provide(s) a moral framework that does not easily fit ideologies of 'right' or 'left,' 'liberal' or 'conservative,' or the platform of any political party.”

And: “As Catholics we are not single-issue voters.”

Bishop Malone: “In forming our consciences to vote, we should not confine our attentions only to evils to be avoided. We are also called to care for creation...and to stand with immigrants and refugees as well as reach out to victims of human trafficking. The preferential option for the poor and economic justice are always touchstones of our Catholic moral vision.”

Pro-Life marcher: “I have to vote Republican, because “pro-life” is in their platform.”

Golden pointed out that one party is pro-choice and therefore for legalized abortion, the current law.

The other party says they're pro-life and therefore opposed to abortion. “However it's been in their platform for probably 40 years.” “By their 'fruits' you shall know them” (quoting our founder, Jesus Christ). We should know them by their actions or lack of and not what by they promise in an election campaign: “Although this party says they're opposed to abortion, and had a 7-2 majority in the Supreme Court, and had control of Congress for 29 years, in 35 years they've passed no law significantly limiting abortions. Laws proposed are mainly against women, with nothing holding the fathers responsible. Yet, men often call the shots and abusive men often cause abortions. The chance to add a Hyde-type Amendment to Affordable Care Act, was ignored because the party that says it's pro-life, didn't want to give President Obama “a victory” on universal health care, as stated by Senate leader Mitch McConnell and others. As far as this party seemed concerned, victory over Pres. Obama was more important than children in the womb, and 'the common good.'”

“Further their last two presidential candidates were “pro-choice, until they decided to run for president on the “pro-life” party ticket.”

So you have one party that says it's pro-choice. And on the other hand a party that says it's pro-life, but despite being in power has done little to make it illegal. This party doesn't seem to support many of the other issues the Catholic Church calls pro-life, the environment, (the last three Popes have said we're sinfully and fatally abusing our common home), immigrant treatment that concerns itself with justice and the family, peace initiatives, stopping the death penalty, racial justice, stopping the killing of non-combatants.

Christ the King seminarian, Justin Steeg provided an article from ETWN that the “pro-life” candidate has been publicly “pro-choice” in the past. He says that he's considering his sister for Supreme Court. She recently, as Judge, struck down a New Jersey law, which outlawed late term abortions.

Golden: Passing a law outlawing abortion is nowhere near enough. My religion prof at Holy Cross, in 1958, told us that there are an estimated ½ million abortions in the US, despite the fact it it against the law. The rich and powerful get abortions for their daughters, based on some medical “need,” and the desperate poor, in back alley clinics. Simply passing a law will not stop abortions. The rich will continue to get them and the poor will take the risks.

We have to do more to stop abortions:

a. Seek to eliminate the sexual abuse and exploitation of women and, therefore, also “unsought” pregnancies.

b. Support women who choose to have the child. The Buffalo Diocese Pro-Life Program provides great examples of doing just that.**

c. Make adoption easier and more affordable.** Rosanne Golden Leach, member of several Parish activities and anti-domestic violence advocate, told that her granddaughter's lawyer wanted $40,000. for an adoption.

d. Support adoptive parents and the adopting-out mother.**

We have to ask, Which party is more apt to support these four things and the other issues that Catholics and others identify as pro-life, including health care for all, care of born children, the environment, racial justice.

*Note the number of other crimes that are committed: homicides, thefts, fraud, and hiring of “undocumented” immigrants, all of which are against the law.

**Information on these activities and how you might support them are available through Buffalo Right to Life Unit and suggestions from this writer: goldenjazz59@gmail.com.

From Golden's synopsis, “Bishops(USCCB) in their Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, led off with these exhortations from our current Pope's Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francis: We have “...a fundamental response: to desire, seek and protect the good of others” “...the Church(us) ...must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.” (Go to USCCB Forming Consciences for the full text-39 pages.)

Further, Pope Francis says “a wall” between Mexico and US violates Christianity. Doesn't that sound like the Communist-built Berlin Wall, which divided families, friends, parishes and communities and which we viewed as oppression?

Golden recommended reading (he had them laid out on the display table) and heeding the teachings in the six great encyclicals on “just wage”(which we have an obligation to accept and obey, second only to infallible teachings) “This is a life issue for workers and their families.” These were written by Popes Leo XIII (1891), Pius XI, St. John XXIII, Pope Paul VI, St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

He also told how Pope St. John Paul II said that we've lost respect for work and workers and revere only money and financial “success,” often dishonestly and exploitatively gained, Golden added. “1990's research that showed that over 70% of US corporations had committed five or more felonies. So much for three strikes and you're out, which our system applies to every one else, well, at least to the middle, working class and poor.”

The Bishops cite “four basic principles of Catholic social doctrine: the dignity of the human person (and right to life), the common good(as opposed to benefits and justice for only select people) subsidiarity (giving people the rights and means to care for themselves, that is seeking to provide justice, first, then charity. Pope Paul VI in his encyclical on “Just Wage” stated that charity is necessary only to correct injustice) and solidarity (concern for all fellow humans, including and especially 'the least of these.' In famous other words, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”)

Bishop Malone also said that citizens have duties, among which are:

1. Pay taxes --The Democratic candidate shared her tax returns—she did pay taxes. The Republican candidate refused to share his returns. When accused of paying no taxes, he replied, “I'm smart.” it seems we can surmise he paid little or no taxes.

2. Defend your country – The Democrat is a women and wasn't draftable. However, her husband and the Republican candidate, both draftable, avoided the draft.

3. Vote – Republicans in different states are making it difficult to register, targeting certain groups, that would most likely vote democratic, and bragging about it. One among many references was an article in the Jesuit America magazine.

.

The Bishops urge “a new kind of politics:

• “Focused more on moral principles than on the latest polls
• “Focused more on the needs of the weak than on benefits for the strong
• “Focused more on the pursuit of the common good than on the demands of narrow interests”
• The author would add: Base your decisions on what candidates and parties have done and how they've behaved, rather than what they promise

The author notes that he writes from his own lens, which involves 16 years of Catholic education, with continued vigorous religious education and practice. He's been active at the parish, diocesan, community, state and national levels, which includes 43 years in criminal justice, 50 years of work and involvement with battered women and their batterers, and 52 years with migrant and immigrant farm-workers and farmers.

Bob Golden 585-682-4821

Robert E. Golden additionally is a graduate of Holy Cross(Jesuit), has a Master's Degree in Counseling, was a chair of a Pres. Reagan advisory committee, a member of the Bishop Kmiec's Justice and Peace Commission, who has written several articles for WNY Catholic and Buffalo, Rochester and other newspapers, and journals, and reviewed over 50 books at local libraries.

One concern: Justice; But, Many Issues

“As Catholics...Not Single Issue Voters”

Bishops On Politics

 For WNY Catholic: 9/13/2016

Bishops on Politics: One concern: Justice; But, Many Issues

“As Catholics...Not Single Issue Voters”

Pope Francis: We have “...a fundamental response: to desire, seek and protect the good of others” “...the Church(us) ...must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.” The US Conference of Bishops(USCCB) in their recently published Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, lead off with these exhortations from our current Pope's Evangelii Gaudium. (Go to USCCB Forming Consciences for the full text--39 pages.)

They caution “...Catholic moral teaching provide(s) a moral framework that does not easily fit ideologies of 'right' or 'left,' 'liberal' or 'conservative,' or the platform of any political party.”

They cite “four basic principles of Catholic social doctrine: the dignity of the human person (and right to life), the common good(as opposed to benefits and justice for only select people) subsidiarity (giving people the rights and means to care for themselves, that is seeking to provide justice, first, then charity. Pope Paul VI in his encyclical on “Just Wage” stated that charity is necessary only to correct injustice) and solidarity (concern for all fellow humans, including and especially 'the least of these.' In famous other words, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”)

Forming Consciences continues: “The right to life implies and is linked to other human rights—to the basic goods that every human person needs to live and thrive. All the life issues are connected, for erosion of respect for the life of any individual or group in society necessarily diminishes respect for all life.”

Here's a laundry list of “right to life” items, most culled directly from the Bishops' document and some from the author's experience:

1. No abortion – in addition to legal remedies, which have limited success.*

a. Seek to eliminate the sexual abuse and exploitation of women and, therefore, “unsought” pregnancies.

b. Support women who choose to have the child. The Buffalo Diocese provides great examples of doing just that.**

c. Make adoption easier and more affordable.**

d. Support adoptive parents and the adopting-out mother.**

*Note the number of other crimes that are committed: homicides, thefts, fraud, and hiring of “undocumented” immigrants, all of which are against the law).

**Information on these activities and how you might support them are available through Buffalo Right to Life Unit and suggestions from this writer: goldenjazz59@gmail.com.

2. Care for born children & all persons; with “preferential treatment of the poor:”

a. Parents/families and foster parents

b. “Just wage” or living wage, as described in six Popes' encyclicals, starting with Leo XIII(1891) thru Benedict XVI, and including two very recent saints, St. John XXIII & St. John Paul II

c. Healthy food

d. No physical or sexual abuse or exploitation

e. No violence in home

f. Clean water

g. Medical care, incl. especially, pre-natal and early childhood

h. Mental health treatment for parents, children & all in need, especially Veterans

i. Education, equal education, affordable college

j. No acts against family, including less than “just wage,” excessive employer demands, denying pay, refusing to pay agreed-to-amount, anti-family immigration enforcement, illegal (or unethical) foreclosures, etc.

k. Infectious disease control

l. Shelter

m. Police protection in poor areas.

n. Pollution protection, especially in poor areas, e.g. Flint MI

3. No mercy killing

4. Care of elderly, including reasonably priced health care

a. fair costs for drugs, implements and insurance

5. Care of veterans: esp. no political bargaining with life issues, by requiring unrelated items to be attached.

6. “Just Wage” and need of workers to be able to organize. Cited in 2b. Above.

7. Care of women, similar to #2. above

8. “Justice” (as above)

9. “Common Good”--“The common good indicates 'the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily' (Gaudium et Spes). “...Every human being has a right to life, the fundamental right that makes all other rights possible and a right to access those things required for human decency—food and shelter, education and employment, health care and housing.” Furthermore, the six “Just Wage” encyclicals say that God's creation belongs to all of us and particularly water, land and air, let alone the fruits of our labor. Further, these should not be appropriated (or plundered) by a few powerful with the rest of us denied access and use.

10. Caring for the weak, poor and the excluded. (Buttressed by the six “Just Wage” encyclicals.)

11. Protecting the Environment: “Protecting the land, water, and air we share is a religious duty of stewardship and reflects our responsibility to born and unborn children, who are most vulnerable to environmental assault.” Further, we're obliged to preserve for future generations.

12. Just distribution of income

13. No economic oppression nor real and virtual enslavement: workers need bargaining rights (six “just wage” Encyclicals).

14. No usury(oppressive interest rates), “recourse to usury is to be morally condemned.” No unethical or predatory bank and business practices, taking unfair advantage of people's vulnerable positions.

15. Peace

16. No racism, or other unfair discrimination: “...society(we) has the obligation to...overcome the legacy of injustice, including vigorous action to remove barriers to education, protect voting rights, support good policing in our communities(including poor areas), and...equal employment for women and minorities.”

17. No death penalty

Author's note: Although, all children are covered in the document, born children are not named among those “most vulnerable.” Yet, a significant percentage are physically, sexually and emotionally abused, neglected, rejected, raised with violent and/or mentally ill parents, and even in this country illegally employed and exploited. We need to be concerned about children out of the womb as well as children in the womb. Further, if we're concerned about children in the womb, we must demand pre-natal care for pregnant women. It's critical to a child's future physical and mental health. “Children are to valued, protected and nurtured.”

More from Forming Consciences: “Catholics often face difficult choices as to how to vote. This is why it is so important to vote according to a well-informed conscience that perceives the proper relationship among moral goods. A Catholic shouldn't vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, deliberately subjecting workers or the poor to subhuman living conditions, redefining marriage in ways that violate it essential meaning, or racist behavior, if it's the voter's intention to support that position. In such cases a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate's opposition to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness to other important moral issues involving human life and dignity.”

“...the fundamental principles that guide these teachings should not be ignored in any case nor used selectively in order to serve partisan interests.” “As Catholics we are not single-issue voters.”

The Bishops urge “a new kind of politics:

• “Focused more on moral principles than on the latest polls
• “Focused more on the needs of the weak than on benefits for the strong
• “Focused more on the pursuit of the common good than on the demands of narrow interests”
• The author would add: Base your decisions on what candidates and parties have done and how they've behaved, rather than what they promise

The author strongly recommends reading this document in its entirety(about 40 pages). It's an inspired piece of work that is a guide for not only preparing to vote, but for being active in the Catholic Church and the community.

We observed that in the several Catholic teachings listed, despite quoting of encyclicals in the text, no encyclicals are included. These are the most authoritative teachings of the Church, next to Ex Cathedra (infallible) pronouncements. Possibly it is because they are fairly long. However we find them to be inspiring. We particularly recommend the six “just wage” encyclicals, concluding with Benedict XVI's Charity in Truth, and, as well, Pope Francis' Evangelii Gaudium and Laudato Si. These can be accessed at the Vatican website.

The author notes that he writes from his own lens, which involves 16 years of Catholic education, with continued vigorous religious education and practice. He's been active at the parish, diocesan, community, state and national levels, which includes 43 years in criminal justice, 50 years of work and involvement with battered women and their batterers, and 52 years with migrant and immigrant farmworkers and farmers.

Note: quotes are from Forming Consciences, except where otherwise noted.

Bob Golden

Robert E. Golden additionally is a graduate of Holy Cross(Jesuit), has a Master's Degree in Counseling, was a chair of a Pres. Reagan advisory committee, a member of the Bishop Kmiec's Justice and Peace Commission, who has written several articles for WNY Catholic and Buffalo, Rochester and other newspapers, and journals, and reviewed over 50 books at local libraries.

End Republican Congress! That's the "status quo"

“Status Quo? Hell No” (borrowed from a GOP poster) – End Republican Congress!

For 29 of the last 35 years we've had a Republican-controlled Congress. In one of President Reagan mid-terms and Obama's first two years, although a Democrat majority, on many issues, southern Democrats sided with we Republicans.

During that time, our national debt has risen dramatically, budget deficits have risen.

America's middle class has been decimated, while the upper class has become fabulously rich. We Republicans have presided over a redistribution of wealth from the working and middle classes, to primarily the super rich and powerful.

We've had deregulation of banks, Wall Street, business in general, along with business failures, tax-payer funded bailouts and rampant fraudulent practices.

Campaign contributions/bribery(?) have spun out of control, at the hands of us Republicans. A long-lasting, essentially failed bi-partisan effort to reign these in, have been blocked by the Republicans in Congress and the right-wing Supreme Court Republican appointees.

During our tenure, medical costs have dramatically risen. Until 1983, most health insurance was private-not-for-profit. Since 1983, it has become for profit and costs have sky-rocketed.

We Republicans have given drug and insurance industries regulatory and de-regulatory gifts (e.g. Medicare Part D and no Public Option). Result: huge costs to the struggling elderly, the poor and the tax-payer and consumers generally. Further, the huge costs impoverished local and state governments, resulting in reductions of essential services: police and consumer protection, public and mental health.

We've reduced taxes on the rich, in hopes of improving American economy, and in thanks and patriotism they've moved industry to Mexico, China, etc. and moved their money to foreign banks.

Although we say we're opposed to abortion, and had a 7-2 majority in the Supreme Court (6 of them Catholics), in 35 years we've passed no law significantly limiting abortions. Most laws proposed are against women, with no proposed law holding the fathers responsible. Yet, men often call the shots and abusive men often cause abortions. The chance to add a Hyde Amendment piece to Affordable Care Act, was ignored because the Republicans in Congress didn't want to give President Obama “a victory” on universal health care. This was stated by Senate leader Mitch McConnell and others. As far as my party seemed concerned, victory over Pres. Obama was more important than children in the womb and “the common good.”

In 1986, we Republicans passed an immigration law that was supposed to stop undocumented persons from entering the US. We never saw that it was enforced, resulting in approximately 11 million undocumented being in the US for many years. American farming and service industries, primarily, “needed these workers.” Numerous efforts to solve immigration and the injustice and the family problems that attach to this, despite two bi-partisan proposals, have ultimately been blocked by Republicans in the House and/or by Republican Senate filibusters.

Professional organizations have become partisan with financial gain and power their primary goals, rather than good performance and integrity.

Police and regulatory agencies, be they local, state or federal, and education and medical care quality and outcomes have become considerably reduced, mainly at the hands of we Republicans since we took control in 1982.

We've neglected the infra-structure, with many bridges dangerous, roads and public buildings deteriorating. We seem only able to build new, where the most money is to be made (and political contributions generated?). We've played politics rather than having the discipline to take care of what we've expended our tax-dollars on one, two or more generations ago.

Although, throughout history, we've raised taxes to finance wars, we Republicans continued to insist on tax breaks for the rich, during recent conflicts. With the excessively expensive privatization of the second Iraq war (see Joseph Stiglitz's Price of Inequality) our national debt rose precipitously.

Bounce the status quo: No more Republican Congresses. Please! (Except maybe Senator John McCain, who responsibly has led bi-partisan efforts to corral campaign finance, fix immigration, regulate banks, control unrequested military spending and stands up for civil discussion.)

Written by Robert E. Golden, with help from Gary Kent, Gerard Morrisey, Mary Humpton, Brian Chanecka and Patrick A. Golden

Robert E. Golden – Republican, 43 years in Criminal Justice, chair of a Pres. Reagan's advisory committee(four years), NYS Probation Commission(8 yrs.), Buffalo Diocese Justice and Peace Commission, USArmy, Holy Cross (Jesuit) grad, Masters in Counseling, published CJ articles+

Gary Kent – Ran for NYS Assembly, after serving as an Orleans County Legislator, Social Studies teacher, named “Teacher of Year” twice, Albion Betterment Committee, many community activities, author of numerous published political articles and hundreds of letters to editor.

Gerard Morrisey – Assessor/Appraiser, Hearing Officer in Western New York, business owner, local political guru, Fordham(Jesuit) Univ. grad, life-long Republican, who just resigned his Republican registration, many community activities, raised on family farm

Mary Humpton – teacher, guidance counselor, graduate work in History(Cornell Univ.) and Masters in Counseling, numerous community activities, varsity college athlete, raised on family farm

Brian Chanecka, librarian, 2 Masters in Comparative Religions and Information Management, historian, world traveler, did a weekly radio show in Tucson, AZ. Democrat who supports Ann Kirkpatrick for US Senate. and supports an “open border” between all nations, even as Pres. Reagan said he hoped for an open border between the US and Mexico, with people going back and forth freely.

Patrick A. Golden – Sr. Analyst with NYS Legislature, Parish Representative on Albany Diocese Social Justice Council, Graduate of St. Bonaventure (Franciscan) College, Masters in Economics, past analyst with NYS Better Business Bureau.

Immigration Recommendations by US Bishops and others

Handouts for workshops on Immigration

Immigration Recommendations

USSCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) with position documents from 2003 to 2011 recommend*:

1. Need to welcome visitors (many stated in Bible), especially those who need to move for survival(lack means to obtain food, water and basic medical care). Need to reduce limits on immigration that doesn't meet these basic needs for the immigrant or prospective employers. (Also reference the Catholic Catechism, #2241.)

2. Need to pay a “living wage.” Should note that migrants, both documented and undocumented don't generally get paid a “living wage.” All Popes, the six who have written Encyclicals on a “just wage,” from Leo XIII through Benedict XVI, state that it should be enough to support (which would include health care) and educate a family, and have a comfortable retirement. Not only migrant or immigrant workers rarely earn such a wage, but probably 50% of employed citizens today don't.

3. Easier and briefer work permits policy and route to citizenship

4. Enforcement should consider impact on children and families.

5. Enforcement should be targeted toward immigrants who are criminal, violent, a threat to National Security.

6. Refugees seeking asylum should not be imprisoned.

7. (U.S. Chiefs of Police recommend* no punishment of victims or witnesses of crime, because it interferes with law enforcement, including of violent crimes.) We should also recommend this.

8. USCCB agrees that becoming a citizen, should include required background checks & paying a fine and avoided taxes.

There seems a focus by the general public and a tendency in law enforcement to target “the least of these.” Numerous criminal justice studies demonstrate this. The same has been true with immigration. Although employing undocumented persons is a criminal offense since 1986, our enforcement, even imprisonment has been mainly against the undocumented rather than employers.

9. We should recommend that employers of undocumented also pay a fee and taxes avoided, including for paying “under the table.” (They got an unfair advantage over those employers who obeyed the law.) We could recommend an amnesty for employers from criminal (rarely enforced until recently)and other civil enforcement in exchange for voluntary participation. We should be able to trace employers who do not voluntarily submit, and still have it be administrative rather than criminal, with level of evidence being preponderance of evidence (vs. beyond a reasonable doubt), with hearsay evidence admitted. For those who don't voluntarily participate, enforcement and court fees should also attach.

*Recommendations from US Bishops (USCCB) and Chiefs of Police extrapolated from several and summary position papers from the USCCB and one from US Police Chiefs. See their websites for full texts. Note also the encyclicals on “Just Wage,” available on the Vatican website.

Compiled by Robert E. Golden, who served as chair of Pres. Reagan's Migrant Health Advisory Commission and is currently chair of the Buffalo Diocesan Sub-Committee on Immigration

Robert E. Golden, goldenjazz59@gmail.com , 585-682-4821 and on Facebook

Obama Accomplishments as Right-To-Life

1. CHIPS (Child Health Care) – previously rejected by Republican administration
2.  Universal Health Care – Republicans leaders said important not to give Obama a victory, even though if they had supported Democrat Stupak's amendment, could have had codified no federal funding for abortions.  Rep. Leaders said Defeating Obama's effort most important, apparently more-so than preventing abortions and providing health care to 55 million uncovered citizens.  US Bishops supported health care for all, with guarantees that abortions weren't funded.*1    
3.  Obama banned federal funding for abortions, as he'd promised Bishops.*2
4. Obama Care or the Affordable Health Care Act  provides pre-natal and early childhood care, critical to survival (US 45th *in infant survival)and physical and mental development.  Republicans vow to repeal
5. Obama Care provides for mothers' pre-natal care (US 40th* in maternal mother survival), critical to family life.
6. Obama Care provides domestic violence screening, critical to child care and family life
      “       “          “         for women's health care issues,    “      “     “      “              “       “
7. Obama reinserted many anti-pollution regs, which the Rep. Adm. had relaxed.  Vatican has recommended anti-pollution efforts.*3
8. Obama pushed local and renewable energy.  Vatican stated that Global Warming does exist and we need to immediately reverse carbon energy dependence.*4
9.  Obama's National Institute of Health funding research on use of adult stem cells.
10. Obama's  administration provides 52% of Catholic Charity funding, that provides care to children, families, elderly and disabled.
11. Obama's Prosecutorial Discretion for immigrants with no crimes, educational, employment, military achievement, with spouses and/or children, for care-givers of elderly and/or ill. Conforms to US Bishops recommendations.*5
12. Obama's Prosecutorial Discretion for domestic violence victims and witnesses of crime – conforms by recommendations from US Chief's of Police*6
13. Obama's suspending proecution toward Dream Act eligibles – critics says Obama wants to allow criminals and slackers to stay in this country.  The exact opposite is true: must be crime-free, have educational, employment and/or military achievement.
14. “Living wage”-- Obama seeks good paying jobs for middle and low income workers.  See position of Catholic Church, Popes Leo XIII, Pius XI, Pius XII, Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI.*7
15. Obama seeks more police and teachers, which have been reduced over the last several years. This particularly impacts on the safety of the most vulnerable: children, women and elderly. See Pius XI in particular.*8
www.USCCB.org
 Notes: 1. See www.USCCB.org
2. See   and Obama's executive order on use of federal funding for abortions
3. See Vatican website on green issues
4. See     “            “        “   global warming
5. See www.ice.gov/doclib/secure-communities/pdf/prosecutorial-discretion-memo.pdf
6. Same as 5
  7. Vatican Website, Encyclicals: Rerum Novarum, Quadragesimo Anno, Caritas et Veritate, etc.
8. Vatican Website, Encyclicals, Pius XI: QuadragesimoAnno

Bob Golden, worked  in Criminal Justice for 34 years.  16 years of Catholic Education, Eucharistic Minister, numerous Church activities, including being a member of the Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission.  Was chair of one of President  Reagan's Advisory Committees. He has his Masters in Counseling

Can be reached at 585-682-4821  goldenjazz59@gmail.com   .
 Google –  www.bobmarggolden.blogspot.com