TO?THE?EDITOR:
Freedom can be taken away by the government and it’s happening every day.
I could pull my hair out after reading the letter to the editor submitted by Mr. Glenn Holt who chose to criticize Dom DiOrio’s letter pleading with Rhode Island Catholics to get involved in the political process and vote on the basis of record and not party. I have no doubt that Mr. Holt believes in God and I’m sure Mr. DiOrio has no doubt as well.
However, I must wonder if Mr. Holt and I believe in the same God. I don’t believe Mr. DiOrio said anything about prayer and action being mutually exclusive. The God I believe in would reward those who make the sacrifice, in addition to prayer, of getting involved – as inconvenient as it may be – in causes as important as abortion. I agree with Mr. DiOrio that we as Catholics are required, at a minimum, to educate ourselves on the issues and the positions of those for whom we vote. I would even go so far – heaven forbid – as to expect Catholics to pro-actively support candidates who represent Church positions.
My father and mother, as devoted Catholics as you will ever meet, were born in Ireland and came to this country in the 1920s. My father, a voracious reader of current events his entire life, died in 1976. As were all immigrants at that time, my father was a passionate supporter of the Democrat party. In 1975, one year before his death and two years after Roe v. Wade, he sat me down to tell me how devastated he was that his beloved Democrat Party had betrayed him. Sadly, he did not live long enough to cast his vote for the first time on the basis of the candidates’ record instead of party. But I have strived to do so ever since.
It is a documented fact that the Republican Party has represented the culture of life far more steadfastly than the Democrat Party. George W. Bush, although far from perfect, did more to prevent abortions than many U.S. bishops I can think of.
The following is taken from Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship published by the U.S. Conference of Catholics Bishops: “In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. This obligation is rooted in our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do…As Catholics, we should be guided more by our moral convictions than by our attachment to a political party or interest group.”
Gosh! It sounds to me like Mr. DiOrio and the bishops are on the same page. Which page are you on?
Terence P. Garvey
Tiverton
