Real Citizenship: More Than Just Your Vote

I just got an email from a Senator of mine that I had emailed a few weeks ago. I was surprised, because usually you get a quicker turn-around. So much time had passed that I had forgotten I had even sent him an email, and so I wasn't expecting his reply! Anyway, it was a good reminder to me that I haven't responded to any "Action Alerts" lately. So I decided to go looking for some!

Since the Obama Drama unfolded here at Notre Dame in May 2009, and the November 2008 Election, it has become increasingly clear to me that it's not enough to show up to vote. Our Catholic Social tradition has a much richer notion of active citizenship. There's so much we can do to really support causes which our Tradition says are of primary importance beyond electing candidates that share our views -- and our action becomes particularly important precisely when the ones who get elected, DON'T.

Even more surprisingly, there are simple things we can do to remain politically engaged - beyond the vote. Take emailing your reps, for example. Lots of good Catholic orgs have "action alerts" you can respond to: you enter your information, they email your reps. And voila! You've let your voice be heard and have encouraged them to support Catholic values on a variety of issues in just a few minutes!

That being said, here are some good action alerts I encourage everyone to respond to.

http://www.capwiz.com/justiceforimmigrants/issues/alert/?alertid=14503781&type=CO
JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS - USCCB COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2010-01-27-Alert-healthcare.pdf
HEALTH CARE REFORM - USCCB

http://actioncenter.crs.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ac_homepage
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) -- ACTION ALERTS

http://crs.org/act/
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES - ACTION IDEAS

And if you need a little Catholic Inspiration:

As Pier Giorgio Frassati used to say:
"Charity is not enough; we need social reform."

And as Pope John Paul II aptly reminded us in Christifideles Laci:
"A new state of affairs today both in the Church and in social, economic, political and cultural life, calls with a particular urgency for the action of the lay faithful. If lack of commitment is always unacceptable, the present time renders it even more so. It is not permissible for anyone to remain idle."

Prayer for Peace

I had a discussion with a friend tonight about how sad it is that Barack Obama won the Nobel PEACE Prize and is now having to send 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan to continue fighting in a WAR that has been going on for several years now.

Whether we like it or not, we are a nation involved in a war that is NOT just.
Just War theory defines very specific details of when war can be used, and it is very clear that it is only a last resort. According to most (if not all) Catholic theologians, the just war criteria were not met prior to launching into this war. Regrettably, most Catholics are silent, perhaps even indifferent on the matter. It is a grave injustice, and yet we often do nothing to stop it.

It seems that the saints were very different in their approach. Consider Pope John Paul II's strong words: "War is always a defeat for humanity."

And also - consider the words and example of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. In A Man of the Beatitudes: Pier Giorgio Frassati, Lucianna Frassati writes:

p. 38

"The Great War continued with its tremendous weight of sacrifice. Pier Giorgio withdrew into long silences, interrupting his reflections with agonized questions on the drama of the dead, the wounded, and the widows. He often spoke about it with Natalina Novo, the servant girl, whose brother had already been killed in the war. One day she told him the news she had heard from our father: "Two thousand mountain troops cut off from the Italian lines and shelled by enemy cannons."

Dismayed, my brother asked her: "Natalina, wouldn't you give your life to stop the war?"

"Certainly not," replied Natalina. "I am young and my life is as dear to me as that of the soldiers."

Pier Giorgio stared at her, saying, "I would, I would today."

Would that we young Catholics had the same yearning for peace!
Let us all take some time to pray for peace.

God our Father,
Creator of the world,
You established the order which governs all the ages.
Hear our prayer and give us peace in our time,
that we may rejoice in Your mercy
and praise You without end.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever. Amen.