A Return to Cardinal Virtues

A year ago today, one of the best American Catholic thinkers, Monika Hellwig, died after a cerebral hemorrhage. A year on, American Catholics miss her reasoning still more.

A year ago today, one of the
best American Catholic thinkers, Monika Hellwig, died after a cerebral hemorrhage. 
The coverage of her
at the time of her death
was appropriately effusive about her difficult life, thoughtful writing,
critical thinking, and commitment. An essay on the development of her
own thinking, “The Mandalas Do Not Break: An Theological Autobiographical
Essay,” can be found in Journeys (Paulist Press, 1975).

A year on, American Catholics
miss her reasoning still more.

During the difficult national
campaign of 2004 – including threats to Senator
Kerry and others
that they would not be welcome at communion – Hellwig presented a moving paper at the Ave Maria Conference on Faith,
Politics and Life Issues.  She challenged all people, Catholics
and non-Catholics, Republicans and Democrats, to view life as a seamless
garment, from beginning to natural end.  Given that view of life,
she wrote, “in the
coming presidential election we do not have a viable pro-life candidate.”

She let no one off the
hook – not pro-choice politicians or for a war which would “be reckless
with the lives of Iraqis, born or cut off unborn when their mothers
are killed, [which] is as much an offence against the dignity of human
life as abortion in our own country.”

Earlier this week I read,
“Public Dimensions
of a Believer’s Life: Rediscovering the Cardinal Virtues,” which my brother kindly sent
to me.  Hellwig wrote the book based partly on a talk given by
Daniel Finn, remarkable professor of Economics and Theology at St. John’s
University (MN).

Her conclusion in this
book:  

“What this seems
to demand for the twenty-first century is vigorous Christian action. 
From the churches we need less flat do’s and don’ts and far more
help with adult conscience formation to be ready for new challenges
and situations not yet charted.  From the education of children
we need less memorizing of answers and more exploring of questions.
From all of us we need a great deal more effort in informing ourselves
and in thinking issues through from the foundations of our faith.” 

Indeed.  Helpful
guidance for all of us, particularly as we head into the heat of the
midterm campaign season when church leaders of various stripes will
be using their pulpits not to explore questions but to issue flat do’s
and don’ts.