Politics of a Seamless Garment: Catholic Universities, HHS and Onward

In December of 1983 Joseph Cardinal Bernardin was invited to give an address on Catholic Teaching and the American body Politic. In a crowded room at Fordham University he introduced an important thought: “I am convinced that the pro-life position of the Church must be developed in terms of a comprehensive and consistent ethic of life.” This idea was of course, greeted by many as heresy and seen as another caveat through which the laity could dissent from the church.

We, the faithful many, have a greater call now more than ever to truly understand Cardinal Bernardin’s call to the politics of a “seamless garment.”

Several Catholic Universities, charities and health agencies recently filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Rev. John Jenkins, President of Notre Dame said, “this filing is about the freedom of a religious organization to live its mission, and its significance goes well beyond any debate about contraceptives…It is for these reasons that we have filed this lawsuit neither lightly nor gladly, but with sober determination.” While I understand their convictions and determination to live out their faith, many people in the laity are asking why this issue? Why now?

Certainly the issue is incredibly charged and many people see the faith as under attack but we must go further than that and ask ourselves, is this all we should be speaking out against? Catholics in pews around the country heard their pulpits ringing in unison about our faith being under siege. Students at Catholic Universities around the country found their Theology classes inundated with message “this administration is anti-catholic.” Some see this united-front of preaching-points as a tough stand, but many lay people are wondering where the church has been on all the other issues.

The Ryan-Republican Budget makes 62% of its proposed cuts from low-income programs such as Medicaid, Pell grants, food stamps and job training. It dismantles Medicare as we know it, slashes the Supplemental Nutrition Program and shows a total disregard to those living on the margins of society. The budget opens with a letter stating it serves, “…America’s political, economic and moral imperatives.” While the Bishops have come out against the budget, they have not down so with an ounce of the same fervor they have demonstrated over the contraceptive mandate. Perhaps further than that, where have the universities, catholic non-profits and health agencies been on these issues?

We need to return to a—albeit more difficult—comprehensive politics of a “seamless garment.”

Cardinal Bernardin tells us that in a time where we can do almost anything, we must ask ourselves what we ought to be doing—applying these questions to a human life spectrum of “womb to tomb.” He willingly admits that it is not within his competency as a Bishop to declare what this ethic must imply but realizes, “It is to that task that philosophers and poets, theologians and technicians, scientists and strategists, political leaders and plain citizens are called.” This fosters the need for a full participation of the laity into the direction and discussion of our mother church.

I am not offended that the Bishops and these religious organizations show such tenacity at defending our faith. I am offended that we are spending so much effort on this issue that is wildly divisive amongst the laity. Church leadership often shows concern for a lack of understanding amongst the laity when dealing with issues of morality and dogma. However, can we blame the laity when as an institution we have shown favor for some issues and failed to truly cultivate a holistic understanding of our teachings?

If we are to be filing lawsuits in order to stand up for our faith, we must work more towards actively living, preaching and sharing that faith. Political involvement should be a seamless garment: no issue is seen as more important than the other, but is seen as part of ordering society towards the common good. If we’re going to be stuffing bulletins with notes on contraception we surely better follow up with notes on the budget, the environment, immigration policy and the other of countless issues we write on.

Failure to embrace such a politics of a seamless garment would only continue to divide the laity and slip more towards the out-of-touch institution, many Catholics believe we have become.