Yes, Catholic Brothers & Sisters, the Truth Is Controversial

The headline reads:
Catholics here get controversial voters guide
and we are pleased!!!

Since June, the Archdiocese of St. Louis has distributed 50,000 copies of a controversial voters guide to nearly half of its parishes. St. Louis is the only diocese in the country that ordered the guide to distribute to its parishes, according to Frank Norris, a spokesman for the organization that publishes the guide.

The message in the "Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics" is similar to part of the message in Archbishop Raymond Burke's recent pastoral letter and is at odds with parts of a voting guide published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

I think it should be noted here, if memory serves, that the USCCB documnt, Faithful Citizenship, was published by the "Administrative Committee" of the USCCB - whatever that is...I could not find a reference in the 'Departments' section of the web site.

Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility was developed under the leadership of the Committees on Domestic and International Policy, with the Committee on Priorities and Plans, in collaboration with many other USCCB committees and offices. It was reviewed and approved in September 2003 by the Administrative Committee and is authorized for publication by the undersigned. [Msgr. William P. Fay]

The unfortunate aspect in all of this is the fact that Catholics who know and understand their faith, find nothing controversial in the Catholic Answers Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics but detect that a lack of prioritization of gravely sinful matters in the Bishops' guide to be troubling and confusing. It also seems that those who are opposed or ignorant of the Church's teaching on the grave moral issues discussed in the Catholic Answers Voter's Guide are the ones who are creating the controversy.

The Post provides this bit:

This spring, the conference's legal counsel issued a document warning Catholic organizations to be wary of "outside groups" and their "voter education materials."

It certainly is not because their materials are so wonderful. It's not as though the USCCB has a corner on Catholicism.

Later on in the article the mention this again, albeit in a different way.

The bishops' attorneys warned Catholic organizations: "Outside voter education materials should be approached with extreme caution." (italics theirs).

...or the IRS will get you! Actually, they follow up with this bit of wisdom and prescient knowledge:

"Among other things, the issues covered in outside voter education materials typically do not illustrate the wide range of issues of importance to the church, but rather reflect the issue focus of the preparing organization."

Much like the many "foci" (or "focuses") of the USCCB which do not need any discussion as it encompasses all that is good and true. Others can do a much better job with the proliferation of some of the useless documents emanating from the committees and subcommittees composed of completely objective, non-partisan, faithful, orthodox employees and others from the USCCB.

The Post then comments on the opinions of the chancellor of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis:

"We did not feel that the publication complied with the necessary broad range of issues - it only mentions five," said [archdiocesan chancellor, William] Fallon.

"Secondly, if you finish reading it, you can only come to one conclusion, and that is, if you vote for John Kerry, you're going to go to hell."

Well, I guess I can agree with the chancellor on part of his statement. Those who voluntarily and freely vote for Kerry would by committing a mortal sin by encouraging and promoting the perpetuation of gross immorality, of unspeakable evils.

Why did Archbishop Burke approve the Catholic Answers Voter's Guide?

"'Faithful Citizenship' diminishes the specific issues the 'Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics' addresses as fundamental issues, and that Archbishop Burke set forth in his letter," said Molly Corcoran Kertz, director of the archdiocesan pro-life office. (my emphasis)

"He reviewed them all, and decided the 'Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics' was the most consistent," said Kertz.

Of course, some of our priests have refused to use it, preferring instead the "Catholic-Lite" voter guide - 'Faithful Citizenship'.

Article here.