Lawmakers must rediscover their call by God to pursue justice, Bishop Robert Barron told members of Congress and staff on Tuesday.
“In Catholic theology truth itself, goodness itself, justice itself, are simply names for God,” Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, said to an audience of members of Congress, staff, and others at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday….
Barron addressed an audience of several dozen people in the Members Room of the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill, on the vocation to public service.
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) hosted the event, along with Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.). Members in attendance included Sens. Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.), as well as Reps. Suozzi and Moolenaar, Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), and Andy Harris (R-Md.).
Barron also delivered the opening prayer on the U.S. House Floor on Wednesday, to start the legislative business for the day. In his invocation, he echoed themes of justice that he had spoken about the previous day.
“O God, Source of all justice, You have summoned everyone who works in this chamber to walk the path of righteousness, to foster life and liberty, to care especially for the poorest and most vulnerable in our society,” Bishop Barron said.
In his discourse on Tuesday, Bishop Barron clarified at the outset that he would avoid discussing “hot button issues” with the members, such as abortion or marriage.
Such issues are important, he said, but could ultimately distract from “really deep and abiding points of contact between what I call the spiritual condition and political tradition.”
The above comes from an Oct. 30 story on the Catholic News Agency website.
If you watch the video (not shown here), you’ll also note that bp barron does not make the sign of the cross nor does he invoke Jesus Christ (as he is supposed to do). He also seems to have pocketed his pectoral cross?!
Hmmm… is the bishop ashamed? or, is he too afraid of offending someone?
As Fr Hardon used to say, “Human respect can be a terrible tyrant.”
His cross appears to be out in the picture. What else are you getting wrong?
So?
Take a look at any on line video of the event. Instead of telling me I’m wrong, try verifying for yourself if you are not too lazy. What else are you wrong on?
Yes, I’m the lazy one. Making claims that clearly are untrue about a bishop. Grow up.
Protocol seems to be not to mention Jesus’ name in that type of prayer in front of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, Muslims and others. The prayer is supposed to unify Congress for good, not be divisive. I looked at a few other opening prayers, one of the presenters was a Jesuit priest, and none of the folks that gave an opening prayer mentioned Jesus. Had this been a prayer before Catholic reps, I am sure Bp Barron would have invoked Jesus and Mary.
So what’s the point? Why bother going to Washington to rub elbows with lawmakers if you’re going to avoid the burning issues of the day? It’s not as if the position of the Church is unclear.
Perhaps Bishop Barron “pocketed his pectoral cross” because he was concerned some anti-Catholic, fundamentalist Protestant republican politician would yanked it from his neck and try to harm him with it.
Dan Lipinski was the only pro-life Democrat in Congress when he spoke at our daughter’s graduation from Ave Maria University in May. He gave an excellent speech. I thanked him personally and told him that I was formerly a member of Democrats for Life. Then, returning to Washington, Lipinski caved in to the abortion lobby! Should Mr. Lipinski be receiving Holy Communion? My opinion doesn’t matter much, but what do Bishop Barron and other bishops think? As I’ve stated before, bishops simply speaking to pro-abortion Catholic office holders has resulted in not one of them being any less pro-abortion. When one does the same things over and over again and expects different results… It’s time to try a different strategy with pro-abortion Catholic politicians.
What we’ve learned from the abortion issue is that politicians from both parties may be anti-abortion but they are not really pro-life. A commitment to being Pro-life would mean advocating against capital punishment and promoting practices to diminish climate change in addition to diminishing abortion. The problem is that the politicians are owned by the very rich and they are not really leaders…they are politicians seeking re-election.
I oppose the death penalty, yet, issues to have to be prioritized, and the Catholic Church recognizes that. As of May 31, 1,499 convicted criminals have been executed in the US since the death penalty was re-legalized in 1976. According to Planned Parenthood, the abortion “experts,” there have been well over 50,000,000 babies killed by abortion since 1973 (Roe v. Wade). So, the number of persons executed is less than .00003 percent the number of babies killed. While we strive to save all, let’s start with saving as many as humanly possible. I’ll vote for an office holder who will try to eliminate 99.99997 percent of planned deaths, rather than the one who promotes and votes to fund killing nearly a million babies a year.
In my view, capital punishment (although I oppose it) and the hoax of climate change are not on a par with the intentional destruction of innocent life in the womb. And there is no comparison with the Republicans and Democrats views on abortion. The party of death, the Democrat party, is almost 100% pro-abortion while the Republican party has consistently sided with Life, although perhaps more in words than in deeds. Thank God for President Trump’s commitment to finally do something and usher in a culture of Life with words as well as deeds.
Regarding abortion– the Catholic Church, since Vatican II, has failed to teach Christian Morality clearly! The sex instinct must be carefully guarded, once youngsters come of age! It is not for “recreation.” It is very serious! It unites a Man and Woman in Marriage, and is intended by God to bring forth children. Marriage between one man and one woman, and the family home with children, is the basic core of the Church– and of all civilization! It is the heart of our Nation! Misuse of the sex instinct is a Mortal Sin! Chastity, self- control, respect for women, and maturity need to be taught and deeply inculcated. Social protocols for dating, courtship and Marriage need to be reestablished— and respect for all life! That is where you start!
Great post Anon. There is no such thing as rights without responsibilities. If a person will not accept the responsibilities, they should not have the rights.
Bishop Barron and his fellow clerics– and the Pope!–all need to get busy, and teach and preach basic Christian Morality, to all! Otherwise– we may lose our country and civilization — and our Church may endure extreme persecution from the ignorant and evildoers — with terrible results! Our country, and our Church, are already split in two, over Christian Morality!
The vast, vast majority of our priests lack either the belief or the manly courage that are required to advance the Bride of Christ’s hard teachings, among the most critical for our culture to hear; Bishop Barron is no different.
Ouch! This is painful. Contrast Mother Teresa before the UN, according to a contemporary N.Y. Times article: ”When we destroy an unborn child, we destroy God,” she said ”We are frightened of nuclear war, we are frightened of this new disease, but we are not frightened to kill a little child,” she said. ”Abortion has become the great destroyer of peace.”
Please Bishop Barron, just come out and tell the hard truth.