House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Republican Policy Committee Chairman Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) today issued the following joint statement regarding Pope Benedict XVI’s new encyclical, Caritas in Veritate:
“Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, is neither an indictment of capitalism nor an endorsement of any political or economic agenda, and ideologues and politicos hoping to spin it as either are destined to be unsuccessful.
“The Holy Father’s central point in Caritas in Veritate is that at times of economic challenge, the inherent dignity of the individual must be preserved and sustained through genuine charity and compassion. This message is clearly distinct from efforts to ‘remake’ government into a soul-crushing centralized welfare state in which independent citizens are remade into dependent servants. In the encyclical, the Pope stresses that the human being must remain as the center of our free-market system. He warns that individuals, families, churches, communities, and businesses must never become subservient to the state. He emphasizes that the sanctity of all human life must always be protected. And he advocates conservation, not radical environmentalism.
“Caritas in Veritate is not a political document, but rather a complex work that warrants careful and thoughtful contemplation by American Catholics and non-Catholics alike at this time of economic anxiety.”
July 10, 2009 at 5:43 pm
So when will the Democrats publish their retort?
/sarc off
July 10, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Vox Nova has its own blog for that.
July 10, 2009 at 6:41 pm
that is all fine and good, but I just want to know what the well-known America Catholic Theologian Nancy Pelosi has to say about the encyclical.
July 10, 2009 at 7:01 pm
As an ardent* Catholic, Benedict's recent encycle "Caritas in Veritate" which roughly translates as "Yes, We Can!" gives me an enormous sense of vindication and validation. When Benny, oh, that's Pope Benedict to the rest of you, called me personally for a visit earlier this year to talk specifically about my family and previous trip to see the Vatican as a little girl, I knew just by his tone that he was really one of us all along. To quote the directly from the encycle; "Charity…continues to be misconstrued [by Republicans]…//whereas// this…truth…[the Democratic Party] can be recognized as an authentic expression of humanity." See? Straight from Benny's mouth. I strongly urge anyone truly interested in hearing more about the encycle to contact my office or the Democratic party directly as I will be unavailable personally within the next month due to my bi-annual face-lift.
Nancy Pelosa, speaker of the house
July 10, 2009 at 7:02 pm
* ardent – liberal slang for "cafeteria" or "wannabe" (see: hypocrite).
July 10, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Nice rebuttal from Nanci…with emphasis on the "butt"
July 10, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Larry what an awful thing to say! Anyone in the party knows Nanci's butt is her best quality! Shame on you!
July 10, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Dear Outraged Democrat:
I'm just curious what you're doing looking at Ms. Pelosi's bum???? Is this a new trend happening in your party? (reference to photo on Drudge of Obama clearly mesmerized by a 16-year-old female bum).
Hmmmmmmmmmm….. very, very intereseting… (taps finger on chin and raises eyebrows)
July 11, 2009 at 1:15 am
TUM do you actually believe everything the right-wing run media tells you? Everyone knows you can't trust photographs and video clips. Like when it appeared President Obama bowed to the Saudi King. Not that bowing to our Muslim faith partners would be wrong. But Obama didn't do it…he…actually, um…saw a Swedish Kroener lying on the ground and bent over to pick it up, since he's always thinking about ways to contribute to our economy. THAT'S what actually happened. And…um…most likely when he was looking at the…um..young lady's…um…well, more than likely he was thinking of some economic proposal there as well.
July 11, 2009 at 11:03 pm
I don't know if you are familiar with our site, the Catholic World Report, but we have a "Round-Table" wherein J. Brian Benestad, Francis J. Beckwith, Father Joseph Fessio, S.J., Richard Garnett, Thomas S. Hibbs, Paul Kengor, George Neumayr, Joseph Pearce, Tracey Rowland, Father James V. Schall, and Rev. Robert A. Sirico share their thoughts on Caritas in Veritate.
It's located at:
(http://www.catholicworldreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=121:cwr-round-table-caritas-in-veritate&catid=36:cwr2009&Itemid=53).