Voting the Common Good

[Truth_seaker]

Has anyone heard of the Center of Concern. Is it a legitimate Catholic organizatiion that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church? In our parish bulletin, is a link to
www.coc.org/election2008
I have checked it out and it sounds like they are promoting a political agenda instead of Catholic values. I have asked that we post a link to the USCCB document at usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship/index.htm
on faithful citizenship, but to this point they are only posting information for Voting the Common good. I am hoping to make more of an effort to encourage use of our bishops document on forming our conscience based on moral values, but I am looking for more information about the COC.

 

[SoCalRC]

All the issues addressed in the documents I parused are also raised in your link. Their emphasis is probably just different from what you are most interested in. But on your link you will find something called “Vatican Statment”.

That Doctrinal Note warns of the dangers of elevating any one teaching to the detriment of others. It calls such a tactic “incoherent”. Remember, in CHRISTIFIDELES LAICI, JPII’s instructions to the faithful, “right to life” is used in reference to a quote from the Second Vatican Council. It is a much broader teaching than just abortion. It includes modern forms of slavery, torture, and even deportation as attacks on the inalienable right to life.

The Church is always the best source of information on our Faith. Lay groups will always be clouded by their interests, even if they have the best of intentions. Again, look to your link. There are 7 principles in the Bishop’s document, 9 “fundemental and inalienable” issues on which we are not supposed to compromise on in the Vatican document - but in the CAF Voter’s Guide for “Serious Catholics”, both lists are trimmed down to 5 (with only two complete overlaps with the Vatican). Stripped from the Vatican’s list are all references to social justice issues. Presumably, like the COC, CAF is clouded by it’s own priorities.