Subject:  “Working like it all depends on us: What’s at stake?  What can we do?”

by Dr. Pia de Solenni

What was happening in the 1930’s [in pre-war Germany]  was very much like what is happening now in the U.S.  It has been said that if the Church had been active in Germanyduring that period, World War II would not have happened.

The Bishops are getting the U.S.ready for civil disobedience of a very unjust law.

Freedom of Religion is not equivalent to Freedom of Worship.

The world is becoming a place where only one’s own feelings and opinions matter.

The [turning point] was 1968, with the issuance of Humanae Vitae, when some Catholics began to live the dictatorship of relativism.

There has been a “gradual habituation” to secularism.  People, even Catholics, began to say “I don’t agree with that, but….”

[The HHS “compromise”] is only an accounting gimmick.

The HHS mandate is being called a “Women’s Issue” or “just about contraception,” but it is a CONSCIENCE  issue, a FREEDOM issue.

• The Bishops have 3 main points to their call:  Pray, Educate and Act.
• Government is trying to replace the individual conscience.  This forces us to have a real discussion on government’s role.
• Conscience is not opinion, desire or ‘want.’
• We are a people who have the luxury of using consultants for everything from home renovation, to financial advice.  If we have a chest pain we consult with a doctor, an investment question, we seek a financial advisor.  In all areas, except conscience, our society respects the advice of experts. 
• We need good tools to do a job right: a sharp knife in cooking, physical training for a marathon, but we also need to train and form our minds.
• Three things are needed to form a right conscience: interiority, upright morality, and responsibility for our actions and its consequences.
• There is such a thing as invincible ignorance, an inability to know; but, there is also an ignorance based on a decision not to know and for that one is responsible.  (Example: drunk driver is held responsible for violation of the law even if  he/she  didn’t know the law.)
• This secular society seems to understand the need to learn, prepare and train in every area (athletics, education, etc.) except conscience.
• Pascal said: “The First Moral Obligation is to think clearly.”
• Bishops have asked us to “Stand up for Religion.”  How?  There is a misunderstanding sometimes of the role of the ministry and of the laity.  Laity is called to be “Salt of the Earth.”   We must be politically involved; it is “not optional.”  
• The Laity is asked to mobilize on behalf of marriage and the family, and for life itself.
• Catholics fear too much seeming partisan.  If you don’t speak out, you let all the others who speak do the speaking for you.
• HOW to be involved?  Align with organizations with compatible goals.  Sign up with USCCB for alerts.  Text 377377.  Convince those with similar values to VOTE. 
• The theme of recent ad limina visits of bishops to the Vatican has been for Church and Laity to be active.  DO SOMETHING!