The Catholic Civility Project

Preamble:

November 6, 2007. Washington, DC -- A diverse group of prominent lay Catholics -- including 11 former U.S. ambassadors and former chairmen of the Republican and Democratic National Committees -- have called for a more civil tone to replace the divisive rhetoric and partisan attacks that define our national political debates.

The leaders in law, politics and religion released the statement, A Catholic Call to Observe Civility in Political Debate, at a news conference at the National Press Club today. Ambassador Thomas P. Melady, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and Timothy J. May, a Senior Partner with Patton Boggs LLP and Trustee Emeritus with the Catholic University of America, co-organized the statement.

Statement:

A Catholic Call to Observe Civility in Political Debate
Civility – should be a guiding principle in our public life. Civility and its potential impact on the fabric of the Catholic Church should be of concern to all faithful Catholics, both clergy and lay people.
It is apparent that the political debate in the United States is becoming divisively partisan. The political debate preparing all American citizens for the 2008 Presidential elections is increasingly filled with attacks on private conduct and recriminations.
As Americans `we acknowledge deep divisions over some policy issues; and recognize that some, who are active in political life and who differ with the Church’s teachings on certain issues, such as, abortion, stem cell research, the death penalty, and the justification for war, air their differences in public and criticize the Church for these teachings. Others, for political and even ecclesiastical reasons, seek the public embarrassment of politicians whose public positions differ with Church teachings through the public refusal of the sacrament of Holy Communion or public admonition by the Bishops.
To right this wrong, we should observe the following principles.