Thanks to the Christian priest for his perceptive articulate response to the North Dakota Catholic bishops' political activity. The letter of Rev. Howard Anderson published July 14 was very importantly on point.
The North Dakota Catholic Conference is quick to point to the constitutional separation of church and state when the shoe has been on the other foot. Recently it and presumably both the North Dakota Catholic bishops have been kicking with the other foot and getting so horribly involved in politics at the highest levels.
As a Roman Catholic with education in Catholic grade schools, high school, college and law school, I always was taught and believed in the operation of the informed conscience as a guide to a person's choice as to whether to receive Holy Communion. Now some bishops are telling voters who to vote for with the threat of being refused the foundation of our liturgy. It is absolutely disgusting.
As Anderson asks, where is the Catholic public and homiletic interest in caring for the poor, the death penalty, loving of one's neighbors and acting upon such love? Where is the Catholic support for homeless shelters? What's next? Will there be a fiat that a Catholic cannot vote for a candidate that doesn't say the rosary daily?
Jesus separated religion and politics when he asked what showed on the coin of the country and then said, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's."
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Gene P. Johnson
Fargo
