Affirmation of Faith

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam links to a Pastoral Letter by Bishop Robert Vasa of the Diocese of Baker in Oregon which was issued in April. This refers to an Affirmation of Personal faith that is required to be signed by those in ministry ( Catechist , Reader, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, etc).

The summary statements which I have collected in the Affirmation of Personal Faith are all taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. They represent the authentic and authoritative teaching of the Catholic Church and acceptance of these tenets is expected of every Catholic. While it is sufficient for me to ‘presume’ that Catholics who attend Mass and receive communion adhere to these teachings (unless the contrary is clearly evident) such a presumption is not sufficient for those whom I commission to teach and act in some official capacity.

The whole thing is excellent and is kind of a mandatum for those in ministry. He will probably be labeled a grand inquisitor for this, but I think this is just great. On the Diocese site there is also a letter in the Bishop's Corner dated June 25, 2004 that says in part.

...It seems to me that the most effective way to end abortion is to vote for Pro-Life candidates. This is not a function of the Bishops, we have only one vote each, but rather a function of the laity who must be convinced of the power of their own vote and of their ability through the ballot box to effect a good or to perpetuate an evil. Unfortunately that vote has always been split between a multiplicity of 'goods', and with good reason, there are many 'goods' for our society which need to be politically pursued. We see such things as care for the poor, adequate housing, healthcare, education, economic prosperity, foreign policy and we hear the various political promises of how effectively these things are going to be managed by the members of one party or the other. These are tremendously significant human rights and human dignity issues about which we must certainly be conscientious. It would be evil and wrong to omit or to significantly neglect them. The persons who are the recipients of this assistance, however, already have that right upon which the other inalienable rights, liberty and pursuit of happiness, are based. They already have life. The quality of that life certainly needs to be upgraded and improved and as Christians we have a responsibility to work for those improvements. It seems there are many in our society, religious and non-religious alike, Democrat and Republican, who work and act on behalf of these persons. To some extent, however limited, these persons are even able to vote and speak and seek assistance for themselves. This is not true of the pre-born. They have no voice but yours and mine, they have no vote but yours and mine. If we do not vote for those who will act on their behalf, they have no other recourse. The Courts routinely recognize those who suffer but the Courts have refused to even recognize the existence of these most vulnerable of the neglected in our society. We need legislators who will propose and confirm justices who recognize with us the inviolable dignity of the pre-born human person. These have no voice but ours, they have no vote but ours. I, for one, will speak on behalf of all the needy and especially the pre-born for I have access to many words, but I will always vote for those who pledge to defend pre-born human life because I have only one vote and I need to cast it for those who have no vote but mine.

When my father was diagnosed with cancer he also needed open heart surgery. The question arose, which do we treat, the heart or the cancer. The doctors assured him that the cancer was slow growing and that he would die of lots of other things before he died of cancer. Thus the heart surgery was done and he was allowed a goodly number of years of extended life, all the while living with cancer. He could have chosen to treat the cancer but then he would have died many years earlier. He would have died cancer free but he would have died much earlier. Hardly a consolation for him or the family. He chose an immediate life saving operation and recognized that the cancer would still be there to be treated later.
In our society we have both a heart problem and a cancer problem. The heart problem continues to allow innocent human persons to be killed at will. The cancer problem continues to put the poor and needy at risk. I think we need, as in my father's case, to focus on the heart problem for it concerns life itself and not only the quality of that life. You have one vote. Use it for the greatest good.

Update: I had sent an email to Bishop Vasa thanking him for the clarity of his writing and I have already received a reply. Bpvasa@dioceseofbaker.org

Jeff: Thank you for taking the time to comment on "Giving Testimony". Isn't it remarkable that it is considered remarkable when a Bishop upholds the simple truth. Thank you +RFV