USCCB President says the Gospel serves the common good, not political agendas

Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement today asking Americans to "take a moment to reflect on one of the founding principles of our republic—the freedom of religion," which "ensures the right of faith communities to preserve the integrity of their beliefs and proper self-governance."
 
"There have been recent reports that some may have sought to interfere in the internal life of the Church for short-term political gain. If true, this is troubling both for the well being of faith communities and the good of our country," Archbishop Kurtz said.
 
The archbishop went on to say, "In our faith and our Church, Christ has given us a precious gift.  As Catholics, we hold onto our beliefs because they come to us from Jesus, not a consensus forged by contemporary norms. The Gospel is offered for all people for all times. It invites us to love our neighbor and live in peace with one another. For this reason, the truth of Christ is never outdated or inaccessible. The Gospel serves the common good, not political agendas."
 
Archbishop Kurtz encouraged Catholics and all people of good will to be good stewards "of the precious rights we have inherited as citizens of this country." He also directed his comments to public officials, asking them to respect the rights of people to live their faith without interference from the state.
 
"When faith communities lose this right, the very idea of what it means to be an American is lost," Archbishop Kurtz said.
 
The archbishop concluded his statement asking politicians, their staffs and volunteers to reflect on their best aspirations as citizens. He said that too much of current political speech has been demeaning and has the tendency to marginalize people of faith. 
 
"This must change. True to the best hopes of our founding fathers, we are confident that we can and will do better as a nation," Archbishop Kurtz said.