Keeping priests out of politics

The Roman Catholic bishops of El Salvador have called for priests to keep politics out of their sermons. From the blog Clerical Whispers:
The Bishops’ Conference of El Salvador has called on priests and religious to foster harmony among all Salvadorans and to abstain “from all active participation in politics,” as elections in the country draw near.

In a statement, the bishops said that “because of her universality and catholicity, (the Church) cannot attach herself to historical contingencies.”

However, they also noted that as citizens, priests have the right to express a personal opinion and to exercise “in conscience” their right to vote.

The bishops urged Salvadorans to work for peace, unity and dialogue amidst the diversity of opinions in the country.

Archbishop Fernando Saenz Lacalle of San Salvador explained during a press conference that the statement is intended to keep politics out of homilies, which are supposed to “convey the voice of God and the teaching of the Church and not be part of partisan political campaigns.”

Comments

Anonymous said…
Good O'l Fernando Saenz Lacalle is Opus Dei as is all the others after Romero I believe. The CIA wanted OPUS direction instead of the Paolo Freir types of course..after the 80s.
Opus Dei is Full on Right Wing.
And have tendencies of negative group dynamics..
http://www.odan.org/tw_how_opus_dei_is_cult_like.htm
3:03 AM
Kadmiel said…
Ill be surprised if they go with a full right wing goverenment in the local san salvador and left in the national. but who is to say
12:10 PM
Carlos X. said…
Saenz Lacalle is the only Opus archbishop after Romero. Romero's interventions were during very extraordinary times. Given Funes' lead in the polls, I would think the left would be happy to see the Church stay out of it. Recent statements by various Catholic bishops (Denver, Paterson, Corpus Christi, etc.) regarding Barack Obama's abortion stance should chasten everyone that Church intervention should not be expected to fall predictably on behalf of one camp.
3:54 PM
Anonymous said…
The Catholic church needs to figure out which direction they really want to go. When has the Catholic church "not" stuck their nose into everything including politics? From The Inquisition, to the Argentine Montoneros, to mining, to everything else, the church has an opinion and if I remember correctly the Bible seems to show that the Christ taught that the true believers should "render unto Ceasar" and beyond that work out their own salvation with humility. These ungodly priests who seem to think that they need to be in the world throwing their weight around ought to go back to the seminary and learn some good christian virtues. Arson and social rabble rousing don't create any sympathy for their cause with me. But then look at the examples they have in Saenz LaCalle and the bishops who have their noses in every cause but the spiritual welfare of their flocks, and then have the cojones to call these misguided followers to repentence.
7:42 PM
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