Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
As reported on the FoxNews website:
"...nearly 90 professors and administrators connected to the Jesuit-founded school in Washington, D.C., has sent Ryan, R-Wis., a letter saying he’s misused Catholic doctrine to support his deficit-reducing, GOP House budget."
Read the entire article here.
And I think a more interesting question is whether the objections raised by the Georgetown Nearly 90 to Ryan's side references that his budget supports the Catholic doctrine of subsidiarity (moving welfare, food and other safety net programs to the more local level) reveal that their concept of the role of the federal government is closer to Wilsonian Progressivism than the principles on which the nation was founded? This remark may have revealed their underlying ideological position (emphasis mine):
"...we would be remiss … if we did not challenge your continuing misuse of Catholic teaching to defend a budget plan that decimates food programs for struggling families, radically weakens protections for the elderly and sick and gives more tax breaks to the wealthiest few."
And if the federal government is responsible for caring for the poor and dispossessed rather than private individuals and charitable institutions then hasn't the state usurped the opportunity for individuals to act ethically and benevolently on their own or through their charitable or religious institutions?
Finally, Is the position of the Georgetown Nearly 90 less Catholic than they would like to think for the very reason stated in the preceding paragraph? Are all charitable efforts supposed to rendered onto Caesar? If not, then perhaps a certain percentage? If so, what percent?
- Comment (71)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (4)
Comments:
Sep '10
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
I know one exception to that.
Jan '11
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
Pseudodionysius
I know one exception to that. · 35 minutes ago
Pause a moment and let me give praise ...
Schall is a treasure. I had met him a couple times while in the Society, and we exchanged a couple of emails after I left the Jesuits. The consummate gentleman.
There are a lot of James Schalls that I knew. I won't embarrass all of them by naming them, but they were wonderful.
Jan '11
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
Mama Toad:
There are many other examples of Jesuits causing public scandal by their embrace of abortion within the folds of their social justice garment.
Well, as I say, I have more liberal horror stories than I care to relate. Can you say Berrigan?
But it isn't that some Jesuits support abortion itself (that wouldn't stand, neither with the bishop nor with fellow Jesuits). The debate is about what to do about it.
Some liberal Catholics think that with social issues, especially abortion, we must defer to the individual's own moral decisions. Or that we shouldn't use law to promote our personal view of morality. Or that we offend people and turn them off by trying to criminalize everything.
... Or other nonsense like that.
And it is nonsense. The church's job isn't to sell a product by making them like us first and then hoping their beliefs will follow the friendship. The church has a responsibility of stating what the truth is, not to "sell" it.
My argument has been that modern society won't like our sexual teaching. So what? Teach it anyway.
Nov '11
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
KC - I'm hoping we don't continually rise to the il-liberal bait so quickly, either...My reflexes are hair-trigger because of a differently-wired nervous system, but I'd like to avoid 'knee-jerk' conservatism, if I can.
Peace....
Sep '10
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
My argument has been that modern society won't like our sexual teaching.
I've heard some clerics complain that its like society wants to crucify us or something.
Jun '10
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
I'm back. Fun discussion. Let me address some of the questions and remarks while I was gone. My posting was meant to address what I've been witnessing in American Catholicism since the late 60s, specifically that a strident and activist contingent of Marxist-inspired Catholics often in positions of authority have taken it upon themselves to speak for the Church. Sometimes they are rebuked from Rome, other times not. Are the Catholic academics at Georgetown insignificant? I would argue that they are not. Is this an isolated case? Ask Bill McGurn about what's been happening at Notre Dame.
I took note, many years ago from a mentor in business who conveyed to me about power vacuums. They are quickly filled. If other prominent and conservative Catholics, whether in the clergy or in the laity, don't express their objection to the Marxist elements within the Church, then over time, the Church is more readily associated with a socialist agenda and ends-justifies-the-means tactics. Ignoring small, strident and Marxist-inspired groups is a recipe for disaster. It was for Germany. It was for Russia and Eastern Europe. -more-
Jun '10
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
cont. Yes, it is healthy to discuss what role the federal government has versus individuals and communities who are closer to those in need. But let's not kid ourselves about what's been happening in this country and the steady erosion of freedoms and the growth of a centralized, authoritarian state that seeks to usurp even more authority from individual Americans. And let's not kid ourselves that Marxist-inspired Catholics in teaching positions and elsewhere have played their part to bring us to this point. It matters not to me whether they were Jesuits or some Jesuits, or priests, brothers and sisters in other orders, and even minorities of the clergy within those orders. The point is that too often their socialist agenda and activism has taken root and for many decades now has flourished. So, I agree with Furius Camillus (#47) that if left unchecked this can lead to complicity with a run-away administration that seeks to "fundamentally change" America and with Douglas (comment #51) that others need to be more responsive in countering groups like the Georgetown Nearly 90 as soon as they presume to exercise an authority and a wisdom they don't have.
Jan '11
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
Well, Brian, what's stopping you?
If these 90 liberals are advancing a socialist agenda, say so. Not to me. Say it to them. Or, better, since they're using the media to advance their agenda, go to the media and oppose it.
In this case, what does being Catholic have to do with it?
Let's make a distinction. Catholics talk about the "principle of subsidiarity," which is nothing more than jargon for the idea that government authority should always be as close as possible to the citizens who are governed by it. Some might call that a "Catholic principle," but it isn't. Catholics endorse it, and the church officially endorses it, but it isn't Catholic. That's like saying that logic is a Catholic principle. Sure we endorse it, but that doesn't make it ours. Same with "solidarity" - which effectively means standing with the poor, and therefore helping them. Since when is that a solely internal Catholic principle?
That letter from Ryan's critics claims that Ryan's budget doesn't reflect the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity. You don't have to be Catholic to know (and declare) that criticism is wrong.
Go ahead!
Jun '10
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
Ricochet is my outlet, K.C.
What you perceive as an attack on Catholics or the Church gets your hackles up when my posting is in fact a commentary that certain more Marxist-inspired Catholics have damaged and continue to damage the Catholic brand and the Catholic message for their own anti-American agenda.
I think many other Catholics here on Ricochet and elsewhere see that and agree with that. I'm not exactly sure why this offends you. The Church is an institution. It has a power hierarchy and like most institutions chooses when and how to exercise that power. To the degree that it doesn't exercise that authority, others will step up and exercise it and claim it for their own.
That is really all this posting was about. You seem to be the only one in the discussion upset by it...and I'm honestly not sure why.
Edited on April 27, 2012 at 3:28pmJan '11
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
You have completely misread my comments. In #68, I wasn't upset or distraught. I literally said that if you had criticisms against the liberals, go ahead and express them. I encouraged you to publicize your criticisms - why would I do that if I was distraught about them? No- I said exactly the opposite. I said, go ahead and make them.
Where do you get the idea that I'm upset, or emotionally distraught?
This is one of those few instances when the Myers-Briggs test actually comes in handy. You and I don't have the same personality. I don't react the way you think I do. It bears repeating often - you can't make any judgments about people or their personality based on blogging.
When people take cheap shots against the whole Jesuit order based on the liberal whackos - i.e., Jesuits aren't Catholics anymore, etc., - then I aggressively defend my brothers. Damn right I do - but that's because I enjoy fighting the good fight. Upset? I love this stuff!
Apr '12
Re: Paul Ryan Offends Georgetown Professors and Administrators
I am glad to read that Mr. Mulville is not upset or distraught.
I hope the Church continues another 2000 years on the path lit by Pope John Paul II.