In our church history class we recently read Pope Leo XII's encyclical "Immortale Dei: On the Christian Constitution of States" (1885). I saw a connection with an incident in the heathcare debate.
Pope Leo in the encyclical decries the view holding that "since the people is declared to contain within itself the spring-head of all rights and of all power, it follows that the State does not consider itself bound by any kind of duty toward God." 25. Rather, the pope asserted, "rulers must ever bear in mind that God is the paramount ruler of the world, and must set Him before themselves as their exemplar and law in the administration of the State." 4.
In other words, human law looks to God's law as its source and formative principle. Legislators in Congress it seems to me acknowledge this in starting each legislative day with a prayer.
The connection with the health care debate? In Tuesday's Chgo Tribune, an article reported that the IL Catholic Prayer Breakfast disinvited Bart Stupak as its intended speaker because of his vote on health care. Here is what Michael Sullivan, president of the organization said, "No one is condemning Bart Stupak. His job in the public square is to stand up for his constituents and the principles that he purports to believe in. . . . He's really turned his back on those principles. Those principles issue from this person we think is God -- Jesus. If our first pope can deny him and be forgiven and be restored, then certainly Bart can as well. We're praying for him."
I'm sure Bart Stupak has a position on the question whether he was following the law of God as he understood it in his legislative vote. My point is that it is refreshing to see an overt reference to divine principles that should be guiding legislative activity. Do our legislators often articulate this dependence? (If they did wouldn't they be condemned by many who adhere to the "error" condemned by Pope Leo: that "the people" hold within themselves the "spring-head of all rights and of all power"?)
I hope our legislators earnestly pray for divine guidance, and that we continue to do the same for them.
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From a poem by Michelangelo, Carico d'anni
It is not one's own powers, however necessary these may be, that can chane life, love, custom or fate, without your divine and clear, assistance to act as guide and restraint from every erroneous course.
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