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H H H
60. The Church is principled but not ideological. As St. John Paul II wrote in
his encyclical,
Sollicitudo Rei Socialis
,
The Church’s social doctrine is not . . . an ideology, but
rather the accurate formulation of the results of a careful
reflection on the complex realities of human existence, in
society and in the international order, in the light of faith
and of the Church’s tradition. Its main aim is to interpret
these realities, determining their conformity with or diver-
gence from the lines of the Gospel teaching on man and his
vocation, a vocation which is at once earthly and transcen-
dent; its aim is thus to guide Christian behavior. It therefore
belongs to the field, not of ideology, but of theology and
particularly of moral theology. (
Sollicitudo Rei Socialis
, no. 41)
We cannot compromise basic principles or moral teaching. We are committed
to clarity about our moral teaching and to civility. In public life, it is impor-
tant to practice the virtues of charity and justice that are at the core of our
Tradition. We should work with others in a variety of ways to advance our
moral principles.
61. In light of these principles and the blessings we share as part of a free and
democratic nation, we bishops vigorously repeat our call for a renewed kind of
politics:
•
Focused more on moral principles than on the latest polls
•
Focused more on the needs of the weak than on benefits for the strong
•
Focused more on the pursuit of the common good than on the demands of
narrow interests
62. This kind of political participation reflects the social teaching of our
Church and the best traditions of our nation.