{"id":5273,"date":"2006-04-19T23:32:11","date_gmt":"2006-04-20T03:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2006\/04\/19\/catholic-conservatives-ignore"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:53:59","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:53:59","slug":"catholic-conservatives-ignore-benedict-on-political-caritas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/04\/19\/catholic-conservatives-ignore-benedict-on-political-caritas\/","title":{"rendered":"Catholic Conservatives Ignore Benedict on Political &#8220;Caritas&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><strong>Pope Benedict XVI<\/strong> has apparently disappointed America&#8217;s &#8220;conservative&#8221; Catholics by not coming out swinging on their favorite issues.  (<em>Washington Post<\/em>, &#8220;<\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/content\/article\/2006\/04\/18\/AR2006041801478.html\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: #000000;font-size: x-small\">Pope&#8217;s 1st Year Lacks An Ideological Edge<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\">,<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">&#8221; by Alan Cooperman; <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em>npr<\/em>, &#8220;<\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/templates\/story\/story.php?storyId=5350338\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: #000000;font-size: x-small\">New Pope Surprises American Catholics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">,&#8221; by Greg Allen; April 19, 2006).  Well, I&#8217;ve finally read Benedict&#8217;s first encyclical, &#8220;<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.catholic.org\/international\/international_story.php?id=18437\"><em><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Deus Caritas Est<\/span><\/em><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;(&#8220;God Is Love&#8221;), dated Dec. 25, 2005, and I&#8217;m pretty sure America&#8217;s Catholic conservatives are disappointing their Pope.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/BenedictAmerica.gif\" alt=\"BenedictAmerica\" \/> <\/span><span style=\"font-size: xx-small\"><em>Pope Benedict XVI<\/em><\/span><\/span><em> <span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: xx-small\">cover of <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.americamagazine.org\/index.cfm?issueID=564\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: xx-small\">America<\/span><\/a><\/em><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: xx-small\"> (March 13, 2006)<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><strong><em>E<\/em><\/strong>ver since learning late last year that the Papal Letter, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.catholic.org\/international\/international_story.php?id=18437\"><em><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: #000000;font-size: x-small\">Deus Caritas Est<\/span><\/em><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> [&#8220;DCE&#8221;], discusses &#8220;caritas&#8221; or &#8220;charity,&#8221; and the relationship between justice and charity, I&#8217;ve been waiting for conservative Catholic webloggers to analyze <em>DCE<\/em> &#8212; hoping to see how Catholic teachings affect their stance on important public policy issues.<\/span> <span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\">I&#8217;m especially interested, because prominent law professors &#8212; including <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.stephenbainbridge.com\/\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"color: black\">Steve <em>Bainbridge<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\">, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mirrorofjustice.com\/mirrorofjustice\/\"><em><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\">MoJ<\/span><\/em><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\">&#8216;s <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/law.nd.edu\/faculty\/facultypages\/garnettr.html\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\">Rick Garnett<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\">, and Deans<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.stthomas.edu\/law\/about\/mengler_article.asp\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\"> Thomas Menger<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"color: black\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"> (<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\">St. Thomas Law School) and <a href=\"http:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=302801\">Mark Sargent<\/a> (Villanove Law) &#8212; have insisted that we need a revival of serious<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\"> that is &#8220;unapologetically and actively committed to discerning and expressing distinctively Catholic approaches to law and lawyering.&#8221;  (our <\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/stories\/storyReader$2800\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\">prior post<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: black\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\" dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Call it an apostate&#8217;s natural suspicion, but the lack of discussion by conservative Catholics (and Catholic conservatives) &#8212; of <em>DCE<\/em> made me suspect that the Encyclical might have called for a bit too much <em>caritas<\/em> in the public sphere, or too high a level of commitment to charitable politcal activism by laypeople, for their liking. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/files\/2008\/04\/bainbridgepic.gif\" alt=\"\" \/> <span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em> What pushed me into actually finding and reading the DCE<\/em> text, in fact, was Prof. <\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.stephenbainbridge.com\/punditry\/comments\/minimum_wage\/\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Bainbridge&#8217;s discussion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> last week about the minimum wage, in response to was an <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonmonthly.com\/archives\/individual\/2006_04\/008602.php\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: #000000;font-size: x-small\">article by Kevin Drum<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"> at<span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em> Washington Monthly<\/em>, dated April 11, 2006.) (our <\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/04\/17#a6494\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">prior post<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">)  Steve&#8217;s thoughts were endorsed by <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/volokh.com\/posts\/1144885890.shtml\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em>Volokh Conspiracy<\/em>&#8216;s Jim Lindgren<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">. At<span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em> Prof. B<\/em>&#8216;s, <em>VC<\/em>, and <em>WM<\/em>, there were dozen of Comments, and the basic<\/span> tone was so uncharitable and unloving &#8212; so miserly and spiteful &#8212; regarding the poor in America, that I decided it was time to see if Benedict XVI could help me figure out the issues.  What the Pope had to say made my suspicions about a Catholic conservative cover-up appear quite justified. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em>Is<\/em> <\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.catholic.org\/international\/international_story.php?id=18437\"><em><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Deus Caritas Est<\/span><\/em><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> relevant to debates on issues such as minimum wage laws? I believe it absolutely is &#8212; for the Catholic faithful <em>and<\/em> for those who see in the core teachings of Jesus a universal ethics of human connection, interdependence, and responsibility. In summarizing Catholic teaching on <em>caritas<\/em> and justice, on the roles of both the Church hierarchy and the faithful, the Encyclical calls for an active, <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">engaged commitment among the laity to improve the plight of the poor &#8212; not merely through Church institutions and personal acts of charity, but also by using political processes in the public forum.   (Such a &#8220;distinctively Catholic approach to law and lawyering&#8221; is one that Your Editor would welcome at American law schools.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/BenedictAmerica.gif\" alt=\"BenedictAmerica\" width=\"57\" height=\"74\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> Here&#8217;s what I discovered in Benedict XVI&#8217;s first encyclical letter, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.catholic.org\/international\/international_story.php?id=18437\"><em><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: #000000;font-size: x-small\">Deus Caritas Est<\/span><\/em><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">: <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">The Letter first addresses at length the subject of God as love. Benedict eventually turns to the topic of &#8220;<em>Jesus Christ \u2013 the incarnate love of God,<\/em>&#8221; and explains that Jesus has &#8220;truly united&#8221; love of God and love of neighbor.  Benedict explains [para. 16], for example, that through the parable of the Good Samaritan:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;The concept of \u201cneighbour\u201d is now universalized, yet it remains <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">concrete. Despite being extended to all mankind, it is not reduced to a <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">generic, abstract and undemanding expression of love, but calls for my own practical commitment here and now. The Church has the duty to interpret ever anew this relationship between near and far with regard to the actual daily life of her members.&#8221; <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Benedict closes the section with this reminder:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;Lastly, we should especially mention the great parable of the Last Judgement (cf. Mt 25:31-46), in which love becomes the criterion for the definitive decision<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> about a human life&#8217;s worth or lack thereof.  Jesus identifies himself with those <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> in need, with the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> in prison. \u201cAs you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me\u201d <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> (Mt 25:40). Love of God and love of neighbour have become one: in the least of the<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> brethren we find Jesus himself, and in Jesus we find God.&#8221; <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/JesusMoneychangers.gif\" alt=\"JesusMoney\" \/> <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><em><span style=\"font-size: xx-small\">jesus\/<\/span><\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sundayschoollessons.com\/lent3kles.htm\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: xx-small\"><em>moneychangers<\/em><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Before you protest that this pious love-your-neighbor stuff belongs in the context of each <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Catholic&#8217;s personal life, please read on.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><strong>Part II of the Letter<\/strong>, titled &#8220;<strong><em>Caritas<\/em><\/strong>&#8221; begins by describing the centrality of charity to the essence of the Church.   It then attempts to clarify the relationship between charity and justice.  After dismissing the Marxist rejection of charity, Benedict nevertheless states [para. 26] (emphases added): <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;It is true that the pursuit of justice must be a fundamental norm of the State<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> and that <em>the aim of a just social order is to guarantee to each person, according <\/em><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em>to the principle of subsidiarity, his share of the community&#8217;s goods<\/em>. This has always<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> been emphasized by Christian teaching on the State and by the Church&#8217;s social <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">doctrine. <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;Historically, the issue of the just ordering of the collectivity had taken a new dimen<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">sion with the industrialization of society in the nineteenth century. <em>The rise of modern <\/em><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><em>industry caused the old social structures to collapse, while the growth of a class of<\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em> salaried workers provoked radical changes in the fabric of society.<\/em> The relationship <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">between capital and labour now became the decisive issue\u2014an issue which in that<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> form was previously unknown. Capital and the means of production were now the new <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">source of power which, concentrated in the hands of a few, led to the suppression of<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> the rights of the working classes, against which they had to rebel.&#8221; <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">After &#8220;admitt[ing] that the Church&#8217;s leadership was slow to realize that the issue of the just structuring of society needed to be approached in a new way,&#8221; the Letter notes that the illusion<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> of a Marxist panacea for injustice has vanished.  However [para 27]: <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;In today&#8217;s complex situation, not least because of the growth of a globalized economy, <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">the Church&#8217;s social doctrine has become a set of fundamental guidelines offering ap<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">proaches that are valid even beyond the confines of the Church: in the face of ongoing <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">development these guidelines need to be addressed in the context of dialogue with all <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">those seriously concerned for humanity and for the world in which we live.&#8221; <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">An editorial in <em>Catholic Weekly<\/em>, &#8220;<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.americamagazine.org\/editorial.cfm?articleTypeID=3&amp;textID=4610&amp;issueID=560\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: #000000;font-size: x-small\">A More Excellent Way<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">&#8221; (Feb. 13, 2006), explains the Church&#8217;s <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">role &#8220;with respect to justice&#8221;: <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: xx-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/JesusLibS.gif\" alt=\"JesusLibS\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: xx-small\">&#8220;<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cafepress.com\/shopliberally.13630973?zoom=yes#zoom\"><em><span style=\"font-family: Arial;color: black;font-size: xx-small\"><strong>Jesus Was a Liberal<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: xx-small\">&#8220;<\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">&#8220;The letter also makes a familiar and necessary distinction between the charitable<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> work of the church and that of partisan, ideological movements. It affirms that justice <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> is primarily the work of the state. <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><strong>&#8220;<\/strong><em>With respect to justice,<\/em> the church\u2019s role is that of teacher and critic. It hands on<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> its social doctrine, guides consciences and helps identify the goals of authentic <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">justice in society. &#8216;The church is duty-bound to offer, through the purification of reason<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> and through ethical formation, her own specific contributions towards understanding <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">the requirements of justice and achieving them politically,\u201d Pope Benedict writes. <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">While not replacing the state, &#8216;she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> the fight for justice.&#8217;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">A similar explanation can be found in <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mirrorofjustice.com\/mirrorofjustice\/2006\/01\/benedict_xvi_de.html\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Greg Sisk&#8217;s posting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> at <em>Mirror of Justice<\/em>.  The curious mind has to be wondering, &#8220;Well, if the Church&#8217;s insitutional role in achieving justice &#8212; defined<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> by Benedict as &#8220;<em>guarantee[ing] to each person, according <\/em><em>to the principle of subsidiarity, his <\/em><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em>share <\/em><em>of the community&#8217;s goods<\/em>&#8221; &#8212; is indirect, who and how will the just society be achieved?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Benedict tells us the Church wants &#8220;dialogue with all those seriously concerned for humanity and for the world in which we live.&#8221;  Naturally, he also expects that it is individual Catholics who will be the most receptive, who will have the most highly-enlightened consciences, and will in the forefront in securing justice and social caritas.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/scalesrichpoor.jpg\" alt=\"scales rich poor\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> How do I know?  <em>Not<\/em> because any conservative weblogger has told me!  I know because<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> Benedict tells us explicitly in <em>Deus Caritas Est<\/em>: <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><em>&#8220;The direct duty to work for a just ordering of society, on the other hand,<\/em><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em> is proper to the lay faithful.<\/em> As citizens of the State, they are called to take part in public life in a personal capacity. So<em> they cannot relinquish their participation<\/em> \u201cin the many different economic, social, legislative, adminis<\/span>trative and cultural areas, which are intended to promote organically and<span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> institutionally the common good.\u201d [21] <em>The mission of the lay faithful is therefore to configure social life correctly<\/em>, respecting its legitimate autonomy and<\/span> cooperating with other citizens according to their respective competences and fulfilling their own responsibility. [22] Even if the specific expressions of ecclesial charity can never be confused with the activity of the State, it still<span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> remains true that <em>charity must animate the entire lives of the lay faithful and therefore also their political activity, lived as \u201csocial charity\u201d.[<\/em>23] (emphases<\/span> added)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">I dare you to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ratzingerfanclub.com\/blog\/2006\/01\/pope-benedict-xvi-deus-caritas-est.html\"><span style=\"color: black\">find<\/span><\/a> either the sentence &#8220;The direct duty to work for a just ordering of society, on the other hand, is proper to the lay faithful,&#8221; or the clause &#8220;charity must animate the entire lives of the lay faithful and therefore also their political activity, lived as &#8216;social charity,'&#8221; in any of the political, economic, or religious commentary and punditry of the leading conservative Catholic webloggers.  Indeed, you won&#8217;t find them on any obscure weblogs either (except for the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/erjnbulletin.blogspot.com\/2006\/03\/lent-some-reflections-on-justice-and.html\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Edmund Rice Justice Bulletin<\/span><\/a><\/em>, which looks a little lefty to me). <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/JesusLibSN.gif\" alt=\"JesusLibSN\" \/> You can learn more about the Catholic notion of &#8220;social charity,&#8221; and &#8220;social justice&#8221; <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/catechism\/text\/pt3sect1chpt2art3.htm\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">.  For example, the Catholic Catechism tells us that &#8220;The principle of solidarity, also articulated in terms of &#8220;friendship&#8221; or &#8220;social charity,&#8221; is a direct demand of human and Christian brotherhood.&#8221;  Also, &#8220;Solidarity is manifested in the first place by the distribution of goods and remuneration for work.&#8221;  And, &#8220;The equal dignity of human persons requires the effort to reduce excessive social and economic inequalities,&#8221; because economic &#8220;differences encourage and often oblige persons to practice generosity, kindness, and sharing of goods.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/JesusMoneychangers.gif\" alt=\"JesusMoney\" width=\"76\" height=\"77\" \/> <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Of course, any Catholic conservatives (or libertarians) who have read this far are already shaking their heads and thinking: (a) true justice can only come from the free market and its economic principles; (b) charity is a private matter and only the smallest government can be a just government; (c) the American form of government is as just as humankind will ever achieve, and doesn&#8217;t need more tinkering &#8212; especially of the welfare-state variety; or (d) no matter what you say, it&#8217;s immoral to take\/tax money that<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> I <em>earn<\/em> and redistribute it to poor people. <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Pope Benedict anticipated such reactions. In <em>DCE<\/em>, Benedict therefore reminds the Faithful:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/tinycheck.gif\" alt=\"tiny check\" \/> <em> The just ordering of society and the State is a central responsibility of politics.<\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><em> As Augustine once said, a State which is not governed according to justice would <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><em>be just a bunch of thieves<\/em>. [para 28a] <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/tinycheck.gif\" alt=\"tiny check\" \/> Justice is both the aim and the intrinsic criterion of all politics. Politics is more than a mere mechanism for defining the rules of public life: its origin and its goal are found<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> in justice, which by its very nature has to do with ethics&#8230; The problem [what justice <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">is] is one of practical reason; but if reason is to be exercised properly, it must undergo<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> constant purification, since it can never be completely free of the danger of a certain <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">ethical blindness caused by the dazzling effect of power and special interests.  [para<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> 28a] <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/Benedict16.gif\" alt=\"Benedict16\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/tinycheck.gif\" alt=\"tiny check\" \/> Love\u2014caritas\u2014will always prove necessary, even in the most just society. There is no<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> ordering of the State so just that it can eliminate the need for a service of love. Whoever <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">wants to eliminate love is preparing to eliminate man as such. There will always be suffering<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> which cries out for consolation and help. There will always be loneliness. There will always <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">be situations of material need where help in the form of concrete love of neighbour is indis<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">pensable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/tinycheck.gif\" alt=\"tiny check\" \/> <em> The Church . . . has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken<\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><em> the <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><em>spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><em>and <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><em>prosper.<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/tinycheck.gif\" alt=\"tiny check\" \/> [The] Encyclical <em>Ut Unum Sint<\/em> emphasized that the building of a better world requires<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> Christians to speak with a united voice in working to inculcate \u201crespect for the rights and <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">needs of everyone, especially the poor, the lowly and the defenceless.\u201d [para. 30]<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/tinycheck.gif\" alt=\"tiny check\" \/> Christian charitable activity must be independent of parties and ideologies. It is not a<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> means <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">of changing the world ideologically, and it is not at the service of worldly strata<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">gems, but it is <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">a way of making present here and now the love which man always needs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/tinycheck.gif\" alt=\"tiny check\" \/> The modern age, particularly from the nineteenth century on, has been dominated by <em>various<\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> versions of a philosophy of progress whose most radical form is Marxism. Part of Marxist <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">strategy is the theory of impoverishment: in a situation of unjust power, it is claimed, anyone<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> who engages in charitable initiatives is actually serving that unjust system, making it appear <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">at least to some extent tolerable. . . . What we have here, though, is really an inhuman<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> philosophy. People of the present are sacrificed to the moloch of the future\u2014a future whose <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">effective realization is at best doubtful. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/Benedict16.gif\" alt=\"Benedict16\" \/> Perhaps most tellingly, Benedict tells ideologues of the Left and the Right: &#8220;One does not make<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> the world more human by refusing to act humanely here and now. We contribute to a better world only by personally doing good now, with full commitment and wherever we have the opportunity, independently of partisan strategies and programmes.&#8221; [para. 31b]<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">That&#8217;s strong stuff.  It seems directly relevant to political issues ranging from the level of the minimum wage, and the creation of universal health care rights, to the treatment of illegal (but<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> otherwise law-<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">abiding) immigrants. <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"color: black\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/files\/2008\/04\/tinyredcheck.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"15\" \/> When it comes to issues of social justice &#8212; <span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">and <em>social caritas<\/em> &#8212; <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\">it seems<span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> clear <span style=\"color: black\">that Jesus was indeed a Liberal.  Living past 30 didn&#8217;t change that,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\"> and I&#8217;m sure the past two millennia haven&#8217;t either.  The <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sermon_on_the_Mount%20Sermon%20on%20the%20Mount\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">Sermon on the Mount<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">with its <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikisource.org\/wiki\/Bible,_King_James,_Matthew#Chapter_5\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">Eight Beatitudes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">, deserves the full respect of <em>stare decisis<\/em>. Jesus <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">didn&#8217;t have a means test when he distributed the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.answers.com\/topic\/loaves-and-fishes\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">loaves and fishes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">.  When <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.answers.com\/main\/ntquery;jsessionid=g60bx86vw8fq?tname=feeding-the-multitude&amp;curtab=2222_1&amp;hl=loaves&amp;hl=fishes&amp;sbid=lc03b\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">multitudes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"color: black\"> were hungry<\/span>, He fed them &#8212; he didn&#8217;t tell them to figure out <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: x-small\">for themselves how to fish, or how to swim. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">Conservative Catholics like <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.firstthings.com\/onthesquare\/?p=159\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">First Thing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">s&#8217; Richard John Neuhaus may be <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/content\/article\/2006\/04\/18\/AR2006041801478.html\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">disappointed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> to see Benedict XVI playing the role of pastor now, rather than &#8220;enforcer.&#8221;   But, even old cynics<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> like myself believe that The Job often dictates the role that an incumbent must play.  No <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">job calls for the love of pastor and shepherd &#8212; and conscience for the faithful &#8212; like the <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">papacy.  I just hope the faithful are listening to <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.catholic.org\/international\/international_story.php?id=18437\"><em><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Deus Caritas Est<\/span><\/em><\/a><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> and will choose to live <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">up to its call for political action in the name of social justice and charity. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: red\"><em><strong>afterthought<\/strong><\/em><\/span> (April 20): When it comes <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">to feeding (or clothing, sheltering, healing, educating) <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">the poor, the <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">working poor, or <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">even His more-<\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">comfortable &#8220;neighbors,&#8221; Christ was no Cafeteria Catholic. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">Can we say the <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">same for America&#8217;s <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">Catholic conservatives?  Are they disappointing Jesus <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">and His current Vicar, Benedict XVI? Are they leaving the social-justice heavy lifting to the non-religious (like myself), who they so often claim can have no solid moral foundation, and to the Liberal Catholics, who they so often deride as not really being Catholic at all?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/TaxWhinerTUCummingsS.gif\" alt=\"TaxWhinerTUCummingsS\" \/> <span style=\"color: black\"> <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/gems\/ethicalesq\/TaxWhinerTUCummings.jpg\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: xx-small\"><strong>larger<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-small\"><em> Albany Times Union<\/em>\/Barbara Cummings &#8211; see our most-recent discussion of <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2003\/07\/17#a116\">tax whiners<\/a>:<\/span><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/04\/15#a6491\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;color: black;font-size: xx-small\"><em>ghosts of tax days past (Scrooge was surely a tax-whiner)<\/em><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/tinycheck.gif\" alt=\"tiny check\" \/> From the early 19th Century, Japanese Master haijin<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> Kobayashi Issa offers a few closing haiku:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">they curse the first snow<br \/>\nlike it&#8217;s a beggar&#8230;<br \/>\nrest stop<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">in vain<br \/>\nthe baby bird begs&#8230;<br \/>\na stepchild<br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/files\/2008\/04\/kiteg.gif\" alt=\"\" \/><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">Great Japan!<br \/>\neven a beggar&#8217;s house<br \/>\nhas a summer banne<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">even birds<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">make their nests&#8230;<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">beggars under the bridge<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">autumn wind&#8211;<br \/>\na beggar looking<br \/>\nsizes me up<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">they must have kids&#8211;<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">bridge beggars<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">calling fireflies<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">deutzia tree&#8211;<br \/>\namong gods and beggars<br \/>\nit blooms<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">a pretty kite soars<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">a beggar&#8217;s shack<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">below<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.haikuguy.com\/issa.html\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;color: #ff0000\">Issa<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Arial;font-size: xx-small\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">,<\/span> translated by <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.haikuguy.com\/aboutme.html\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;color: #000000;font-size: xx-small\">David G. Lanoue<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/BenedictAmericaF.gif\" alt=\"BenedictAmericaF\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pope Benedict XVI has apparently disappointed America&#8217;s &#8220;conservative&#8221; Catholics by not coming out swinging on their favorite issues. (Washington Post, &#8220;Pope&#8217;s 1st Year Lacks An Ideological Edge,&#8221; by Alan Cooperman; npr, &#8220;New Pope Surprises American Catholics,&#8221; by Greg Allen; April 19, 2006). Well, I&#8217;ve finally read Benedict&#8217;s first encyclical, &#8220;Deus Caritas Est&#8220;(&#8220;God Is Love&#8221;), dated [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2926],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pre-06-2006"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-1n3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5273"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12682,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5273\/revisions\/12682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}