A different priority

Pope Francis is charting a different course within the Catholic Church’s many priorities. He did not change anything, but rather elevated a traditional position—social doctrine—to the top of the Church’s list of priorities.

One would expect this renewed emphasis to also be reflected at the General Assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which starts on Monday. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case.

The priority, as it appears on the agenda, is religious liberty. In other words, a healthcare professional’s right to refuse to take part in a medical procedure, a hospital’s right to refuse to address any issue of contraception, and an employer’s right to select health coverage according to his or her conscience.

Religious liberty under these terms means that the laws can be molded according to each individual’s religious beliefs, since we assume that liberty is for everyone. This is not reasonable in a society as diverse as our own in terms of cultures and religious faiths.

It is true that this question is not the only one being addressed by the Church. In the history of protecting immigrants, the Catholic Church has played and continues to play an invaluable role. But the issue of the Church’s social doctrine does not have nearly the prominence that the Conference is giving to opposing abortion, birth control pills and gays.

We believe that poverty, the vast disparity of wealth, and the injustice of an educational system in the world’s richest country are issues that warrant at least the same attention as the poorly named religious liberty and opposition to Obamacare.

The American bishops are turning a deaf ear to the frustration recently expressed by Pope Francis when he said that: “We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible.”

For too long, the Catholic Church hierarchy in the United State has made its priority an area of doctrine that leads to the condemnation and isolation of our neighbors. It is time to make less of the differences between people, to abandon the accusatory arrogance of those who consider themselves virtuous, and embrace the humility of understanding. That is what the Holy Father wants.