The
COURIER
St. Augustine August 28
August 2024
Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, MN | dowr.org
Pope Francis: Indifference Is a 'Cancer of Democracy' By JUSTIN MCLELLAN, Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY, July 8, 2024 (CNS) - Catholics are called to be active participants in political life and be a force against the decline of democracy worldwide, Pope Francis said. "In today's world, democracy - let's be honest - is not in good health," the pope told some 1,200 participants at an event during Italian Catholic Social Week in Trieste, Italy. The pope traveled to the northern Italian city for a one-day visit July 7 to participate in the four-day conference organized by the Italian bishops' conference on the theme "At the Heart of Democracy." The Vatican published his talk the same day. Speaking in the Generali Convention Center in Trieste, Pope Francis said that "just as the crisis of democracy cuts across different realities and nations," Christians everywhere are called to develop an "attitude of responsibility toward social transformation." The pope criticized the effects on democracy of the "throwaway culture" present in global society in which "there is no place for the poor, the frail, the sick, children, women, the young, the old." Such a culture makes government structures "incapable of listening and serving people." "Whenever someone is marginalized, the whole social body suffers," he said, comparing the current crisis of democracy to a "wounded heart" which is
Minnesota Catholic Conference
Inside the Capitol The Three C's Behind How Legislators Vote
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hurt by the various forms of exclusion. Pope Francis explained that democracy does not merely entail voting - putting aside his speech to voice his concern about declines in voter turnout - and said "it demands that we create the conditions for everyone to express themselves and participate." He added that people must be "trained" in democratic participation from a young age and develop "a critical sense regarding ideological and populist temptations." The pope warned of the "seductive" nature of ideologies and urged that society cultivate a sense of solidarity to combat them. "Everyone should feel part of a community project; no one should feel useless," he said Departing from his prepared remarks, Pope Francis said that the welfare state alone is "the enemy of democracy, the enemy of love for neighbor,"
Indifference, cont'd on pg. 2
n a representative democracy, citizens vote to determine who will represent them, their families, and their neighbors at all levels of government. When voting for a candidate, citizens trust that the elected official will consider his or her conscience and do what is in the best interest of the constituents. “When I was elected, I decided that three things should guide my vote, the three C’s, conscience, constituents, and caucus. In that order. In too many cases, we now only have one C, the caucus, and it’s on both sides,” said Minnesota State Representative Dean Urdahl during his retirement speech on the House floor in May. Historically, legislators have prioritized and balanced three guiding principles when casting their votes: conscience, constituents, and caucus. However, as we reflect on the words of retired Representative Dean Urdahl, we must confront a significant shift in our historic legislative process. Because in recent times, it appears that many decisions are made not with conscience or constituents in mind, but based solely on caucus affiliation. Prioritizing caucus alone usually means promoting the policy agenda of a chosen few, appeasing the wishes of financial donors, and winning-at-all-costs to retain power - all at the risk of constituents and consciences. This shift is evident on contentious issues
Inside the Capitol, cont'd on pg. 4
INSIDE this issue
Music in Catholic Schools page 6
Reflections on Our Discipleship Journey
Supporting Healthy Aging page 8
page 9