Moral dimension

America, October, 2004 by David Hugh Werning

Regarding Representative David Obey's recent essay in your journal, ("My Conscience, My Vote" (8/16), I would agree with him that no bishop ought to coerce any parishioner into taking any course of action. The Catholic faith would be served much better when all Catholics witness to Sacred Scripture and sacred tradition by their willing surrender in thought, word and deed to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Included in this surrender, by the way, is respect for the bishop as the primary teacher in the diocese as well as for the individual's informed conscience.

On the latter point, Representative Obey seems to be well informed, dropping heavy quotes from John Courtney Murray and Thomas Aquinas to anchor his argument. The substance of his argument, as far as I can tell, is...