Earlier today, God-o-Meter reported on “Days of Service” being organized by Catholic Barack Obama supporters in cities the pope is visiting. It turns out the events are also happening in two important primary states: Pennsylvania and Indiana. Check out this schedule of events, sent to God-o-Meter from an Obama supporter:
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Washington D.C.
5:00-8:00 PM – D.C. Central Kitchen
Volunteers will help prepare fresh, locally grown produce that is used for job training
programs and served at soup kitchens and shelters around the city.
Friday, April 18, 2008
New York City, NY
9:45-12:30 PM – Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen
Volunteers will help serve food and scrub tables at one of the largest, longest-running
soup kitchens in the city.
7:00-9:30 PM – Grand Central Food Program
Volunteers will work with a mobile soup kitchen that serves meals every night.
Philadelphia, PA
10:15 – 1:15 PM – Project H.O.M.E.
(Housing, Opportunities for Employment, Medical Care, Education)
Volunteers and Former Congressman Tim Roemer will tour a neighborhood and serve
the community.
South Bend, IN
1:45 ? 3:30 PM ? Cardinal Nursing Home
Volunteers will attend Mass and visit with elderly residents.
Here’s the accompanying email to Catholic Obama backers:
I wanted to let you know about what local groups of Catholics and other faith communities in four cities have been doing to honor Pope Benedict XVI’s historic visit to the United States. These groups, brought together by their support of Barack Obama, have organized a series of community service projects under the theme, “Days of Hope Abounding: Feeding the Hungry, Caring for the Forgotten, Visiting the Elderly.”
Before arriving in the United States, Pope Benedict XVI delivered this message: “the world is in greater need of hope than ever…” The days of service, which are occurring in New York, D.C., Philadelphia, and South Bend, Indiana this Thursday and Friday, are intended to honor the Pope’s visit and his message of hope. The Day of Service is not a political event and the local groups are encouraging others to join in the shared effort. I have attached a flyer that provides details about all of the activities organized in each city. Contact information is provided should you want to get involved.
The groups are reaching out to those so often forgotten in our society – the hungry, the poor, and the elderly. During the day of service, volunteers will visit soup kitchens in New York City, a nursing home in South Bend, Indiana, a food distribution center in Washington, D.C., and a homelessness prevention center in Philadelphia.
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posted April 18, 2008 at 11:36 am
I don’t know, but I think the “fruit” of service to the poor– as a testament to the spirit of the renewed sense of community that Obama talks about– is pretty good. And it’s clearly a major piece of Christ’s life and preaching.
While it may be a bit disingenuous to engage in acts of service for the sake of a political candidate, I think the idea behind it is good, and reflects what Obama stands for. I think it extends an invitation to each of us to consider what a “new kind of politics” could really mean for our country and civic pride.
posted April 18, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Again on the subject of “fruits,” one might ask what sort of fruit of the Spirit it is to offer nasty accusations against people doing prayerful service, or to condemn a group of people, or a candidate, particularly based on willfull misrepresentation. I seem to recall something about “without love I am but a clanging symbol” – and “whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.” A quick glance at Catholics for Obama United’s materials shows that they do not necessarily support Sen. Obama’s position on abortion, but that they believe he offers a vision more in keeping with authentic Catholic Christian values than any candidate in a long time. Sen. Obama may not be perfect, but then again, neither are the rest of us – and his willingness to engage in unifying dialogue about difficult issues like race and abortion is an impressive “fruit” unto itself.
posted April 18, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Donny, your argument that “there is nothing that Obama has to offer that can be reconciled with Catholic truth” suggests that you have not sincerely evaluated each of the 3 candidates for President. Further, the implication of your argument–that Catholics can only support candidates based on their position on abortion–is contrary to the guidelines for faithful citizenship that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops outlined late last year.
The Bishops write that Catholics cannot be single-issue voters; instead, as Catholics, we are called, above all, to follow our conscience in balancing the many public policy questions facing the country and support that candidate who most consistently meets the call of Catholic teaching (see “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship no. 34-36).
Accordingly, I focus on the question of which of the candidates is most guided by a consistent ethic of life. On a wide array of issues, including a preferential option for the poor, upholding the just war doctrine and its prohibition of torture, solidarity with all our human brothers and sisters across borders, and combating inequalities in the criminal justice system, Obama answers the call of the Catholic church’s teaching. Indeed, the service work of the Catholics for Obama group is only a glimpse of the hopes for Cathlics that Obama promises. In my own conscience, then, I can reconcile the issue of abortion with the many other issues of grave moral consequence on which Obama is the superior candidate.