My dear family of Holy Trinity Church.
The life of the Roman Catholic Church is very rich in elements and teachings that help us to be closer to the Lord through the practice of the sacraments and prayers. We come to study the Bible, the catechism, we read spiritual books, and help in the Church when she asks us to do something . We believe we are fine and know everything that we need to know to have a good and healthy spiritual life. However, we do not know very much about the position of the Church regarding politics or social justice. Why? Well, perhaps because we understand the separation between Church and State, we do not pay enough attention to the different social teachings of the Church. It is true that this separation exits; however, the Church is still involved in creating a mentality for each one of her members about the different social problems that we are living. Since Pope Leo XIII, with his Encyclical on capital and labor called Rerum Novarum and written on May 15, 1891, the Church has been present and spoken out the social situation of all humankind.
What is the social teaching of the Church? ‘The Church’s social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. Modern Catholic social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents” (usccb.org). We can read the different documents in the Vatican website.
We are living in a society where human dignity is losing its sense. The values, apparently, are changing. I said apparently because it is our responsibility to work that we continue having strong values that go according to each of the teachings given to us by Our Lord Jesus Christ and promulgated by the Roman Catholic Church through her doctrine.
Very soon, Americans will make very important decisions for the future of this amazing country. And as I said in the bulletin on September 15, 2024, “It is not my job to talk to you about politics.” However, it is my responsibility to teach you what is the position of the Church regarding the coming elections and especially topics about “Equal Rights Amendment – Proposal One.” My task is to help you create a social awareness according to the teachings of the Church so you can make the best decision for our country. I invite you to read the position of the Church regarding the Equal Rights Amendment and why the New York State Catholic Conference says NO to this amendment.
Why vote NO? “The amendment would render it impossible for any change to the law if the hearts and minds of New Yorkers were ever to shift toward protecting the child in the womb. Also, the inclusion of “age” as a protected class could also lead to parents’ rights being stripped away. The relationship between parents and their children is sacred. Parents must be able to support and guide their children in accord with the natural law, without interference from the government or courts, which would be reaching beyond children’s competency,” per a statement released by the New York State Catholic Conference (NYSCC). You can read about this and more.
Let us pray so that all New Yorkers can make the best decision in pro of our children and those who serve, love, and protect them.
Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build. God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!
Fr. Jorge Ramirez
