THE BISHOP'S VOICE: Why we should sign The Manhattan Declaration
Bishop Michael Sheridan, S.T.D.
Feb 3, 2010 4:00 PM

On Nov. 20, 2009, an unprecedented national document was released entitled "The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience."

That declaration pledges and calls all people of good will to a renewed zeal in defending the unborn, defining marriage as a union between

one man and one woman, and protecting religious freedom. I felt very honored to have been asked to be among the first who would give their support by signing this extraordinary statement. And now I am asking that every Catholic, encouraged by and together with their pastors, sign the statement themselves.

The declaration was drafted by Professor Robert George, a Catholic philosopher who teaches at Princeton University (N.J.), Professor Timothy George, a theologian of the Southern Baptist tradition, and Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries. It unites the voices of Catholics with those of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Eastern Orthodox and Evangelical Protestant traditions to give a common witness to the three foundational principles of justice and the common good mentioned above: (1) the sanctity of human life in all stages and conditions; (2) the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife; and (3) the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

The declaration pledges the signatories’ "obligation to speak and act in defense of these truths" and stresses that "no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence." The document states that the signers "will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth as we know it about morality and immorality and marriage and the family."

The introductory section of the declaration sets forth the essence of the document: "We call upon all people of good will, believers and non-believers alike, to consider carefully and reflect critically on the issues we here address as we, with St. Paul, commend this appeal to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

"While the whole scope of Christian moral concern, including a special concern for the poor and vulnerable, claims our attention, we are especially troubled that in our nation today the lives of the unborn, the disabled and the elderly are severely threatened; that the institution of marriage, already buffeted by promiscuity, infidelity and divorce, is in jeopardy of being redefined to accommodate fashionable ideologies; that freedom of religion and the rights of conscience are gravely jeopardized by those who would use the instruments of coercion to compel persons of faith to compromise their deepest convictions."

By now I estimate that that close to one-half million people have signed the declaration. I take this opportunity to call upon our priests, deacons and all who help to form our people in the faith to sign The Manhattan Declaration and encourage their fellow Catholics to do the same.

The full statement can be found online at www.manhattandeclaration.org. Also available at that site are additional resources and answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to gather 1 million signatures.

I hope that you will join me in what I pray will be looked back upon some day as an historic statement that helped decisively to turn the culture towards a true respect for human life, marriage and conscience.

Catholic Schools Week

The mission of the church is to preach the Gospel to all nations so that the Kingdom of God might be built up in the world (cf. Mk 13:10). Integral to this mission are Catholic schools, which, for 200 years in our country, have assisted parents in their most serious obligation of educating their children.

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Colorado Springs and throughout the United States have provided — and continue to provide — the very best education for our young people. Catholic education does not consist solely of catechesis, i.e., instruction in the faith. Catholic schools prepare children for a dual citizenship: citizenship in the heavenly city and also in the earthly city.

Maintaining and growing our Catholic schools is a tremendous challenge — one that can be accomplished only by prayer and the support of every parish in the diocese. Our Catholic schools are second to none in academic excellence. Testing of students proves this year after year. We are committed to that excellence.

But it is the strong Catholic identity of our schools that sets them apart. Catholic schools create an environment in which the Gospel and Gospel values permeate every aspect of the school’s life. The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education puts it this way: "From the first moment that a student sets foot in a Catholic school, he or she ought to have the impression of entering a new environment, one illumined by the light of faith, and having its own unique characteristics. The Council [Vatican II] summed this up by speaking of an environment permeated with the gospel spirit of love and freedom" ("Education in a Catholic School," 25).

In this Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 31-Feb. 6), I salute and thank all who staff and support our schools. If you have school-age children who are not enrolled in a Catholic school, and there is a school in your area, I urge you to take advantage of Catholic education. It is one of the very best gifts that you can give your children.