Bishop Thomas Tobin at Corpus Christi

	Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, Diocese of Providence, R.I., was greeted enthusiastically by 160 guests at Corpus Christi Parish Center on Wednesday, May 21st. Sponsored by the Cape Cod Family Life Alliance , he spoke on "Defending Catholic Beliefs in an Immoral Society," receiving two standing ovations. Pastor Fr. Marcel Bouchard welcomed and introduced His Excellency. His talk was covered by media from Boston and Providence and by our diocesan newspaper, The Anchor.
By GAIL BESSE Anchor Correspondent May 29, 2008 EAST SANDWICH How do you defend Catholic beliefs in an immoral world? First, you understand those beliefs. Next, you live by them - and then you speak up for them. That was the straightforward advice of Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin at a recent talk sponsored by the Cape Cod Family Life Alliance, a 10-year-old organization with members in 13 parishes. Bishop Tobin, a 60-year-old Pittsburgh native, does not mince words. Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani learned that last year when he sent the bishop a fundraising letter. Writing in his diocesan newspaper Rhode Island Catholic, Bishop Tobin took on the Catholic politicians personally opposed but position on abortion. He called it hypocritical and incongruous. Would we let any politician get away with the same pathetic cop-out on other issues: Im personally opposed to . . . racial discrimination, sexual abuse, prostitution, drug abuse, polygamy, incest . . . but dont want to impose my beliefs on others? he asked. The New York Times picked up the news and Giuliani was asked to comment on it in a Republican presidential debate. During his answer, lightning repeatedly interrupted the television audio feed. Speaking May 21 at a CCFLA luncheon in Corpus Christi Parish Center, Bishop Tobin said our most pressing challenge is to protect human life and holy matrimony because the issues are intertwined. Even Catholics have bought into the contraceptive mentality that children are a burden and not a blessing, he said. How ironic that federal laws protect sea turtle nests, but not the unborn of our own species. Catholics, he said, should profess and defend these beliefs: that marriage has always been the intimate union of one man and one woman; that Jesus raised marriage to a sacrament; and that the purpose of marriage is both unitive and procreative. Anything that undermines this is wrong. The bishop said Catholics must defend marriage and the natural family as a cradle of life and love as Pope John Paul II often said. When the procreative aspect of marriage is eliminated, you see the signs of decline everywhere in cohabitation, divorce, abortion. We need to look again at what Humanae Vitae predicted forty years ago, the bishop said. Everything Pope Paul VI said in this was right. Life has become a commodity to be thrown away if it interferes with our agenda. Thats how weve come to the point where (presidential hopeful Barack) Obama can say he wouldnt want to see his daughter punished with a baby if she made a mistake. Punished! With the foundational evil of abortion, other forms of violence human embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, capital punishment, gang violence, domestic violence and terrorism have taken over, Bishop Tobin said. We need to learn we wont solve problems by ending human life. We need to find other ways, and we need to share this with society. The laity and the clergy have an obligation to change things, he pointed out. Our message isnt well received by a secular culture that says were not welcome to the discussion, but still we need to keep our place at the table. Thats the prophetic role of the Church to challenge public officials when theyre wrong. Its the Catholic tradition: to speak the truth to power, a tradition as old as John the Baptist with Herod and St. Thomas More with King Henry VIII. We need to challenge evil clearly, respectfully and with love. This is our right and our obligation. Bishops are slowly but surely promoting this; were finding our voices. But its your role, too, he told the audience. My job as a bishop and a priest is to inspire you, and your job is to go into the marketplace, into the legislature, and to change the world, to transform it into the kingdom of God. Among the 150 listeners were a sprinkling of college and high school students like Gianna Boyar from Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville. It does get you fired up about your faith to see strong leadership, she commented. How exactly do you evangelize charitably in a hostile environment, asked Jack Schrader, a Corpus Christi parishioner who attends the University of Steubenville. It takes patience and timing, replied the bishop. Youll have an effect by your witness, your example, he said. Then in time you can invite people to sit down and talk if theyre open to it. We need to live Catholic values in our own lives and then challenge others, Bishop Tobin said. But remember that all our efforts need to be wrapped in prayer. This is a spiritual and moral battle. We need to try to change laws, but only God can change hearts. Our obligation in this age, as Pope Benedict XVI has said, is to be on guard against subtle secularism. We live in an age of practical and existential atheism. We simply live without God, he said. We cant treat God like a fire extinguisher take him out when we need help and then put him back in the corner. Faith must permeate every aspect of our lives so we become truly open to the transforming power of the Gospel, Bishop Tobin concluded. Remember Psalm 127; unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain. We do our best and God does the rest. Our job today is to be faithful to that task. CCFLA will broadcast the bishops talk on local cable in July. To contact the alliance, call Patricia Stebbins at 508-833-8432 or email capecodFLA@comcast.net.

EAST SANDWICH How do you defend Catholic beliefs in an immoral world? First, you understand those beliefs. Next, you live by them - and then you speak up for them.
That was the straightforward advice of Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin at a recent talk sponsored by the Cape Cod Family Life Alliance, a 10-year-old organization with members in 13 parishes.
Bishop Tobin, a 60-year-old Pittsburgh native, does not mince words. Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani learned that last year when he sent the bishop a fundraising letter.
Writing in his diocesan newspaper Rhode Island Catholic, Bishop Tobin took on the Catholic politicians personally opposed but position on abortion.
He called it hypocritical and incongruous. Would we let any politician get away with the same pathetic cop-out on other issues: Im personally opposed to . . . racial discrimination, sexual abuse, prostitution, drug abuse, polygamy, incest . . . but dont want to impose my beliefs on others? he asked.
The New York Times picked up the news and Giuliani was asked to comment on it in a Republican presidential debate. During his answer, lightning repeatedly interrupted the television audio feed.
Speaking May 21 at a CCFLA luncheon in Corpus Christi Parish Center, Bishop Tobin said our most pressing challenge is to protect human life and holy matrimony because the issues are intertwined.
Even Catholics have bought into the contraceptive mentality that children are a burden and not a blessing, he said. How ironic that federal laws protect sea turtle nests, but not the unborn of our own species.
Catholics, he said, should profess and defend these beliefs: that marriage has always been the intimate union of one man and one woman; that Jesus raised marriage to a sacrament; and that the purpose of marriage is both unitive and procreative. Anything that undermines this is wrong.
The bishop said Catholics must defend marriage and the natural family as a cradle of life and love as Pope John Paul II often said.
When the procreative aspect of marriage is eliminated, you see the signs of decline everywhere in cohabitation, divorce, abortion. We need to look again at what Humanae Vitae predicted forty years ago, the bishop said. Everything Pope Paul VI said in this was right.
Life has become a commodity to be thrown away if it interferes with our agenda. Thats how weve come to the point where (presidential hopeful Barack) Obama can say he wouldnt want to see his daughter punished with a baby if she made a mistake. Punished!
With the foundational evil of abortion, other forms of violence human embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, capital punishment, gang violence, domestic violence and terrorism have taken over, Bishop Tobin said. We need to learn we wont solve problems by ending human life. We need to find other ways, and we need to share this with society.
The laity and the clergy have an obligation to change things, he pointed out.
Our message isnt well received by a secular culture that says were not welcome to the discussion, but still we need to keep our place at the table. Thats the prophetic role of the Church to challenge public officials when theyre wrong. Its the Catholic tradition: to speak the truth to power, a tradition as old as John the Baptist with Herod and St. Thomas More with King Henry VIII.
We need to challenge evil clearly, respectfully and with love. This is our right and our obligation. Bishops are slowly but surely promoting this; were finding our voices. But its your role, too, he told the audience.
My job as a bishop and a priest is to inspire you, and your job is to go into the marketplace, into the legislature, and to change the world, to transform it into the kingdom of God.
Among the 150 listeners were a sprinkling of college and high school students like Gianna Boyar from Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville. It does get you fired up about your faith to see strong leadership, she commented.
How exactly do you evangelize charitably in a hostile environment, asked Jack Schrader, a Corpus Christi parishioner who attends the University of Steubenville.
It takes patience and timing, replied the bishop. Youll have an effect by your witness, your example, he said. Then in time you can invite people to sit down and talk if theyre open to it.
We need to live Catholic values in our own lives and then challenge others, Bishop Tobin said. But remember that all our efforts need to be wrapped in prayer. This is a spiritual and moral battle. We need to try to change laws, but only God can change hearts.
Our obligation in this age, as Pope Benedict XVI has said, is to be on guard against subtle secularism. We live in an age of practical and existential atheism. We simply live without God, he said. We cant treat God like a fire extinguisher take him out when we need help and then put him back in the corner.
Faith must permeate every aspect of our lives so we become truly open to the transforming power of the Gospel, Bishop Tobin concluded. Remember Psalm 127; unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain. We do our best and God does the rest. Our job today is to be faithful to that task.
CCFLA will broadcast the bishops talk on local cable in July. To contact the alliance, call Patricia Stebbins at 508-833-8432 or email capecodFLA@comcast.net.