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A Catholic Perspective on September 11
Guide for Parents and Families
[This material was originally published in September 2002]
The
anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001
offers Catholics families both a challenge and an opportunity.
Many children and young teens may still be confused, afraid or
worried about what happened, and the impact those events will
have on the future. The media's attention and adult
discussion surrounding the anniversary of 9/11 could only
increase their anxiety. As a parent or teacher, you can
use the resources of our Catholic faith tradition to reassure
them.
For instance,
children need to know that as Catholic Christians we believe
that::
• The world is not spinning out of control.
• There are other choices besides violence, and many people
choose them; in
fact, the chances of being a victim of violence are quite small.
• There are many thoughtful, wise and holy adults who are making
or trying to
influence the decisions which are being made; we can trust good
people to
make good decisions.
• God's Spirit is at work in the world; this Spirit empowers
people to make good
choices.
The anniversary of
September 11 and all the attention which will surround it
also offers us an opportunity to apply some of the basic
principles of Catholic moral and social teachings. Here
are some thoughts you might find useful:
1. Catholics
believe that every human life is sacred and every person
deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
• This principle affirms the anger and horror we felt because
the terrorist attacks
killed so many innocent people.
• However, this principle does not apply only to "innocent"
people. Every human
person is entitled to a fundamental level of dignity and respect,
regardless of
any other conditions or circumstances. This applies to
terrorists and
suspected terrorists as well. Moreover, we are reminded that
Jesus spent
much of his ministry with people who were considered morally bad
(the sick, the
poor, foreigners, and public sinners.
For reflection or discussion: Why is it so hard to treat
"bad" people with dignity and respect?
2. Catholics
believe in the solidarity of the human family.
• Our appreciation for this principle was reinforced by the
response of firefighters,
police, rescue teams, blood donors, and so many other "heroes" at
the time of
the terrorist attacks. We felt a connection to the victims,
to their families, and
to one another.
• However, the principle of solidarity does not apply only to
our personal families,
local community, or just our country. Solidarity and
community have global
dimensions. We are also connected to people in other parts of
the world,
including those living in circumstances which encourage desperation
and lead
to terrorism. This principle makes it much more difficult to
divide the world into
"us" and "them."
For reflection or discussion: Who are the "black sheep"
in our families, community or country?
3. Catholics
believe that each person has rights and responsibilities.
• Because of this principle we feel that the rights of the
people killed in the terrorist
attacks and their families were unjustly violated. We feel
that our rights to
freedom and safety as a nation were violated.
• However, this principle is not only about rights.
Rights and responsibilities
always go hand-in-hand. We are reminded of our own
responsibilities as
individuals and as a country, not just for ourselves, but for our
brothers and
sisters throughout the world. As Catholic Christians we
believe that every
human person has a right to live in a society which supports family
life,
respects the dignity of workers, conserves natural resources, and
insures
religious freedom.
For reflection or discussion: Many people in other parts
of the world believe American foreign and economic policies
abridge their rights; do you think they are justified to feel
that way?
4. Catholics
believe that God calls us to a special responsibility for the
poor and vulnerable.
• This principle underlies our concern for the victims of the
terrorist attacks and
for their families, as well as for our own personal and national sense of
vulnerability to future attacks. Suddenly, we all feel vulnerable.
• However, this principle also challenges us to evaluate our
vulnerability in a wider
context. It reminds us that we must be concerned about social,
political and
economic conditions in other parts of the world which create poverty and
vulnerability much greater than ours. The Gospel suggests that we
must put
the needs of the most poor and most vulnerable first; in that case, we
must stop
to ask ourselves, who is the most vulnerable?
For reflection or discussion: How poor, vulnerable
or safe are we -- compared to most people living in the third
world or developing countries? And how should that shape
our political and economic decisions?
5. Catholics
believe in the right of self-defense.
• We believe that individuals and countries have a right --
even a responsibility, in
some cases -- to defend themselves.
• However, this right to legitimate self-defense is not
absolute. What we can do in
our own defense depends upon the danger which we experience. The
Catholic
Church teaches that there is always a presumption against the use of
force in
self-defense unless there is sufficient cause which justifies the use of
force. In
the case of a grave public evil or injustice, force may be used by
legitimate
authorities, but only for the right reasons, only when there is a
probability of
success, only when the evil created will not outweigh the good which
might be
achieved, and only when all other peaceful alternatives have been tried
first (cf.
U.S. Catholic Bishops, The Harvest of Justice is Sown in Peace,
2001). The
late Blessed Pope John Paul II seemed to expand the traditional criteria
for legitimate self-defense (or "just war") even more. The Pope
said that
measures taken to disarm an aggressor must always be limited and precise,
they must be carried out in full respect for international law, and
cannot be left to
the outcome of armed intervention alone (World Day of Peace Message,
2000).
As Catholic
Christians we should be aware of the fact that the Gospel
does not promise us the kind of safety or security that we
usually seek. This can be frightening for young children
and disappointing for many faithful adults. As adults,
however, we should realize that human efforts to insure our own
security -- much less our own advantage -- always fall short.
Moreover, we should keep in mind Jesus' warning in the Gospel:
"Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his
life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 16.24).
Grave injustices such
as the September 11 attacks seem to demand a quick and decisive
response. However, we must temper our desire to "make
things right" and "punish the wicked" with the advice Jesus gave
to the disciples in the parable about the weeds and the wheat:
"Let both grow together until the harvest, lest in gathering
the weeds you root up the wheat along with them" (Matthew
13.24-30).
True justice, Pope
John Paul II wrote, must always be linked to forgiveness.
"Forgiveness may seem like weakness, but it demands great
spiritual strength and moral courage.... It may seem in
some way to diminish us, but in fact it leads us to a fuller and
richer humanity, more radiant with the spendor of the Creator" (World
Day of Peace Message, 2001).
--Dave Cushing
• • •
Return to Sept. 11 Home Page
• • •
For More
Information Contact:
Director of Adult Faith Formation
•
320 Mulberry Street,
Waterloo IA 50703.
Phone:
319-234-9912 • Email:
DBQ208s3@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us
Posted
08.24.11
•
Last Update
08.24.11
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