Wisdom Wednesday | February 5

Welcome to Wisdom Wednesday, seeking wisdom at the nexus of religion, culture and politics. One item claims that the vice-president “introduces [a] lesser-known Catholic moral principle into national discourse,” while another opines, “JD Vance is wrong.” Our quote of the week comes from a letter composed by an AUSCP working group in support of Texas Bishop Mark Seitz, asking for a declaration that “we will not condone or permit entry to areas of public worship for non-emergency immigration enforcement.”

ICE is not welcome

A letter composed by the AUSCP Immigration Working Group supports Bishop Mark Seitz, with a copy to the president of the U.S. Catholic Conference of bishops, in part to ask for a declaration: “We ask you to declare to the government administration that our parish worship places must be respected and advise them that we will not condone or permit entry to areas of public worship for non-emergency immigration enforcement.”

Read the full letter, from AUSCP.

About Vice-president Vance and ranks of love

A National Catholic Register headline begins, “Catechist-in-Chief?” and reports that Vance “Introduces Lesser-Known Catholic Moral Principle [ordo amoris] Into National Discourse.” A guest voice opinion in National Catholic Reporter states, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

The margins? Or the center?

The head of The Episcopal Church has stated, “In God’s Kingdom, immigrants and refugees, transgender people, the poor and the marginalized are not at the edges, fearful and alone. They are at the center of the Gospel story.” The Christian Post, a conservative evangelical publication, reports on the sermon from the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church.

PROPOSED: A Constitution for the Catholic Church

In memory of the passing of John Wijngaards, the founder of the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research, on January 2, Dr. Luca Badini Confalonieri gave an online presentation on the institute’s “Proposed Constitution for the Catholic Church” on January 29. It is “the result of a thought experiment: ‘What would the structure of the Catholic Church look like if the miracle had happened?’” In other words, he asked, “What would it look like if all the liberating possibilities the gospel calls for were implemented?” A long read from Today’s American Catholic.

Lutheran Aid groups, illegal payments?

Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, accused Musk and others of spreading ‘misinformation’ and casting baseless doubt on longstanding federal funding agreements, including to resettle refugees. Musk calls them “illegal payments.” Report from Religion News Service.

Children’s rights

Pope Francis among international leaders discussed Children’s Rights. Speaking in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall, Pope Francis also drew attention Monday to his concern that young people, themselves a sign of hope, are struggling to find hope in today’s world. Our report from the National Catholic Register.

Despite a presidential order, New York Attorney General Letitia James has demanded that hospitals in the Empire State continue to provide puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones and body-mutilating cosmetic surgeries for minors struggling with gender dysphoria. Our report comes from The Christian Post, a self-described American non-denominational, conservative, evangelical Christian online newspaper, based in Washington.

Climate Care, Care for Creation

The AUSCP Climate Working Group offers an item from the non-profit publication, Inside Climate News. The headline asks, “Reset or Purge? Trump EPA Dismisses Agency Science Advisers.” The article reports that “Critics fear the unusual clean sweep of panels is meant to ease the planned rollback of climate and environmental policy.”

Pax Christi International is concerned by the new mining law passed on 23 December 2024 in El Salvador. Mining would increase the country’s risk of environmental contamination, human rights violations, and public health concerns.

The Catholic Climate Covenant offers a webinar on Feb. 19, on “AI’s Sustainability and Climate Challenges: A Catholic Response to Protect Our Common Home.”

About that sermon from Bishop Budde

An editorial in National Catholic Reporter concludes that, “Addressing Trump, Bishop Budde did what a Christian is obliged to do.” The editorial also concludes that the president, “who declared in his inaugural address that his election was divinely ordained, may energize and unite mainline Christianity in the United States in a way we haven’t seen for decades.”

Singing a new song: Bishop Budde’s sermon has inspired a new song from a United Methodist hymn writer. The first stanza and the story are provided by Baptist News Global.

When we speak truth to power our God is glorified,
In acts of holy boldness, the Lord of all takes pride.
We’re called to seize the moment, to move beyond our fear,
And speak the way of Jesus to those who need to hear.

Black Catholics in the 119th Congress: A shifting narrative. “Though the numbers have not changed much this year, the bigger picture shows that immigration is now the name of the Black Catholic game,” states Nate Tinneer-Wiliams, editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

The faith of a Cabinet nominee

Tulsi Gabbard’s religious background is not complicated, say American Hindus. Alongside criticisms of her political history, Gabbard has long fielded questions about her particular branch of Hindu faith, which many have referred to as a ‘cult.’ From Religion News Service.

Opposing presidential appointee

A coalition of 20 organizations dedicated to the separation of church and state have written to leaders of the U.S. Senate urging them not to confirm President Donald Trump’s nomination of Russell Vought at director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Vought is a controversial figure who led the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 work that critics say seeks to reshape the federal government into an evangelical Christian theocracy. From Baptist News Global.

International issues

• USAID BACKGROUNDER from The Guardian: What is USAid and why does Trump dislike it so much? (At the time of entering this post, a decision was expected from the White House Tuesday, Feb. 4.) What does it do? The US agency distributes tens of billions of dollars’ worth of aid every year and is a key tool to promote soft power around the world.
• Unrwa decision?: Donald Trump was expected on Tuesday to stop US engagement with the UN human rights council and continue a halt to funding for the UN’s Palestinian relief agency (Unrwa), a White House official has said. The move coincides with a visit to Washington by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Guardian offers a link to live coverage of the Mideast crisis.
• HIV/AIDS relief:WIRED Magazine reports that “Elon Musk’s DOGE Is Still Blocking HIV/AIDS Relief Exempted From Foreign Aid Cuts.” The publication concludes that the Trump Administration claims it is allowing “lifesaving” foreign aid to continue, but in reality, DOGE is preventing vital work on HIV and AIDS from saving lives.

OPINIONS

From Jesuit Thomas Reese: “President Donald Trump is the epitome of a destroyer who knows what he hates but has no idea how to build anything beautiful. He has greater joy in firing people than mentoring them.”

From. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Hispanic Caucus chair: “Laken Riley Act targets migrants, will harm Latino communities.” Espaillar is a formerly undocumented Black Catholic who leads Hispanic lawmakers in Congress, on a new law spelling chaos for U.S. Latino immigrants.

From Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin: “ . . . if you were to ask me whether Jewish worship has a ‘design flaw,’ I would say that this is it: Almost nowhere in our services do we get to yell at God and to protest God’s actions and inactions.” He says, along with joy, gratitude and uplift. . . . anger and questioning are part of any healthy relationship. Where is that in our prayer experience?

From Wendell Griffen in Baptist News Global: “Donald Trump’s January 6 insurrection is now a coup.” He reports, “On Feb. 2, private actors reportedly employed by Elon Musk took over U.S. Treasury computer systems that control the nation’s payments for government benefits. That action followed a Trump-ordered takeover of the USAID independent federal agency responsible for distributing foreign aid to people in needy countries around the world.”

From Robert P. Jones, on the purpose of Black History Month: “The foremost purpose . . . is to make all Americans aware of this struggle for freedom and equal opportunity. It is also a time to celebrate the many achievements of Blacks in every field, from science and the arts to politics and religion. It not only offers Black Americans an occasion to explore their heritage, but it also offers all Americans an occasion and opportunity to gain a fuller perspective of the contributions of Black Americans to our nation. The American experience and character can never be fully grasped until the knowledge of Black history assumes its rightful place in our schools and our scholarship.”

From Susan M. Shaw, professor of women, gender and sexuality studies at Oregon State University. “Somehow, straight white men seem to feel the small strides made toward equality for others have infringed on their God-given rights to have it all. So now we’re seeing a resurgence of a straight white bro culture that is overtly racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic and xenophobic . . . .”

From Dilshad Ali, regarding Muslims in America: “In 2017, President Donald Trump’s chaotic attempt to exclude Muslims from immigrating to the United States by restricting arrivals from several Muslim-majority countries was met with no uncertain response. [Now] two new executive orders in Trump’s second term are proving of equal concern to foreign students, civil rights organizations and Muslims Americans.”

From Jen Pollock Michel: “Our immigration system is unsustainable. But America should keep its word to people like my friends at ESL class. . . . To be sure, we can tighten the border, let migrants plead their case in the immigration courts, and then let courts decide their permanent status. But we must not unjustly revoke a provisional status that was obtained legally, endangering the lives and livelihoods of nearly a million people, nor should we obstruct access to legal advice.

From Eric Costanzo, lead pastor of South Tulsa Baptist Church: “It’s a hard time to be a pastor. Leading churches with ministries to internationals or with multi-ethnic congregations is becoming more challenging under a federal government hostile toward immigrants and refugees, faith leaders said during a recent webinar hosted by World Relief.

Catholic Schools

COMMENTARY: The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Oklahoma can open St. Isidore: an online Roman Catholic charter school named after the patron saint of the internet. If affirmed, the school would be the nation’s first faith-based charter – a sea change in education law, expanding the boundaries of government aid to faith-based schools.

ANALYSIS: Here’s what tax dollars will fund with the Texas school voucher bill

When is Easter?

National Catholic Reporter cites comment from Pope Francis: Catholics will accept a common date for Easter in East, West. Noting that in 2025 the date coincides on the West’s Gregorian calendar and the East’s Julian calendar, Francis said that “I renew my appeal that this coincidence may serve as an appeal to all Christians to take a decisive step forward toward unity around a common date for Easter.”

Three unexpected matters

Rejected elsewhere, LGBTQ+ Jews find love and acceptance at a Connecticut Retreat Center. In many Orthodox Jewish settings, including the vast Haredi world, strict adherence to Torah and Jewish law has kept many closeted or unable to live openly in synagogue settings. At Eshel retreats they are embraced. From Religion News Service.

A New Zealand mountain is granted personhood, recognizing it as sacred for Māori. The legal recognition acknowledges the mountain’s theft from the Māori of the Taranaki region after New Zealand was colonized. From Religion News Service.

The Catholic Connection to Groundhog Day. “If Candlemas be fair and bright, winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, winter will not come again . . . .” From the National Catholic Register.