Charles J. Chaput
Encyclopedia
Charles Joseph Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.
is an American
prelate
of the Catholic Church. He is the ninth and current Archbishop of Philadelphia
, serving since his installation on September 8, 2011. He previously served as Archbishop of Denver
(1997–2011) and Bishop of Rapid City
(1988–1997).
Chaput is a professed Capuchin
and has a reputation as an outspoken conservative. A member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi
tribe, he is the second Native American
to be ordained a bishop in the United States, and the first Native American archbishop.
, Kansas
, one of three children of Joseph and Marian Helen (née DeMarais) Chaput. His father was a French Canadian
who was directly descended from the French saint King Louis IX
. His mother was a Native American of the Prairie Band Potawatomi
tribe; his maternal grandmother was the last member of the family to live on a reservation
. Chaput himself was enrolled in the tribe at a young age, taking the name Pietasa ("rustling wind"). He received his early education at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grade School in Concordia. Deciding to become a priest
at the age of 13, he attended St. Francis Seminary High School in Victoria
.
In 1965, Chaput entered the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
, a branch of the Franciscan
s, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. He studied at St. Fidelis College in Herman, where he received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Philosophy in 1967. On July 14, 1968, he made his solemn profession
as a Capuchin friar. He finished his studies in psychology at the Catholic University of America
in 1969, and earned a Master of Arts
degree in Religious Education from Capuchin College in 1970.
to the priesthood by Bishop Cyril Vogel
on August 29, 1970. He received a Master's degree in Theology
from the University of San Francisco
in 1971. From 1971 to 1974, he was an instructor in theology and spiritual director
at his alma mater, St. Fidelis College. He then served as executive secretary and director of communications for the Capuchin province in Pittsburgh until 1977, from which position he was appointed pastor
of Holy Cross Church in Thornton, Colorado
.
Chaput was elected vicar provincial for the Capuchin Province of Mid-America in 1977, later becoming secretary and treasurer for the province in 1980 and chief executive and provincial minister
in 1983. He was among a group of Native Americans who greeted Pope John Paul II
when the latter visited Phoenix, Arizona
, during his 1987 trip to the United States.
, South Dakota
, by Pope John Paul II. He was consecrated on the following July 26 by Archbishop Pio Laghi, with Archbishop John Roach and Archbishop James Stafford serving as co-consecrators
. He thus became the second priest of Native American ancestry to be ordained a bishop in the United States, after Donald Pelotte
. He was the first Native American to be ordained as an Ordinary, rather than an auxiliary (or titular) bishop. He chose as his episcopal motto
: "As Christ Loved the Church" .
, after the then-Archbishop, James Francis Stafford, was transferred to the Vatican to be a member of the Roman Curia
(first as the President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity
, and then in the Church's appellate tribunal system as the Apostolic Penitentiary
). In 2007, Archbishop Chaput gave the commencement address at Denver's Augustine Institute
, a lay-run graduate school which he has actively supported.
, Pennsylvania. Chaput said that "I found out by a call from the Nuncio [Archbishop Pietro Sambi] on Tuesday, July 5, about 11:45 in the morning here in Denver. I was getting ready to go to a staff luncheon when he called and informed me that the Holy Father had asked that I serve the church as the Archbishop of Philadelphia. After talking with him for a while, and discussing what it meant, I said yes". He was installed as the archdiocese's ninth Archbishop on Thursday, September 8, 2011. Asked why he thought he had been appointed he said, "Perhaps it has to do with my record on those kinds of things, but I really don't know". On August 17-19, he gave catechesis at the World Youth Day 2011
in Madrid
, Spain
. similar to the function he performed at the 2008 World Youth Day
in Sydney
, Australia
. He succeeds Cardinal Justin Francis Rigali, who reached the canonical retirement age of 75 in April 2010.
.
in 2004 reported that Chaput took the position that it was sinful for Catholics to vote for Democratic
presidential
nominee John Kerry
. His remarks noted Kerry's pro-choice views, amongst others. According to the Times, he said that those who intended to vote for him were "cooperating in evil" and needed "to go to confession."
Chaput criticized the New York Times construal of his remarks and the Archdiocese of Denver criticized the article as being "heavily truncated and framed" and publicly posted a transcript of the interview in its entirety. He stopped responding to New York Times inquiries for six years in part because of his belief the paper had misrepresented him.
He was seen by some as "part of a group of bishops intent on throwing the weight of the Church into the elections." In public comments, his linkage of the Eucharist to the policy stances of political candidates and those who support them were seen by some as a politicization of moral theology
.
, Chaput has criticized what he views as a "spirit of adulation bordering on servility" that exists towards Barack Obama
, remarking, "in democracies, we elect public servants, not messiahs." The archbishop states that Obama tries to mask his record on abortion and other issues with "rosy marketing about unity, hope, and change." Chaput also dismissed the notion that Obama was given a broad mandate
, reasoning he was elected to "fix an economic crisis" and not to "retool American culture on the issues of marriage
and the family, sexuality
, bioethics
, religion in public life, and abortion
."
He also vocally supported the decision of a Boulder
Catholic school to deny the re-enrollment of two children of a lesbian couple, while at the same time stating that the Church allows the enrollment of children of parents of other faiths or no faith at all and children of single and divorced parents.
. As a young priest, he supported the campaign of Jimmy Carter
.
In his book Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living Our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life, Chaput exhorts Catholics to take a "more active, vocal, and morally consistent role" in the political process, arguing that private convictions cannot be separated from public actions without diminishing both. Rather than asking citizens to put aside their religious and moral beliefs for the sake of public policy, Chaput believes American democracy depends upon a fully engaged citizenry, including religious believers, to function properly.
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Catholic Church. He is the ninth and current Archbishop of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
, serving since his installation on September 8, 2011. He previously served as Archbishop of Denver
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver
The Archdiocese of Denver is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for Denver, Colorado and the Colorado counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan and Weld in the northern part of the state. The Archdiocese's home is at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate...
(1997–2011) and Bishop of Rapid City
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City is a Roman Catholic diocese in South Dakota. It was founded on August 6, 1902 as the Diocese of Lead, and was renamed on August 1, 1930.-Bishops:The past bishops of the diocese are:Bishops of Lead...
(1988–1997).
Chaput is a professed Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
and has a reputation as an outspoken conservative. A member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi
Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Neshnabé , headquartered near Mayetta, Kansas.-History:...
tribe, he is the second Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
to be ordained a bishop in the United States, and the first Native American archbishop.
Early life
Charles Chaput was born in ConcordiaConcordia, Kansas
Concordia is a city in and the county seat of Cloud County, Kansas, United States. Located on the Republican River in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains, Concordia was founded in 1871 and is an economic and cultural center in north-central Kansas...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, one of three children of Joseph and Marian Helen (née DeMarais) Chaput. His father was a French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
who was directly descended from the French saint King Louis IX
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
. His mother was a Native American of the Prairie Band Potawatomi
Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Neshnabé , headquartered near Mayetta, Kansas.-History:...
tribe; his maternal grandmother was the last member of the family to live on a reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
. Chaput himself was enrolled in the tribe at a young age, taking the name Pietasa ("rustling wind"). He received his early education at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grade School in Concordia. Deciding to become a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
at the age of 13, he attended St. Francis Seminary High School in Victoria
Victoria, Kansas
Victoria is a city in Ellis County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,214.-History:A group of English and Scottish colonists led by a Scotsman named George Grant founded Victoria in 1873 on land he had purchased from the Kansas Pacific Railway. They named the...
.
In 1965, Chaput entered the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
, a branch of the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He studied at St. Fidelis College in Herman, where he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Philosophy in 1967. On July 14, 1968, he made his solemn profession
Profession (religious)
The term religious profession is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church in relation to members of religious institutes as follows:By religious profession members make a public vow to observe the three evangelical counsels...
as a Capuchin friar. He finished his studies in psychology at the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in 1969, and earned a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in Religious Education from Capuchin College in 1970.
Priesthood
Chaput was ordainedHoly Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood by Bishop Cyril Vogel
Cyril John Vogel
Cyril John Vogel was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Salina from 1965 until his death in 1979.-Biography:...
on August 29, 1970. He received a Master's degree in Theology
Master of Theology
A Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries.-North America:In North America, the Master of Theology is considered by the Association of Theological Schools to be the minimum educational credential for teaching...
from the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
in 1971. From 1971 to 1974, he was an instructor in theology and spiritual director
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
at his alma mater, St. Fidelis College. He then served as executive secretary and director of communications for the Capuchin province in Pittsburgh until 1977, from which position he was appointed pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Holy Cross Church in Thornton, Colorado
Thornton, Colorado
The city of Thornton is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado and a suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thornton is northeast of the state's capital, Denver. The United States Census Bureau that the city population...
.
Chaput was elected vicar provincial for the Capuchin Province of Mid-America in 1977, later becoming secretary and treasurer for the province in 1980 and chief executive and provincial minister
Provincial superior
A Provincial Superior is a major superior of a religious order acting under the order's Superior General and exercising a general supervision over all the members of that order in a territorial division of the order called a province--similar to but not to be confused with an ecclesiastical...
in 1983. He was among a group of Native Americans who greeted Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
when the latter visited Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, during his 1987 trip to the United States.
Bishop of Rapid City
On April 11, 1988, Chaput was appointed Bishop of Rapid CityRoman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City is a Roman Catholic diocese in South Dakota. It was founded on August 6, 1902 as the Diocese of Lead, and was renamed on August 1, 1930.-Bishops:The past bishops of the diocese are:Bishops of Lead...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, by Pope John Paul II. He was consecrated on the following July 26 by Archbishop Pio Laghi, with Archbishop John Roach and Archbishop James Stafford serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. He thus became the second priest of Native American ancestry to be ordained a bishop in the United States, after Donald Pelotte
Donald Edmond Pelotte
Donald E. Pelotte, SSS was the third Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico. He was the first person of Native American descent to become a Catholic bishop in the United States; Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., is the only active American diocesan bishop of...
. He was the first Native American to be ordained as an Ordinary, rather than an auxiliary (or titular) bishop. He chose as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: "As Christ Loved the Church" .
Archbishop of Denver
On February 18, 1997, Archbishop Chaput was appointed as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, after the then-Archbishop, James Francis Stafford, was transferred to the Vatican to be a member of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
(first as the President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity
Pontifical Council for the Laity
The Pontifical Council for the Laity has the responsibility of assisting the Pope in his dealings with the laity in lay ecclesial movements or individually, and their contributions to the Church. The Cardinal President of the Council is Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko. The Secretary is Bishop Josef...
, and then in the Church's appellate tribunal system as the Apostolic Penitentiary
Apostolic Penitentiary
The Apostolic Penitentiary, formerly called the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is one of the three tribunals of the Roman Curia. The Apostolic Penitentiary is chiefly a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Catholic Church.The...
). In 2007, Archbishop Chaput gave the commencement address at Denver's Augustine Institute
Augustine Institute
The Augustine Institute , located in Denver, Colorado, is a private graduate institution that answers Pope John Paul II's call for a "New Evangelization." Established in 2005 in the Denver Archdiocese, AI offers masters degrees in theology and biblical studies...
, a lay-run graduate school which he has actively supported.
Archbishop of Philadelphia
On July 19, 2011, Archbishop Chaput was appointed as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of PhiladelphiaRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
, Pennsylvania. Chaput said that "I found out by a call from the Nuncio [Archbishop Pietro Sambi] on Tuesday, July 5, about 11:45 in the morning here in Denver. I was getting ready to go to a staff luncheon when he called and informed me that the Holy Father had asked that I serve the church as the Archbishop of Philadelphia. After talking with him for a while, and discussing what it meant, I said yes". He was installed as the archdiocese's ninth Archbishop on Thursday, September 8, 2011. Asked why he thought he had been appointed he said, "Perhaps it has to do with my record on those kinds of things, but I really don't know". On August 17-19, he gave catechesis at the World Youth Day 2011
World Youth Day 2011
World Youth Day 2011 was the 2011 occurrence of World Youth Day, a Catholic event held from August 16-21, 2011 in Madrid, Spain focused on youth...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. similar to the function he performed at the 2008 World Youth Day
World Youth Day 2008
The 23rd World Youth Day 2008 was a Catholic youth festival that started on 15 July and continued until 20 July 2008 in Sydney, Australia. It was the first World Youth Day held in Australia and the first World Youth Day in Oceania. This meeting was decided by Pope Benedict XVI, during the Cologne...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He succeeds Cardinal Justin Francis Rigali, who reached the canonical retirement age of 75 in April 2010.
Views
Chaput speaks out regularly on controversial issues, and occasionally differs publicly from the United States Conference of Catholic BishopsUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
.
The Golden Compass
He criticized the Office for Film and Broadcasting of the USCCB's positive review of the film The Golden Compass. Review has been removed from the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, because was not based on a viewing of the film by bishops and was not endorsed by the bishops.Pro-choice politicians
Archbishop Chaput has taken a middle-of-the road stance on the issue of whether Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, contrary to Church teaching, should be denied Communion. Chaput has written that while denying anyone the Eucharist is a "very grave matter" that should be used only in "extraordinary cases of public scandal," those who are "living in serious sin or who deny the teachings of the church" should voluntarily refrain from taking Communion.John Kerry
The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
in 2004 reported that Chaput took the position that it was sinful for Catholics to vote for Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
presidential
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
nominee John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. His remarks noted Kerry's pro-choice views, amongst others. According to the Times, he said that those who intended to vote for him were "cooperating in evil" and needed "to go to confession."
Chaput criticized the New York Times construal of his remarks and the Archdiocese of Denver criticized the article as being "heavily truncated and framed" and publicly posted a transcript of the interview in its entirety. He stopped responding to New York Times inquiries for six years in part because of his belief the paper had misrepresented him.
He was seen by some as "part of a group of bishops intent on throwing the weight of the Church into the elections." In public comments, his linkage of the Eucharist to the policy stances of political candidates and those who support them were seen by some as a politicization of moral theology
Moral theology
Moral theology is a systematic theological treatment of Christian ethics. It is usually taught on Divinity faculties as a part of the basic curriculum.- External links :*...
.
Barack Obama
As reported by EWTNEternal Word Television Network
The Eternal Word Television Network is an American cable television network which presents Catholic-themed programming. It was founded in 1980 by Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, PCPA...
, Chaput has criticized what he views as a "spirit of adulation bordering on servility" that exists towards Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, remarking, "in democracies, we elect public servants, not messiahs." The archbishop states that Obama tries to mask his record on abortion and other issues with "rosy marketing about unity, hope, and change." Chaput also dismissed the notion that Obama was given a broad mandate
Mandate (politics)
In politics, a mandate is the authority granted by a constituency to act as its representative.The concept of a government having a legitimate mandate to govern via the fair winning of a democratic election is a central idea of democracy...
, reasoning he was elected to "fix an economic crisis" and not to "retool American culture on the issues of marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
and the family, sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
, bioethics
Bioethics
Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy....
, religion in public life, and abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
."
Same-sex marriage and children of gay and lesbian couples
Chaput has repeatedly taken positions against same-sex marriage and questioned the status of children of same-sex couples. Asked about same-sex marriage by the National Catholic Reporter after his appointment in Philadelphia was announced, he indicated that he believes that same-sex couples cannot show children that their parents love each other in the same way that opposite-sex couples can: "This is the issue of our time. The church understands marriage as a unique relationship, with a unique definition, which is the faithful love of a man and a woman for each other, permanent, and for the sake of children. As children, if we don't know that our parents love one another, our lives are very unstable. That's why I think every child deserves a family where the father loves the mother, and the mother loves the father. For us to redefine marriage as anything else undermines that notion. I think it's very important that the church keep insisting on this. It's also important to say that we're not against gay people. What we're doing here is promoting marriage and the meaning of marriage, not condemning others."He also vocally supported the decision of a Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
Catholic school to deny the re-enrollment of two children of a lesbian couple, while at the same time stating that the Church allows the enrollment of children of parents of other faiths or no faith at all and children of single and divorced parents.
Catholic involvement in politics
As a seminarian, Chaput was an active volunteer in the presidential election of Robert KennedyRobert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
. As a young priest, he supported the campaign of Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
.
In his book Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living Our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life, Chaput exhorts Catholics to take a "more active, vocal, and morally consistent role" in the political process, arguing that private convictions cannot be separated from public actions without diminishing both. Rather than asking citizens to put aside their religious and moral beliefs for the sake of public policy, Chaput believes American democracy depends upon a fully engaged citizenry, including religious believers, to function properly.
Episcopal succession
External links
- The Archdiocese of Philadelphia web site
- How to Conduct Politics as Catholics: The Denver Memorandum, Espresso (August 13, 2008)
- Review of Render Unto Caesar, The Ludwig von Mises Institute (September 2, 2008)