The Church’s political brain

A little more than ten years ago, the bishops of Southern Africa took a prudent decision when they established the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO).

February marked the tenth anniversary of the CPLO’s official launch, even though (as we noted last week) its members were active in the field of lobbying politicians and advising the bishops in 1996 as parliament debated and then passed the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Bill. Ironically, the CPLO’s official birth coincided with the new abortion law taking effect.

Since then, the CPLO has become an indispensable agency in the life of the Church in South Africa. While most Catholics will be unfamiliar with the office’s activities, many Church leaders and organisations greatly value the CPLO’s research and analysis, its social advocacy work, political contacts, and facilitation of discussion between politicians and civil society.

The CPLO researches legislative, economic and civic issues that relate to the teachings of the Church, in particular, those in the domain of social justice thoroughly and astutely, providing a balanced judgment on the relevant merits and demerits, sometimes sounding the alert on overlooked problem areas. This helps the local hierarchy to formulate and strategise its own response.

Another crucial area of the CPLO’s mission concerns the establishment of personal relationships with politicians, of different faiths and none, as a way of communicating the Church’s concerns or, where appropriate, support regarding public policy.

On some issues, Catholic and other religious perspectives are often dismissed in parliament when these do not coincide with secular doctrines yet the CPLO serves as a constant reminder that the Catholic Church at least demands to have its voice heard, through public submissions or through on-going dialogue. This too is a form of evangelisation.

The CPLO commands the respect even among politicians whose ideologies do not always accord with Catholic philosophy.

Frequently, the CPLO’s propositions are incorporated into legislation, which then becomes reflective of the Church’s social teachings.

It is surprising that few bishops’ conferences around the world have followed the bright example of the Southern African bishops in setting up similar offices.

The bishops of England and Wales might well have avoided the delicate situation in which they now find themselves over gay adoptions, had they had the benefit of an advisory body such as the CPLO.

Such a body, with an intimate knowledge of the intricate workings of the political machinery, might have counselled the bishops on how to deal with the British government’s requirement that publicly funded Catholic adoption agencies may not exclude homosexual applicants from their services.

The bishops of England and Wales lost this very public political battle, and they did so on an issue that might have been resolved through judicious lobbying and sensitive negotiations. Their position is now weakened and that at a most inopportune time as British politicians are beginning to turn their attention to legislation concerning ethically highly charged issues such as embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, and a further broadening of that country’s abortion law.

South Africa likewise is still facing many legislative and policy challenges. It is reassuring that the Catholic Church has a widely respected body which can competently and credibly comment and lobby on these challenges, and, when necessary, define the Catholic opposition to laws that conflict with the teachings of the Church.