There is now a 2007 edition available at http://www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship/FCStatement.pdf.

For many, the Catholic Church is a monolith dedicated to passing abortion laws and fighting gay marriage. Less well known are its very clear official stands against the Iraq invasion and occupation and the treatment of prisoners. Despite the talking heads that always show up on TV and the very conservative bishops that JPII appointed, the official Catholic viewpoint is varied and much like that which James Wallis promotes in God's Politics .

Some quotes:

The Catholic community is a diverse community of faith, not an interest group. Our Church does not offer contributions or endorsements.

As we approach the elections of 2004, we renew our call for a new kind of politics, focused on moral principles not the latest polls, on the needs of the poor and the vulnerable not the contributions of the rich and powerful, and on the pursuit of the common good not the demands of special interests.

The Catholic community enters public life not to impose sectarian doctrine, but to act on our moral convictions, to share our experience in serving the poor and vulnerable, and to participate in the dialogue over our nation’s future.

In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is a moral obligation.

The document goes on to list Moral Priorities: abortion and euthanasia, the targeting of civilians in war, preemptive use of force, nuclear weapons, landmines, the global arms trade, the death penalty, just wages, school choice, economic justice, welfare reform to reduce poverty, increased child tax credits, affordable and accessible health care, food security for all, sustainable agriculture, standing for and with immigrants, reasonable restrictions on hand guns and assault weapons, reform of the criminal justice system, affirmative action, care for the Earth, humanizing globalization, a more generous refugee, asylum and immigration policy. In conclusion, it calls for the Church to be political but not partisan, principled but not ideological, clear but also civil and engaged but not used.

There is much in common between Faithful Citizenship and God’s Politics. The Catholics probably have a wider and more developed framework that Wallis could present in one book, but they are working with 2,000 years of development. They may also be willing to incorporate more issues that Walls feels comfortable with, but I think he would echo their belief that participation is a moral obligation. ( )