THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996 TAG: 9605230028
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: KEITH MONROE
LENGTH: 71 lines
``Catholics are the jump ball in American politics,'' Ralph Reed of the Christian Coalition has said. ``Whoever comes down with that ball wins in November.''
Recently, local journalists were invited to ``Breakfast with the Bishop.'' That's Bishop of Richmond Walter F. Sullivan. He made it clear that Ralph Reed can jump as much as he likes, but the Catholic Church will remain firmly rooted in its convictions.
The Christian Coalition has announced a desire to make common cause with Catholics by forming a ``Catholic Alliance.'' Sullivan says an alliance with Catholics is one thing. Individuals are free to participate in politics. But if the proposed Catholic Alliance is construed as speaking for the Catholic church, forget it.
Only the church speaks for the church. It has many teachings to offer, but ``the Church shouldn't even touch whether you're for Bob Dole or Bill Clinton. What bothers me about the Christian Coalition is that it's one-issue oriented and very, very political.''
During the breakfast, Bishop Sullivan addressed this issue off the cuff, but a handout after the event showed he was not speaking spontaneously but after careful consideration. It says, in part: ``. . . our Church has a much more extensive agenda than the Christian Coalition. We are in the vanguard, promoting such rights as universal health care, decent affordable housing, education, employment and a living wage.''
Sullivan breezed into the breakfast a few minutes late after offering a 7:30 Mass in Sandbridge where he maintains a retirement home. A rubicund, windblown, genial man of 67, he's a master of putting people at ease. He tells the group he's just celebrated his 43rd anniversary as a priest, 25 of them as bishop. He's got a few years left before mandatory retirement arrives at 75.
In addition to the Christian Coalition, education is on his mind. He thinks ``people are rediscovering Catholic schools.'' He hopes ``they aren't just running away from something but toward something.'' In fact, he thinks part of the appeal of Catholic schools is their size and sense of a shared enterprise. He believes public schools ``are too big. They're humongous. They lose a sense of community. They're like factories. Too many students drop through the cracks because of a lack of attention.'' Whereas, Catholic schools offer ``teachers with a vision who feel what they're doing is worthwhile. A spirit among students that they're accepted. And the involvement of parents.''
The bishop believes that helps explain why new Catholic schools are opening in Virginia Beach and on the Peninsula, others have waiting lists, Richmond seeks a new school and Roanoke wants to expand an existing one.
In the sprawling diocese of Richmond that covers most of southern and western Virginia, there are approximately 170,000 Catholics. Half are in Hampton Roads. The diocese now serves about 9,000 students in nine high schools and 23 elementary schools.
Bishop Sullivan is convinced that today's ``young people are very spiritual, deeply spiritual.'' That, too, may help to explain the popularity of Catholic education. But he also implies that nothing succeeds like success. Catholic schools produce disciplined scholars who do well in college, so 33 percent of U.Va. students are Catholic and 34 percent of students at the Univeristy of Richmond, the largest denomination at that putatively Baptist school.
Finally, the bishop displays his well-known dislike for the death penalty which he believes is as unacceptable as assisted suicide or abortion. ``We've got to have a consistent ethic of life. If you say all life is sacred and holy, you can't then take someone's life. The death penalty is a sign of failure because life is demeaned, cheapened, expendable.''
None of these views are delivered in ex cathedra tones but in a gentle, conversational manner. As Sullivan says in a different context, ``When you've got to use authority to motivate, it's a sign of weakness. You've got to motivate and inspire people, not use a club over their heads.'' As the breakfast comes to an end, it's obvious Sullivan is doing his best to follow his own advice. MEMO: Mr. Monroe is editor of the editorial page of The Virginian-Pilot. by CNB