WASHINGTON (CNS): The US bishops have agreed to meet with a group of Catholic House Democrats to discuss how to pursue the goal of a “responsible transition” to end the war in Iraq.
They also reiterated their call for members of Congress and the Bush administration to break the political stalemate in Washington and “forge bipartisan policies on ways to bring about a responsible transition and an end to the war”.
“The current situation in Iraq is unacceptable and unsustainable,” chairman of the bishops’ Committee on International Policy, Bishop Thomas G Wenski of Orlando, wrote in a July 17 letter to Congressman Tim Ryan.
A copy of the letter was released on July 18 by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Bishop Wenski’s letter was a response to a June 28 letter Mr Ryan wrote to Bishop Wenski and bishops’ conference president Bishop William S Skylstad of Spokane.
Mr Ryan’s letter, sent on behalf of himself and 13 other Catholic House Democrats, urged the bishops to increase their involvement in efforts to end the war in Iraq.
“Throughout our nation’s history Catholics have been at the forefront of the fight for social justice. Now, at another critical moment, we respectfully urge the USCCB to join with us in mobilising for Congress’ efforts to end the war,” he wrote.
In the July 17 letter, Bishop Wenski said the bishops “share your deep concern for the dangerous and deteriorating situation in Iraq”, and would welcome the opportunity “to meet with you and other policymakers to discuss ways to pursue the goal of a ‘responsible transition’ to bring an end to the war”.
(Copyright Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.)
