Ryan’s plan does not reflect Catholic faith

The Aug. 12 front-page article “An everyman with extraordinary charm” noted that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) cited, in part, his Catholic faith as a major influence on his conservative views. 

This year, Bishop Stephen E. Blair and Bishop Richard E. Pates, chairmen of the Committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development and International Justice and Peace, respectively, of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), among others, wrote to Congress expressing serious concern about Mr. Ryan’s proposed budget. They pointed out that cutting funds, as Mr. Ryan’s budget would do, for affordable housing, nutrition programs, SNAP-food stamps, and the Child Tax Credit would “hurt hungry children, poor families, low income workers and other vulnerable people” in society.

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In reaffirming the moral criteria to guide difficult budget decisions, the bishops also pointed out that budget solutions that are just must require shared sacrifice by all, and that means raising adequate revenues and eliminating unnecessary spending, and that if federal budget cuts “need to be made, savings should first be found in programs that target more affluent and powerful interests.” 

Mr. Ryan’s proposed budget does not, in fact, meet Catholic social justice moral criteria and, thus, cannot accurately be a reflection of, or be influenced by, Catholic faith as properly understood.

Thomas L. O’Connor, Vienna