A Catholic friend brought this wise and thoughtful letter to my attention, written Sept. 12 by Archbishop John C. Favolora of Miami. He takes issue with a group called the Alliance Defense Fund, which is urging pastors across the country to join their initiative by preaching a sermon “that addresses the candidates for government office in light of the truth of Scripture.”

Favalora writes:  “Needless to say, none of our Catholic churches or priests will be participating in this initiative. For one thing, we can do a lot for our communities with the money we save by being tax-exempt. That is why we accept that status and agree to abide by IRS rules that ban religious organizations from becoming involved in partisan politics.

“For another, ’scriptural truth’ is not that easy to attain. Which is more ‘true’ in terms of scripture: The Old Testament passage that says “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” or Jesus’ admonition to “turn the other cheek”?

“The problem is that people often quote selectively from Scripture in order to back their own opinions. The other problem is that rarely, if ever, does an individual candidate or political party embody the gamut of ’scriptural truth.’

“The Catholic Church values Scripture, but we also value 2,000 years of oral and written tradition handed down from the apostles and their disciples, and another 2,000 years of ongoing theological reflection by some of the greatest thinkers and saints.”

The entire letter, which is here, bears reading. A news story in the National Catholic Reporter about the letter is here.