Why praying "Hail, Mary" does not denote to invade Iraq and to accept capitalism?: contemporary catholicism and its relation to neoconservative ideology

Abstract

Since the beginning of Pope Francis’ pontificate we have been witnessing that the vast number of neoconservatives overtly criticize him. They blame the Bishop of Rome for being Marxist and Leninist because of his statements about global capitalism, free market economy and causes of poverty. In this paper I argue that identifying Christianity (and Catholicism especially) with Neoconservatism is both methodologically and politically wrong. By citing various official Vatican documents, papal encyclicals, exhortations, speeches and other writings I try to prove that the Catholic doctrine (including Catholic Social Teaching) should not be equated with the conservative wing of Christians. Moreover, I show that the Catholic Church cannot be deemed conservative and unchangeable because her teaching has undertaken many reforms during centuries, for example in case of the freedom of conscience and religion, optimal type of government, competencies of Church’s own members, incineration of deceased persons, or burying of self-murderers. In conclusion, I remind that Catholic Church’s doctrine claiming that the “adherence to a political alliance will never be ideological but always critical” is still valid and binding for all Catholics.