A large number of faith leaders, including many prominent Catholics, have released a statement condemning the outrageous behavior displayed by the right-wing extremists in Congress who have shut down the government as part of a plan to nullify the Affordable Care Act. Among the signatories are Thomas Melady, U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See under President George HW Bush, and Sr. Simone Campbell, who spoke at last year’s Democratic National Convention. Sensible people from across the political spectrum can see how deeply immoral this behavior is and the destructive impact it will have on the poor. Decent Americans from every background should join these leaders in condemning such disgraceful tactics and ask their legislators to choose sanity over this senselessness.

The full statement and list of signatories is below (via Faith in Public Life):

As Christians and citizens, we are appalled that elected officials are pursuing an extreme ideological agenda at the expense of the working poor and vulnerable families.

We especially challenge those Members of Congress who call themselves pro-life to cease their political posturing on Capitol Hill. Shutting down the government in a futile effort to defund or delay the Affordable Care Act will hurt low-income pregnant women and infants who receive vital nutrition support. The Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) will receive no additional funds during the shutdown.

There is nothing “pro-life” or Christian about taking food away from pregnant women and babies. It is hypocritical and shameful for those who tout their commitment to family values to show such callous indifference.

The shutdown hurts all Americans, including seniors who will see “Meals on Wheels” cut, preschoolers who will be turned away from Head Start, and public servants who will be locked out of their workplaces without pay as bills pile up. This failure of political leadership and responsible governance exposes our nation’s misplaced values.

Struggling families, seniors and pregnant women don’t deserve to be victims of a manufactured crisis in Washington.

Sr. Simone Campbell
Executive Director
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

Jim Wallis
President
Sojourners

Noel Castellanos
Chief Executive Officer
Christian Community Development Agency

Timothy Collins
Executive Director (retired)
Catholic Campaign for Human Development
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Francis X. Doyle
Associate General Secretary (retired)
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Rev. Richard Cizik
President
New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good

Amb. Thomas P. Melady
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See (retired)
President Emeritus, Sacred Heart University

Miguel Diaz
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See (retired)
University Professor of Faith and Culture
University of Dayton

Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale
Ray of Hope Christian Church
Decatur, GA

Stephen Schneck
Director
Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies

J. George Reed
Executive Director
North Carolina Council of Churches

Brian McLaren
Christian author and activist

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Leadership Team

Rev. Michael Livingtson
Past President
National Council of Churches

Eli S. McCarthy
Director of Justice and Peace
Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Marie Dennis
Co-President
Pax Christi International

Rev. Troy Jackson
Director
Ohio Prophetic Voices
Cincinnati, OH

Rev. Tim Ahrens
Senior Minister
First Congregational Church
Columbus, OH

Rev. Dr. Kendrick Curry
Pastor
Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church
Washington, DC

Rev. Dr. Marshall Hatch, Sr.
New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church
Chicago, Illinois

Kit Danley
Founder and President
Neighborhood Ministries
Phoenix, Arizona

Rev. Chuck Currie
Minister, Sunnyside Church and University Park Church
Portland, Ore.
Dominican Sisters of Houston
Houston, Texas

Rev. Anne S. Howard
Executive Director
The Beatitudes Society

Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
Professor of Theology
Chicago Theological Seminary

Patrick Carolan
Executive Director
Franciscan Action Network

Rev. Jacek Orzechowski, OFM
Chair, Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation
Directorate of the Franciscan Province of Holy Name

Rev. James F. Keenan, S.J.
Founders Professor in Theology
Boston College

David O’Brien
Professor Emeritus
College of the Holy Cross

M. Shawn Copeland
Professor of Systematic Theology
Boston College

Francis Schüssler Fiorenza
Stillman Professor of Roman Catholic Theological Studies
Harvard Divinity School

Christopher Pramuk
Associate Professor of Theology
Xavier University
Alex Mikulich
Jesuit Social Research Institute
Loyola University, New Orleans

Kathleen Maas Weigert
Assistant to the Provost for Social Justice Initiatives
Loyola University, Chicago

Rev. Bryan N. Massingale
Professor of Theological Ethics
Marquette University

Lisa Fullam
Associate Professor of Moral Theology
Jesuit School of Theology
Santa Clara University

Rev. Tom Reese, S.J.
Senior Analyst
National Catholic Reporter

Tobias Winright
Associate Professor of Theological Ethics
Saint Louis University

Nicholas P. Cafardi
Dean Emeritus
Duquesne University School of Law

William J. Collinge
Knott Professor of Theology
Mount St. Mary’s University
Emmitsburg, MD

Susan H. Collinge
Catholic Campus Minister
Gettysburg College

Rev. T. Michael McNulty, S.J.
Adjunct Professor of Philosophy
Marquette University, Jesuit Residence

Vincent J. Miller
Gudorf Chair in Catholic Theology and Culture
University of Dayton

Dennis Doyle
Professor of Religious Studies
University of Dayton

John Inglis
Department of Religious Studies
University of Dayton

Una M. Cadegan
Department of History
University of Dayton

Marian K. Diaz
Lecturer, University of Dayton

Sr. Paulette Skiba, BVM
Professor of Religious Studies
Clarke University

Nancy Dallavalle
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
University Facilitator for Mission and Identity
Fairfield University

Sr. Nancy Sylvester, IHM,
President
Institute for Communal Contemplation and Dialogue

Eleonore Stump
Professor of Philosophy
St. Louis University

Eugene McCarraher
Associate Professor of Humanities
Villanova University

Bradford E. Hinze
Professor of Theology
Fordham University

Mary E. Hines
Professor of Theology
Emmanuel College
Boston, MA

Danielle Poe
Associate Professor of Philosophy
University of Dayton

Elena G. Procario-Foley
Chair, Religious Studies Department
Driscoll Professor of Jewish-Catholic Studies
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
Iona College

Sandra Yokum
Associate Professor
Religious Studies
University of Dayton

Mary Ann Hinsdale
Associate Professor of Theology
Boston College

Mark J. Allman
Professor of Religious & Theological Studies
Merrimack College

Marian K. Diaz
Lecturer
University of Dayton

Susan A. Ross
Professor of Theology and department chair
Loyola University, Chicago

John Sniegocki
Associate Professor of Christian Ethics
Xavier University

Anthony B. Smith
Associate Professor
Department of Religious Studies
University of Dayton

Michael E. Lee
Associate Professor of Theology
Fordham University

Anthony J. Godzieba
Professor of Theology & Religious Studies
Villanova University

Doug Pagitt
Solomon’s Porch
CANA Initiative
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Valerie H. Phillips
Associate Pastor
Steele Creek Presbyterian Church
Charlotte, North Carolina

Ralph W. Milligan
Pastoral Psychotherapist in Residence
St. John’s Episcopal Church,
Charlotte, North Carolina

Rev. T.J. Thompson
Cook’s Memorial Presbyterian Church
Charlotte, North Carolina

William P. Wood
Presbyterian Minister (Retired)
Charlotte, North Carolina

Rev. Everdith Landrau
Associate Pastor
Caldwell Presbyterian
Presbytery of Charlotte, North Carolina

Jonathan Dula
Trustee, Dulatown Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbytery of Western North Carolina

M. Elaine Rhodes
Presbyterian Minister (retired)
Presbytery of Charlotte, North Carolina

Rev. Dr. Bill Lindeman
Philadelphia Presbyterian Church (USA)
Mint Hill, North Carolina

Rev. Amantha L. Barbee
Pastor
Statesville Avenue Presbyterian Church (USA)
Charlotte, North Carolina

Betty Meadows
Transitional General Presbyter
Presbytery of Charlotte, North Carolina