Paul Ryan to get another earful on his 'Catholic' budget - David Gibson, Religion News Service

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan has been enmeshed in an intense debate over his claims that the Republican budget plan he designed reflects Catholic social justice teaching, an assertion that has been rejected by political liberals and Catholic bishops alike. Ryan is unlikely to get a break from the back-and-forth as he heads to Georgetown University to deliver a lecture on Thursday (April 26) that may well escalate the conflict rather than ease it. Some 90 faculty and administration members at the flagship Jesuit institution have already penned an open letter to Ryan welcoming him to campus while refuting his interpretation of Catholic teaching. The signatories, who also sent Ryan a copy of the hefty tome, "The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church," challenged him to further explain his views and his justification for proposing cuts to social programs and ruling out cuts to the defense budget or tax hikes for the wealthy.