Text Box:   Text Box:     CONSCIENCE AND       THE CATHOLIC VOTER   As this election year proceeds, politics bombards us from all sides.  If we wish, we can know every campaign tactic and antic instantly.  Yet the issues facing our nation and world go far beyond campaign theatrics.  That is why it is especially important for us to be informed about the issues which confront us in national, state, and local elections, and understand how they pertain to the common good and to human dignity of each person. In other words, a well-formed conscience is “standard operating equipment” for participating well in the political process.  This is the main point of the U.S. bishops’ document on political responsibility issued in November 2007, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.   Pope Benedict has called upon us to build what he and Pope John Paul II have called “a civilization of love,” a civilization where the rights and dignity of each person – especially those who are most vulnerable, the unborn

Text Box: and the frail and elderly – are respected, where the hungry and homeless are assisted, the immigrant welcomed, the environment protected and all legitimate paths to peace are pursued.  It is in light of that task of ours that we evaluate the moral quality of what is proposed by candidates and public officials, and work proactively for the ongoing transformation of our society. Some actions are so deeply flawed that they are always opposed to the authentic good of persons.  These are called ‘intrinsically evil’ actions.  They must always be rejected and opposed and must never be supported or condoned” Faithful Citizenship, no.22). It is sometimes alleged that the Church is only concerned about abortion.  Nothing could be further from the truth. The Church sees clearly that “the right to life implies and is linked to other human rights – to the basic goods that every human person needs to live and thrive” (Faithful Citizenship, no. 25). For example, a politician who opposes abortion should not go unchallenged if he or she adopts positions that undermine human dignity in other ways. (Faithful Citizenship, no. 36).

Text Box: It is because faith and reason lead us to respect human life at all its stages, that we seek to address, in morally sound and effective ways, other serious threats to human life and dignity. Faithful Citizenship cites racism, use of the death penalty, resorting to unjust war, failure to help those suffering from hunger, homelessness, or lack of health care, as well as unjust immigration policies.  These are serious matters, and if we are serious about building a civilization of love we will address them. It would be refreshing if we could find candidates whose records, party platforms and personal commitments embody the full range of the Church’s social teaching.  Unfortunately, that seldom happens.  That is why we must have a well-formed conscience capable of giving each issue its proper moral weight and making other important distinctions and judgments.  Adapted from   Conscience and the Catholic Voter, by Bishop William Lori, Chair of the U.S. Bishops Committee on Doctrine © 2008 USCCB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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