Applying our Faith to How We Vote

This week, we head to the polls to make some big decisions. So how should a Catholic vote? For Catholics, it’s important we think carefully about the issues and how and why we vote the way we do. Especially, in light of the Dobbs vs. Jackson decision two years ago, our bishops have, year after year, asked us to think in particular about the nature of justice for the unborn.

So how can we as Catholics vote wisely, not just based on personality, TV ads, or blindly circling in the box?

The first step is to make sure our consciences are formed. The Church is there to help us in that regard. Vatican II’s Declaration on Religious Freedom states Catholics “must pay careful attention to the sacred and certain teaching of the Church. For the Catholic Church is, by the will of Christ, the teacher of the truth.” The question for us is who informs our conscience? Raw emotion? Social media? The problem is many a Catholic can’t articulate what our faith holds, but the good news is there are great tools out there; the catechism, apologetics websites and Catholic videos such as on “formed.org.” What you’ll find is moral teachings will often which cross over into politics too, and that will sometimes challenge us. As Archbishop Charles Chaput puts it, in his book “Render Unto Caesar,” when this happens, “the test of a believer’s honesty is his humility; that is, his willingness to put the matter to real prayer and the seriousness of his effort to accept the wisdom of the church and follow her guidance. If after this effort he still cannot reconcile himself with the teaching of the church, he must do what he believes to be right, because ultimately every Catholic must follow his or her conscience.” It’s important to form it though not just based on popular opinion, or believing what we want to believe.

With that though, there is a difference on how faith applies to political issues. Not all political issues are equal; they may deal with subjects that are more serious or less serious, more urgent or less urgent. For us as Catholics, abortion today is that issue. More than 60 million unborn children have been killed since 1973. As such, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops calls it our “preeminent priority” as faithful citizens; I’d agree as since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, voters have a stronger say than ever in being able to enact pro-life legislation.

Of course, abortion is hardly the only issue or even the only serious issue for Catholic voters to think about. But abortion is not merely one issue on a menu of others, for two reasons.

First, because of the incomparable gravity and scope of abortion. It is the direct killing of innocent human beings—and not just any human beings but the most powerless and vulnerable human beings of all, the ones we should most try to protect. It claims more than 2,000 victims a day.

  Second, because as with slavery there is only one final goal for dealing with this evil, which is ending it completely as soon as possible. With most other issues, the matter isn’t so clear cut. We all should help the poor, help the stranger, promote public health and do other social goals – but people of all political persuasions are free to disagree about the best specific policies such as, welfare programs, education reforms and so on, and even as we do we can make compromises on these issues. But abortion differs in that it requires total abolition; there’s no compromise. Sadly it is redefined through media and culture; labeled “reproductive freedom” or “personal health choice,” but we can’t be Pontius Pilate on this issue and wash our hands of something we don’t want to think about.

This is why we often have pro-life voters guides from MCCL, and why it’s so important to look at where candidates stand on this issue in particular. It’s also why it’s such a core component of our faith that we can’t just say because any candidate is Catholic they are pro-life; in fact any Catholic who runs for office but says they support abortion is a hypocrite. It’s why you’ve seen multiple bishops too take a stand denying Communion to politicians who actively promote abortion, as the sanctity of life is a dogma of our faith.

As far as other issues, if you had a chance to read the 2024 Letter to Voters from the Catholic Bishops of Minnesota, they invite us to think about the following when voting at the federal, state and local level:

At All Levels:

*Who will work to protect life from the moment of conception?

*Who will respect the liberty of the Church and the rights of all believers to practice their faith?

*Who will defend the rights of free speech and assembly, necessary for a properly functioning democracy?

At the Federal Level:

*Who will promote peace among nations and reject the escalation of violence as a means of conflict resolution?

*Who will exercise fiscal responsibility and avoid burdening families with inflation and debt?

*Who will work for a just and comprehensive immigration policy that respects the wellbeing of both American citizens and migrants?

At the State Level:

*Who will oppose the legalization of assisted suicide?

*Who will promote economic security for families, including access to housing?

*Who will uphold the rights of parents and support parental choice in education?

*Who will steward our state’s natural resources responsibly?

At the Local Level:

*Who will advocate for public safety that protects citizens, respects victims, and offers restoration opportunities for offenders?

*Who will ensure harmful materials are kept out of public libraries?

I really liked that short letter the Bishops put together this year, in particular their emphasis too on protecting Freedom of Speech – which is so important for us to evangelize and help others to understand the truth of the faith.

Lastly, long after the election has come and gone, it does not mean we as Catholics stop acting. We have to open our eyes to the reality that so much of what we believe is counter cultural, both within our schools, our places of work and larger society. It’s why we need to pray for fortitude, the virtue God gives us, to be active, and to not pipe down. We have to be OK with being hated, mocked and ridiculed and gossiped about. We do so by trying to find common ground; by not seeing our political opponents as an enemy, but as people created in God’s image; through listening and dialogue, but also through articulating our believes through arguments, not just shouting. Whether trying to help someone find the right way in life, or talking about these issues with others or even on social media trying to actually argue rather than shout, we cannot fear being hated for the sake of the Gospel if we truly believe the mission of the Church is salvation of souls. With that, let us also not hate others who are politically different than we are, but find common ground, and together try to build a better nation.

Have a very blessed week, and thank you for living out your citizenship through voting.

God bless!  ~Fr. Paul

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October 2024