The Election
If you watch the news at all, you are well aware that it is a presidential election year. There will also be various other elections depending on where you live. The issues remain the same ranging from abortion and euthanasia to war and the economy and religious liberty.
Some say that religion should stay out of politics. There’s a problem with that because our faith should be a major part of our values. Our values should be a major part in each of our decisions on who we vote for. If you don’t vote based on your values, then what are you voting based on?
As a Church, we do not tell people who to vote for. Each person must decide for themselves who to vote for. However, as a Church, we do speak about the issues that are important to us. We also speak about the importance of voting. Yes, the Church encourages people to vote. The government exists to serve the people. Voting is one way in which we do our part to make sure our values are represented in the government.
I have written here before on these issues and there is material available on the USCCB website. Here are some links to these materials:
- My previous blog articles on the subject can be found under the Social Justice category
- My webpage on Faithful Citizenship
- The USCCB “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship”
- Pope John XXIII’s 1963 Encyclical Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth) speaks on rights, duties, and the role of government
- For those in New York State check out the New York State Catholic Conference for election issues in the state
To find out what elections are occurring in your area this year, I suggest you use your favorite search engine with the phrase “Board of Elections” and the name of your county/town in front of it.
It’s important. Take the time to research the candidates and make prayer part of your election decision.
Peace,
Fr. Jeff