If anyone in our country can point to a political party or candidate for office who takes a stand on and completely supports Gospel values and the social justice teachings of the Catholic Church, please let me know what or who that is, so I can confidently and without question or thought vote for them. UNFORTUNATELY, I do not believe such a party or person may be found, so the Church calls on us to the task for "Forming Our Consciences For Faithful Citizenship" which is in fact a reflection and teaching of our United States Bishop that is updated and made available every 4 years and can be found by logging into www.USCCB.org. In #5 of the introduction, it says that, "This statement highlights the role of the Church in the forming of conscience and the corresponding responsibility of each Catholic to hear, receive and act upon the Church's teaching in the lifelong task of forming his or her own conscience.
Foremost among those teachings are the four basic principles of Catholic social doctrine: the dignity of the human person, the common good, subsidiarty and solidarity." By taking the time to educate ourselves and act, both at election time by voting and in other ways at all times, we do our part to help build a better world. Long after the election is over, regardless of who wins, we, the electorate, are charged to support efforts to care for the common good and challenge them to create and/or change positions and laws that do not promote the 4 basic principles mentioned above. While we must always stand for and promote efforts and laws that protect human life from the moment of conception to natural death, we must do the same when it comes to people being given an opportunity to work (in humane conditions) to support themselves and their families and to receive a wage that is at least enough to provide for the basics of food, clothing and shelter for themselves and their families.
Right now, there is the sentiment of some that the upcoming election will move us more toward capitalism or more toward socialism in and through the agendas of those who are running for office. I choose not to comment on that, but instead be comfortable and confident in saying that we as Catholic Christians must ALWAYS promote policies and form minds and hearts in the ways of the Gospel with the corresponding hope and belief that this will lead to a country that is truly "Under God" in recognizing God's sovereignty over everyone and every institution, and make our existance and that of future generations filled with God's justice, love, mercy and peace........the kind of world that best prepares us for life that awaits us in God's eternal care!
Foremost among those teachings are the four basic principles of Catholic social doctrine: the dignity of the human person, the common good, subsidiarty and solidarity." By taking the time to educate ourselves and act, both at election time by voting and in other ways at all times, we do our part to help build a better world. Long after the election is over, regardless of who wins, we, the electorate, are charged to support efforts to care for the common good and challenge them to create and/or change positions and laws that do not promote the 4 basic principles mentioned above. While we must always stand for and promote efforts and laws that protect human life from the moment of conception to natural death, we must do the same when it comes to people being given an opportunity to work (in humane conditions) to support themselves and their families and to receive a wage that is at least enough to provide for the basics of food, clothing and shelter for themselves and their families.
Right now, there is the sentiment of some that the upcoming election will move us more toward capitalism or more toward socialism in and through the agendas of those who are running for office. I choose not to comment on that, but instead be comfortable and confident in saying that we as Catholic Christians must ALWAYS promote policies and form minds and hearts in the ways of the Gospel with the corresponding hope and belief that this will lead to a country that is truly "Under God" in recognizing God's sovereignty over everyone and every institution, and make our existance and that of future generations filled with God's justice, love, mercy and peace........the kind of world that best prepares us for life that awaits us in God's eternal care!