Let’s be clear about confusion

Many bishops and the organizations they fund with our money (CRS, CCHD, community organizing groups, Alinskyite groups, etc) support and work hand-in-hand with democrat party affiliates. This has been going on for years. But, when it comes to election time we are all told to ‘behave’ and can only be fed the document that these same bishops concocted in order to muddy up our minds so we can continue to find excuses to support and vote for those who these bishops prefer. Hog wash, bishops! You have exposed your true intentions too many times for those who pay attention and have the graces to see through your smoke and mirrors!

I’ve got news for Blaire – the USCCB is not an authoritative Voting Guide either.
Anything that is 40 pages long is laughable. It’s so compromised with all the junk from the various Bishops and their committees – none of it makes reasonable sense.
He can not quote any realiable Church document that gives an Episcopal Conference the right to state they are the only authentic voting guide for Catholics. He must be making up his own religion.

When this comes from a Democratic Bishop, – of the Party of Death, his control is showing.
He does own the Diocese Church property, so he can determine what is done only on Church property.

But this type of abusive dictatorship will backfire.
Amercians don’t want to be told what they can and can not read – when they are off Church property.

What? Are they kidding? The Voter’s Guide for Serious Catholic’s states the non-negotiables–abortion, same sex marriage, euthanasia and embroynic stem cell research! What of these 4 are negotiable? Last time I looked none! What is the matter with our Bishops? I just found out from my Pastor that we can’t put these flyers as an insert in the bulletins–but we can hand them out privately. This is why we will lose the Cathoic vote this election because of confusion. The voting guide called Forming Consciences of Faithful Citizenship put out by the Bishops is not CLEAR enough for Catholics because they’ve been so DUMMED DOWN.

The USCCB voting guide is not Magisterial teaching and therefore may be ignored. Here is a sample of what the Magisterium has to say on this topic:

Blessed Pope John Paul II in Christifideles Laici No. 38:

“Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights — for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture — is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination.”

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith):

The Church teaches that abortion or euthanasia is a grave sin. The Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae, with reference to judicial decisions or civil laws that authorize or promote abortion or euthanasia, states that there is a “grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection. […] In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to ‘take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law or vote for it’” (no. 73). Christians have a “grave obligation of conscience not to cooperate formally in practices which, even if permitted by civil legislation, are contrary to God’s law. Indeed, from the moral standpoint, it is never licit to cooperate formally in evil. […] This cooperation can never be justified either by invoking respect for the freedom of others or by appealing to the fact that civil law permits it or requires it.” (no. 74)

Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.

Raymond Cardinal Burke (Cardinal Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura) Regarding the Catholic obligation on voting: October 2010 interview:

I wanted to make sure that the faithful would realize that they have the very serious moral obligation in voting, to vote for those candidates who would uphold the truth of the moral law which of course also serves the greatest good of everyone in society.

So, what is scandal? Scandal is either doing something or omitting to do something that leads other people into confusion or error about the moral good. And here’s the perfect example. Catholics who betray their Catholic Faith in their political life as legislators or judges, or whatever it may be leading other people to believe that abortion must not be the great evil that it is, that abortion is in fact a good thing in some circumstances. NO, YOU CAN NEVER VOTE for someone who favors absolutely what’s called the “right to choice” of a woman to destroy the human life in her womb, with the right to a procured abortion. This is a most fundamental and critical area, the protection of the innocent and defenseless human life BUT YOU COULD NEVER JUSTIFY VOTING for a candidate who not only does not want to limit abortion but believes that it should be available to everyone.

I would simply say to them, ‘Do you follow the golden rule that’s taught to us by Our Lord Himself, in the gospels?’ In other words do you do unto others as you would have them do unto you? Do you consider it really fair to advance some interest you have that may be a good interest, whether it’s the environment or whatever it might be, at the cost of denying to other members of society, especially those who depend upon us completely, for life itself? To deny them the right to life? And I think that if most people would reflect in this way simply in terms of the Golden Rule, that they would understand that, no, it can NEVER be right, no matter what good I’m trying to achieve by voting for a candidate who favors that good but at the same time favors the intrinsic evil, the great evil of abortion, I can never justify that, voting for that candidate. I would just urge people to consider those smallest brothers and sisters of ours, those fellow members of God’s family who our society teaches us to disregard or even not to think of as fellow human beings, but who really and truly are fellow human beings, and to do what is right for them, even as we would want, when we were such small little, beings in our mothers’ wombs, in the embryonic stage of development, or along the way before birth, we would want voters to vote to protect our lives and safeguard our lives.

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Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: “Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother.”132 The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.

1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
– by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
– by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
– by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
– by protecting evil-doers.

Two things jump out at me here: “Voting is not an option for Catholics” ??? did he mean not voting? …and if he did is it true? One election when I had not voted, I confessed it. The priest told me that it was not a sin not to have voted. I told him that I had read that it was a moral obligation. He said that “moral” meant different things. The other thing that jumped out was “the only authentic voting guide for Catholics.” Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship says specifically that it is not a voter’s guide. It also says “During election years, there may be many handouts and voter guides that are produced and distributed. We encourage Catholics to seek those resources that are authorized by their own bishops, their state Catholic Conference and by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.”

Bishop Robert F. Vasa: “The authority of the Catholic bishop within his own diocese trumps the national bishops’ conference and no bishop has an obligation to adopt the conference’s documents. Such documents do not become normative for a particular diocese unless the bishop, either explicitly or implicitly, recommends them. Statements from bishops’ conferences necessarily tend to be ‘flattened’ and ‘vague,’ allowing certain teachings to fall by the wayside through what could be called, charitably, a kind of benign pastoral neglect. While some call this compassion, in truth, it often entails a complicity or a compromise with evil. The harder and less popular teachings are left largely unspoken, thereby implicitly giving tacit approval to erroneous or misleading theological opinions. [USCCB] documents are open to a broad range of interpretation and misinterpretation. A charge could be brought that such documents are intentionally vague and misleading. It is easy to forget that the conference is the vehicle to assist bishops in cooperating with each other and not a separate regulatory commission.”

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger ~ “We must not forget that the episcopal conferences have no theological basis; they do not belong to the structure of the Church as willed by Christ, that cannot be eliminated.”

4) How do Catholic lay persons fulfill their call to holiness?
Every Catholic receives from God a call to holiness that is rooted in Baptism. In order to fulfill this call, lay men and women are required to “follow and imitate Jesus Christ in embracing the Beatitudes; in listening and meditating on the Word of God; in conscious and active participation in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church; in personal prayer; in family or in community; in the hunger and thirst for justice; in the practice of the commandment of love in all circumstances of life and service to the brethren, especially in the least, the poor and the suffering .” (Christifideles Laici, 16)

5) What are the main responsibilities of Catholics to themselves?
Catholics have the responsibility of accepting Christ’s invitation, “ Come, follow me.” They need to surrender in love as He leads them along the paths of conversion, communion and solidarity (Cf. Ecclesia in America). They also need to properly form themselves in the Church’s teaching, to participate actively in her sacramental life, and to live their faith in God accordingly. This responsibility exists for Catholics in all states of life.

Accordingly, Catholics are to be “ever mindful of what it means to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ, participants in her mystery of communion and in her dynamism in mission and the apostolate.” (Christifideles Laici, 64)

6) What are the main responsibilities of Catholics to their families?
Marriage is the foundation of the family. The family, in turn, is the basic cell of society. Marriage and family responsibilities are, therefore, of tremendous importance, not only to the Church but also to all of society.

The responsibilities of Catholic men and women to their families cannot be overstated. “ It is above all the lay faithful’s duty in the apostolate to make the family aware of its identity as the primary social nucleus, and its basic role in society, so that it might itself become always a more active and responsible place for proper growth and proper participation in social life.” (Christifideles Laici, 40)

7) What are the responsibilities of the Catholic laity in the public square?
Through their Baptism, the laity is called to holiness of life (i.e. to live their faith in God day in and day out). Their responsibilities are not meant to be merely a matter of personal piety or devotion, but also directed toward evangelization in all aspects of life.

A layperson in the public square has a particular responsibility to live his or her vocation in view of its unique impact on society. Those involved with the noble art of politics, for example, often are in a position to influence societal norms on matters of real significance by passing or defeating various legislative proposals.

Similarly, there are others in the public square that while not serving as elected officials, nonetheless, are in a position to shape the society and culture. For these individuals, especially those involved with all forms of the mass media, a significant part of their responsibilities is to live their faith by promoting the common good in society.

11) Should Catholics bring the Church’s doctrine into the public square?
There are times when the Church’s intervention in social questions is needed. As the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (510) teaches, “ The Church intervenes by making a moral judgment about economic and social matters when the fundamental rights of the person, the common good, or the salvation of souls requires it.”

While Catholics are called to bring their faith and religious views into the public square, they are also called to respect the religious freedom and civil liberties of all people. In fact, the Church has genuine respect for secular governments that afford these protections to people of all faiths, as well as those without faith.

In reality, the Church does not impose its doctrine on others in the public square. For example, there is no effort by the Church to compel the public to attend Mass on Sundays or receive various sacraments. Nonetheless, the Church is legitimately concerned about many matters of societal importance and brings its views to bear in proposing meaningful solutions for promoting the common good.

12) How do you respond to statements that Catholics should not impose their religious views upon others?
Some Catholics and other believers have been frightened into silence and even confused by charges that they are imposing their morality on others. It is contended that a person’s faith should have no impact on his or her public life.

This leads the infamous “I am a Catholic but….” syndrome! Of course, if one’s faith does not impact on one’s whole life, including one’s political and social responsibilities, then it is not authentic faith; it is a sham, a counterfeit.
A democratic society needs the active participation of all its citizens, people of faith included. People of faith engage issues on the basis of what they believe, just as atheists engage issues on the basis of what they hold dear; they fight for what they think is right and oppose what they consider wrong. This is not an imposition on other’s morality. It is acting with integrity. Moreover, people of genuine faith strengthen the whole moral fabric of a country. The active engagement of Catholics in democratic processes is good for society and it is responsible citizenship.

13) Should Catholics take into account their own faith at the moment of voting?
It only makes sense that if Catholics are supposed to live their faith in all of their daily activities that they should also take their faith into account while voting. As noted in the Second Vatican Council’s teaching, ” every citizen ought to be mindful of his right and his duty to promote the common good by using his vote.” (Gaudium et Spes, 75)

In preparing to vote, Catholics need to understand their faith so that their consciences are properly formed. Subsequent to this formation, it is important to research all of the important issues and candidates that will appear on the ballot. Only after sufficient preparation and prayer, is a Catholic fully ready to discharge his or her responsibilities as a faithful citizen and cast a meaningful vote.

17) Are all political and social issues equal when it comes to choosing a political candidate?
Absolutely not! The Catholic Church is actively engaged in a wide variety of important public policy issues including immigration, education, affordable housing, health and welfare, to name just a few. On each of these issues we should do our best to be informed and to support those proposed solutions that seem most likely to be effective. However, when it comes to direct attacks on innocent human life, being right on all the other issues can never justify a wrong choice on this most serious matter.

As Pope John Paul II has written, ” Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights – for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture – is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with the maximum determination.” (Christifideles Laici, 38)

18) Are there any “non-negotiable” issues for Catholics involved in politics?
There are several issues that are “not negotiable” for Catholics in political life, because they involve matters that are intrinsically evil. In an address to European politicians on March 30, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI stated: “ As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, the principal focus of her interventions in the public arena is the protection and promotion of the dignity of the person, and she is thereby consciously drawing particular attention to principles which are not negotiable. Among these the following emerge clearly today:

•Protection of life in all its stages, from the first moment of conception until natural death;

•Recognition and promotion of the natural structure of the family – as a union between a man and a woman based on marriage – and its defense from attempts to make it juridically equivalent to radically different forms of union which in reality harm it and contribute to its destabilization, obscuring its particular character and its irreplaceable social role;

•The protection of the rights of parents to educate their children.”

The issues mentioned by Pope Benedict are all “non-negotiable” and are some of the most contemporary issues in the political arena. I should note, however, that other issues, while not intrinsically evil, deserve prayerful consideration, such as questions of war and capital punishment, poverty issues and matters relating to illegal immigration.

21) Can Catholics belong to or express support for different political parties?
The Church is never partisan and does not endorse political candidates. She does, however, encourage her laity to be involved in political parties in order to devote themselves to promoting the common good.
In this regard, political and civic education is deemed necessary so that all citizens will be able to play a part in political affairs. (Gaudium et Spes, 75)

22) Do bishops and priests have the right to intervene in political, social, or cultural matters?
Bishops and priests are not to participate in the public administration of the government. Nonetheless, they do have the right, and sometimes an obligation, to speak out on political, social, or cultural matters impacting the Church or the common good.

In his encyclical Deus Caritas Est (28), Pope Benedict XVI states: “It is not the Church’s responsibility to make this teaching prevail in political life. Rather, the Church wishes to help form consciences in political life and to stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice as well as greater readiness to act accordingly, even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest.”

The Holy Father goes on to write (ibid): “The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to awaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper.”

23) If bishops and priests can intervene in public issues, what is the difference then between the clergy and the laity in public policy issues?
While bishops and priests can appropriately speak out on important issues, the laity can be involved to a much larger degree. Unlike members of the clergy, the laity, in fact, is called to play a role in all areas of political involvement, including partisan politics and the administration of government.

Members of the laity generally have no restrictions in holding elective office or running the affairs of the state, while members of the clergy are generally prohibited from holding such positions.

27) How does one fight best against secularization in our society and the misrepresentation of faith in the public square?
Unfortunately, discrimination against people of faith, and especially Catholics, is a real problem. A faithful Catholic in public life is almost certain to encounter forms of unjust discrimination and prejudice. There are many examples of unfavorable public misrepresentation of the Catholic faith and even outright hostility to people of any faith. While much progress has been made in protecting civil rights in our country, there remains a strong bias against people of faith in significant sectors of the media and certain segments of our society.

Nonetheless, it is our duty to engage the culture, not run from it. We must place our trust in the Lord and know that by doing His will and speaking the truth in love, God will make all things work for the good. It is also the duty of the Catholic faithful to support courageous people who do this through both our actions and prayers.

28) How would you define a “candidate who is a faithful Catholic?”
There are a large number of candidates or politicians in our country that label themselves as Catholic. Regrettably, however, some of these are an embarrassment to the Church and a scandal to others by virtue of their support of issues that are intrinsically evil.

A candidate who is authentically Catholic is one who always defends the dignity of every human person and who puts the welfare of the common good over various partisan or self interests. His personal and public life is shaped by faith in Christ and His teachings. Such a candidate can be from any political party, but will never support matters that are intrinsically evil such as abortion, euthanasia, or “same-sex marriage.”

29) What line should an elected official draw between his faith and his political commitments?
Elected officials should bring their faith to bear on all of their activities, including public affairs. In living out their faith, they should have a proper respect for the civil liberties of all people, including those of other faiths, or with no faith at all.

It should be pointed out, however, that sometimes Catholic politicians mistakenly claim that they need to abandon their faith out of an obligation to respect those of differing opinions or to honor a political commitment inherent with their office. These claims are perhaps most frequently made when Catholic politicians claim to be personally opposed to the killing of innocent unborn children.

Incredibly, it is somehow claimed by such people that it would be inappropriate to support legislation protecting human life because doing so would impose their faith on others or somehow violate their oath of office. These claims are ludicrous. Protecting human life is not only a religious imperative, it is a human imperative, and it is an imperative for all people.

People of faith have every right to bring their beliefs into the public square just like anyone else. In fact, Catholic elected officials should always live out their faith while promoting the welfare of all, including the protection of innocent human life.

Since I have no power over these liberal Bishops….I took it up to a higher power…in prayer….

It is so unbelievably condescending for anyone in the Church to put forward what they believe to be the official authoritative voting guide for Catholics. There is nothing in Church teaching or tradition that would support the authority of such a guide. And it makes faithful Catholics into sheep who cannot think for themselves or pray for guidance when they vote. This is absolutely disgusting, in my opinion.

Really people, after reading your comments, it is plain to me that you are criticizing these bishops because they haven´t told Catholics NOT to vote Democratic. Well, good for the bishops. The Church does not belong to any party. Rather, the Church has worked with BOTH parties on certain issues, not exclusively with any one party, which I am use is a source of irritation to some of the more partisam folks out there.