How Should Catholics Vote?

Summary

This video explores the Catholic Church's stance on voting, emphasizing the civic duty of Catholics to engage in public life. The script discusses the challenge of choosing candidates who may align with some Catholic values but not others. It highlights six key issues identified by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: human life, religious liberty, marriage, wealth disparity, immigration, and violence. The video encourages Catholics to vote conscientiously, prioritizing the common good, and to remain actively engaged in political dialogue, even after the election, to promote positive change.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ Voting is both a privilege and a responsibility for Catholics, even when the candidates do not perfectly align with Catholic values.
• 📝 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops publishes a voter guide each election to help Catholics prioritize their values when voting.
• 👶 Human life issues like abortion and euthanasia are key concerns for Catholics, focusing on the protection of the most vulnerable.
• 🙏 Religious liberty is essential, and Catholics must consider which candidate will best safeguard the freedom of all to practice their religion.
• 💍 Marriage is a foundational concept, and Catholics are encouraged to support candidates that promote traditional family values.
• 💸 Economic inequality is a growing issue, and Catholics are urged to vote for candidates who address the needs of the poor and workers' rights.
• 🌍 Immigration reform is a major issue, and Catholics are encouraged to consider candidates that offer humane solutions for undocumented immigrants.
• ☮️ Catholics should prioritize peace and stability, particularly in relation to global conflicts and violence in society.
• 📖 Catholics must form their consciences through Church teachings, scripture, and reputable sources, engaging in thoughtful dialogue.
• 🔧 Voting is the start, but Catholics have a duty to continue working with elected officials to advocate for their values and improve society.

Q & A

What is the primary message conveyed to Catholics about voting in the upcoming election?

The primary message is that voting is both a privilege and a responsibility for Catholics, even when no candidate perfectly aligns with Catholic values. Catholics should prioritize issues based on the guidance of the Church and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Why should Catholics not abstain from voting even if no candidate fully represents their values?

Catholics should not abstain because voting is a civic duty, and it is important to weigh the pros and cons of each candidate. Abstaining would mean not contributing to decisions that can protect vulnerable communities or uphold important values.

What role does the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops play in helping Catholics make informed voting decisions?

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops publishes a voter guide each election to help Catholics prioritize their values and inform their consciences. This framework helps them navigate complex decisions where candidates may not align perfectly with Catholic teachings.

What are the six key priorities identified by the bishops for this election?

The six key priorities are: human life issues (abortion and euthanasia), religious liberty, marriage and family, wealth disparity, care for undocumented immigrants, and issues related to war, terror, and violence.

How should Catholics handle situations where a candidate supports some Catholic values but opposes others?

Catholics are encouraged to weigh the overall pros and cons of each candidate. They should consider the most pressing issues, like human life and the common good, and vote for the candidate who offers the greatest benefit, even if they don't fully align with all Catholic teachings.

Why is human life considered the most important issue for Catholics in this election?

Human life is regarded as sacred because every person is made in the image and likeness of God. Protecting the dignity of human life, particularly in matters like abortion and euthanasia, is foundational to Catholic teachings.

What does the Church teach about the role of personal conscience in voting?

The Church teaches that personal conscience plays a crucial role in voting, but it must be well-formed. Consciences should be informed by Church teachings, Scripture, and the realities of the current social and political environment.

How should Catholics approach their political engagement after the election?

Catholics are encouraged to stay engaged after the election by continuing to communicate their values to elected officials. Regardless of whether they voted for a particular candidate, Catholics should advocate for the common good and remain involved in civic life.

What is the significance of ‘the common good’ in Catholic political thought?

The common good refers to the well-being of society as a whole, especially the poor and vulnerable. Catholics are called to prioritize the common good over personal benefit, making sacrifices when necessary to ensure the flourishing of others.

What is the Church’s stance on voting for a candidate with problematic views in certain areas?

The Church acknowledges that no candidate will perfectly align with all Catholic values. Catholics can vote for a candidate with problematic views in some areas as long as they prioritize the candidate’s virtuous positions in other areas and remain committed to addressing flaws after the election.

Outlines

00:00

🗳️ The Catholic Responsibility to Vote

This paragraph stresses the importance of voting and civic engagement for Catholics. It acknowledges that while choosing a candidate can be difficult due to imperfect alignment with Catholic values, abstaining from voting is not an option. The paragraph questions how Catholics should approach elections when no candidate fully represents their beliefs and introduces the discussion of what the Church says about voting in upcoming elections.

05:02

✝️ Core Catholic Values

This section describes the values Catholics stand for, such as peace, justice, charity, and morality. It reflects on the challenges of finding a candidate who represents all these values in elections. Although every candidate might support certain Catholic values, they may oppose others, leading Catholics to a difficult decision-making process. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers guidance to help inform Catholic consciences when voting.

📜 Six Priorities for Catholic Voters

The bishops identify six critical priorities for Catholic voters to consider: human life (abortion and euthanasia), religious liberty, marriage, wealth disparity, care for undocumented immigrants, and addressing war, terror, and violence. Each issue presents moral considerations that Catholics must weigh when choosing a candidate, as no single candidate may fully align with all of these priorities.

🤔 Navigating Moral Dilemmas in Voting

This paragraph explores the dilemma of voting for candidates who may have strong positions on one issue but problematic views on another. It highlights the bishops' advice to focus on three overarching principles: the dignity of human life, the common good, and the formation of consciences through Church teachings and societal engagement. It encourages Catholics to consider these principles carefully while voting.

💬 Civic Engagement Beyond Voting

This section emphasizes that civic duty for Catholics does not end with voting. Regardless of the election outcome, Catholics must continue engaging with elected officials and advocating for their values. The paragraph underscores the need for Catholics to communicate with their representatives and work for the common good, regardless of who is in power, recognizing that no candidate is perfect.

Keywords

💡Civic Duty

Civic duty refers to the responsibility of citizens to engage in societal and political processes, such as voting. In the video, it emphasizes that Catholics have both a privilege and obligation to participate in elections, aligning their votes with their values and moral teachings.

💡Catholic Values

Catholic values refer to the moral and ethical principles derived from the teachings of the Catholic Church. In the video, these values include peace, justice, respect for human dignity, and care for the vulnerable, guiding how Catholics should vote despite no candidate perfectly aligning with all these values.

💡United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

The USCCB is an assembly of the Catholic Church's bishops in the United States that provides guidance on religious and social issues. The video highlights their role in publishing a voter guide to help Catholics prioritize key moral and societal issues when making voting decisions.

💡Human Life Issues

This term refers to issues related to the dignity and protection of human life, including abortion and euthanasia. The video stresses that these issues are a priority for Catholics, urging voters to consider which candidates will do more to protect vulnerable human lives.

💡Religious Liberty

Religious liberty is the right to practice one's religion freely without interference from the state. In the video, it is mentioned as a critical issue, warning that secularism threatens this liberty, and voters should assess how candidates will safeguard freedom of religion.

💡Common Good

The common good refers to the benefit or interests of all members of society. The video emphasizes that Catholics should consider not just their personal gains but how policies will affect society as a whole, particularly the poor and vulnerable, when voting.

💡Conscience Formation

Conscience formation is the process of educating and guiding one's moral decisions based on Church teachings, scripture, and societal engagement. The video stresses that Catholics must form their consciences before voting, ensuring that their decisions are aligned with faith and reason.

💡Marriage and Family

Marriage and family are fundamental Catholic values, seen as the foundation of society. The video discusses how recent redefinitions of marriage have unsettled traditional Catholic teachings, encouraging voters to consider which candidate best supports family values.

💡Wealth Inequality

Wealth inequality refers to the growing gap between the rich and the poor. The video highlights this as a key issue for Catholics to consider, pointing out that candidates should be evaluated on their potential to support workers’ rights and eliminate factors that contribute to poverty.

💡Dialogue and Engagement

Dialogue and engagement emphasize the need for Catholics to participate in respectful, compassionate discussions within society. The video calls for ongoing civic engagement, not just through voting, but by remaining involved and communicating Catholic values to elected officials.

Highlights

Catholics have a civic responsibility to vote and engage in public life.

Even when candidates don't fully represent Catholic values, Catholics should not abstain from voting.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops publishes a voter guide to help Catholics prioritize their values in elections.

The bishops emphasize six key issues: human life, religious liberty, marriage, wealth disparity, care for immigrants, and war/violence.

Human life issues such as abortion and euthanasia are at the forefront, as recent trends have negatively impacted Catholic views.

Religious liberty must be safeguarded for all faiths, with concerns over secularism's growing influence.

Marriage has been redefined, raising concerns about its impact on the foundation of family and society.

Wealth inequality has increased since the 1980s, with a focus on supporting the poor and workers' rights.

Undocumented immigrants play a critical role in the U.S. economy but lack legal protections, calling for humane immigration reform.

Catholics must consider how political decisions affect the common good and society, not just individual benefits.

The dignity of human life is a foundational principle for Catholics, rooted in the belief that all life has inherent worth.

Catholics are encouraged to form their consciences by engaging with Church teachings, societal issues, and reliable news sources.

Voting for a candidate does not equate to endorsing all of their views; Catholics are advised to weigh the pros and cons.

Regardless of who wins an election, Catholics should remain engaged, holding elected officials accountable to represent their values.

The Catholic voice must be active in civic life, pushing for continuous improvements even after elections.

Transcripts

As Catholics, we take our civic duty to vote  and be engaged in public life seriously. It is  

not only a privilege that we get to vote for  our elected officials, but a responsibility.

A responsibility, given the choice in candidates  most years, that many would prefer not to have.

But just because the candidates for a given  position don’t perfectly represent Catholic  

values doesn’t mean we should abstain  from voting or that it doesn’t matter  

who we vote for. What does the Church say  about voting in this upcoming election  

and how should we go about making our  decisions? This is Catholicism in Focus.

—

As Catholics, we stand for many things.  We are a people of peace and justice,  

of charity and responsibility, of family and  morality. We believe that God has a vision for  

how the world should be and that it is our  responsibility, in part, to make it happen.

If only there was a candidate that  stood for all of the things that we do.

In every election, we are forced to choose  between candidates that get some things right  

and some things wrong. It’s probably safe to say  that every candidate on every ballot stands for  

something we can endorse while also standing for  something we find problematic. So what do we do?

Rather than disengage from the process, the United  States Conference of Catholic Bishops publishes a  

voter guide each election to help inform our  consciences, giving us a framework to best  

prioritize our values. This year, the bishops  identify six priorities that should get extra.

One, human life issues like abortion  and euthanasia. These are the places  

where the dignity of human life are  most easily overlooked or discarded,  

and recent years have seen major steps  in the wrong direction for Catholics.  

Which candidate will do more  to protect the most vulnerable?

Two, religious liberty. The Constitution protects  the free practice of religion and this needs to  

be safeguarded, not just for Catholics but people  of all faiths. As secularism continues to creep  

into our country, it’s become easier and easier  to step on the autonomy of religious people to  

practice their faith freely. What will happen  to religious practice under each candidate?

Three, marriage. In recent years, the concept  of marriage has been redefined, unsettling  

the foundation of family and society. Which  candidate best models and promotes family living?

Four, the growing disparity between  rich and poor. Since the 1980s,  

wealth inequality has skyrocketed in this  country—the rich are getting richer and  

the poor are getting poorer, with the middle  class largely disappearing. Who will support  

the needs of the poor and workers rights,  and eliminate factors that lead to poverty?

Five, care for undocumented immigrants.  Everyone in America agrees that the current  

immigration system is broken. Desperate  people are fleeing here for asylum,  

where they provide an essential component to our  economy while enjoying no benefits or protections  

under the law. Which candidate will provide  the most humane solution to this problem?

And six, war, terror, and violence. Israel  and Ukraine threaten the safety of our world,  

and guns in our schools continue to  unsettle our society. While violent  

crime rates have been dropping in  this country since the early 1990s,  

much more needs to be done. Who will be  the calm, peaceful force to bring peace?

Six critical questions… that cannot be  answered in favor of any one candidate.

And so what do we do if we are  still faced with such a dilemma,  

when a candidate may be great for ending  abortion but horrible for people in poverty?  

When a candidate may be do wonders for  undocumented immigrants but damage to  

religious liberty? The bishops encourage us  to consider three overarching principles:

First, it is critical that we remember our  

responsibility to respect  the dignity of human life.

From the very beginning we have known that human  life is special. In Genesis chapter 1, we read  

that human beings were created in the image and  likeness of God, meaning that every life is marked  

with indelible worth. Our worth comes, not from  what we do, but from what God has done in us.

Meaning that all humans—no matter their  race, religion, nation, wealth, age,  

usefulness, or even behavior—are afforded  certain rights that must be protected.

Every life matters.

And since every life matters,  

there must be attention given to  the second point, the common good.

As human beings, we are inherently social  creatures, interconnected in society,  

dependent on each other. The way we act as  individuals has an affect on the people around us.

When we engage in politics, then, it is  not permissible to seek benefits only for  

ourselves—we must consider how policies affect  society as a whole, with particular attention  

given to the poor and vulnerable, those  who are least able to defend themselves.

Sometimes we need to make personal  sacrifices so that others might flourish.

We do this, as the bishops  suggest as their third point,  

because we have a “responsibility… to  form our consciences and participate in  

the civic life of this nation.” This  requires a number of considerations.

Such as the teachings of the church itself.  While our consciences are deeply personal,  

they are not subjectively oriented, but  must be oriented towards the foundational  

truths of the Divine Revelation  found in Scripture and Tradition,  

and the magisterial teachings handed  down from the teaching authorities.

These teachings cannot live in  a vacuum but must be exercised,  

which means understanding the particular issues  of the day. It is our responsibility not only  

to know what problems our world is facing but  to ensure that we are educating ourselves from  

the most reputable news sources so that  we are guided by facts not manipulation.

Our consciences are also formed by  participating in society with others,  

engaging in what the bishops refer  to as “reasoned, compassionate,  

loving dialogue,” learning from others and  shaping those around us by our values. It  

is not our goal to defeat our enemies  but to seek a better world together.

Something that our elected officials  can ultimately help us with, which is  

why our civic duty begins with voting but  doesn’t end there. Once someone is elected,  

regardless of whether we voted for them or support  their stances, we have an obligation to remain in  

contact with them, communicating our values to  them so that they will properly represent us.

If the squeaky wheel gets the grease, then the  Catholic voice has to be the one squeaking.

Which, I think I think takes a bit  of the pressure off of voting itself,  

reminding us that no matter who wins, there  will always be work to do. There are no perfect  

candidates and there is no problem voting for a  candidate with problematic views in one area if  

you’re voting for them because of their virtuous  positions in other areas. Voting for a candidate  

is not an endorsement of everything that they  do, but rather a weighing of the pros and cons,  

recognizing that more work will need to be  done no matter who gets elected. As Catholics,  

we must inform our consciences, vote  for whomever we think will provide the  

greatest overall benefit, and then  work like mad to fix their flaws.