Tuesday, November 3, 2020 Election Day

• USCCB Forming Conscience for Faithful Citizenship
• Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching
• Praying like a Faithful Citizen 9 ways to pray
• Diocese of Davenport Do's and Do Not's-2019

The election season is well underway.  This time offers an excellent opportunity to help parishioners understand the importance of acting in the political arena with a properly formed conscience. 

Our faith call us to action.  The Hebrew prophet's constantly called for justice.  In Matthew 25 Jesus shares his vision of the last judgment in which what we have done for the "least of these"  Is key issue.  We know that we must respond in charity (feeding the hungry) and also in justice (attempting to change the conditions that result in people being hungry in the richest nations on earth).  

Faithful Citizenship is just that--faith filled citizenship, active participation in the political process.  The Church, whether the Holy Father or our Bishops, speak to issues in the light of Scripture and Church tradition.  The Church ask us to learn the issues, to reflect on our faith, and judge the issues by the standards of our faith.  The Church does not authentically tell us who to vote for, nor who to avoid on the political landscape, as it is the issues, not the individuals or parties to which the Church speaks.  Catholic vote with an informed conscience on the issues, a conscience guided not only by a careful study of the issues, but also by our faith.

It is sometimes difficult to particularly with the emotion and partisanship that politics generates to know what are acceptable practices in the political arena for Catholics and Catholic Churches.  For that reason, the Church has developed guidelines, political do's and don'ts.  You can find these here please click here 

Questions concerning the guidelines of other Church and politic issues can be directed to: Kent Ferris or Glenn Leach

USCCB Resources: