Catholic Voting
The Catholic Way to Vote
We are called to live our faith in all aspects of our lives, but when it comes to voting this can be difficult. During this election season, we invite you to immerse yourself in the Church’s teaching and gain a fuller understanding of the Church’s commitment to a consistent ethic of life which guides us to be advocates for a variety of issues related to life and human dignity. Of course, not every issue is morally equivalent, nor can commitment to one issue excuse indifference to the rest. We will not be telling you for whom or what to vote. Rather, to inform your vote we encourage discernment, prayer, and a universal call to holiness and compassion. Before exploring the information below, we invite you to read more about the US Bishops’ teaching on voting decisions.
To read more about the guidance the US Bishops offer on voting see:
https://ivotecatholic.org/forming-concsiences-for-faithful-citizenship/
“Catholic social teaching is central to our faith, and is based on - and inseparable from - our understanding of human life and dignity. These teachings are derived from: the Gospels and the words of Christ; papal statements and encyclicals; and Catholic bishops’ statements and pastoral letters. Catholic social teaching calls us all to work for the common good, help build a just society, uphold the dignity of human life and lift up our poor and vulnerable brothers and sisters.” www.TheCatholicSpirit.com
Outlined below are the 7 Themes of Catholic Social Teaching, their guiding principles, and the social issues related to each theme. Our hope is that you read the Gospels, understand what our Church teaches, research each candidate and issue on the ballot and their stance on these themes, and then allow your well-formed conscience to guide you in your election decisions. As Pope Francis reminded us in Amoris Laetitia, the Catholic Church was called “to form consciences, not replace them.”
Theme 1 – Life and Dignity of the Human Person
Guiding Principles: As a gift from God, every human life is sacred from conception to natural death. The life and dignity of every person must be respected and protected at every stage and in every condition. The right to life is the first and most fundamental principle of human rights and leads Catholics to actively work for a world of greater respect for human life and greater commitment to justice and peace.
Related Social Issues:
- Abortion
- Racism
- War and terrorism
- The death penalty
- Assisted suicide/euthanasia
- Human trafficking
- Unfair immigration policy
Theme 2 – Family, Community, and Participation
Guiding Principles: The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society – in economics, politics, law, and policy – directly affects human dignity and the capacity for the individual to grow in community. Marriage and family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened. The Church teaches that people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Related Social Issues:
- The definition of marriage
- Voting rights
- Political engagement
- Re-entry work
Theme 3 – Rights and Responsibilities
Guiding Principles: The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities; to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.
Related Social Issues:
- Abortion
- The right to religious freedom
- Access to quality education
- Affordable and adequate Healthcare
- Safe and affordable housing
- Non-violent and thriving neighborhoods
- Access to clean drinking water
- Equal protection of the right to vote
- Racial and gender equality
Theme 4 – Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
Guiding Principles: A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. The Church does not pit one social group against another but instead follows the example of Jesus, who identified with the poor and vulnerable (Mt. 25:31-46). Giving priority concern to the poor and vulnerable strengthens the health of the whole society. The human life and dignity of the poor are most at risk.
Related Social Issues:
- Access to food
- Affordable housing
- Affordable and adequate health care
- Systems that perpetuate poverty
- Addiction
- Mental health
Theme 5 – Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers
Guiding Principles: The economy must serve the people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living, it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected – the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to a safe working environment and organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.
Related Social Issues:
- Just wages and benefits
- Access to steady employment
- Fair hiring practices
- Availability of job training/skills
- Discrepancy in employment for women and minorities
- Job availability for thriving not just surviving
- Underemployment
- Safe working conditions
- The right to unionize
Theme 6 – Solidarity
Guiding Principles: We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brother’s and sister’s keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.
Related Social Issues:
- Immigration
- Refugees & asylees
- Racism
- Foreign aid
- Global policy
- Empowerment
- Religious freedom
Theme 7 – Care for God’s Creation
Guiding Principles: We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that direct us to an integral ecology that demands care for the earth and care for the most vulnerable among us.
Related Social Issues:
- Climate change
- Energy regulatory policies
- Protecting open land in national parks and nature preserves
- Protecting animals and their habitats
- Laws governing corporate and individual use of environmental resources – including:
- Land
- Water
- And air – which impact all living things
For more information, please visit: https://ivotecatholic.org/