14 / 61
5
8. During election years, there may be many handouts and voter guides that are
produced and distributed. We encourage Catholics to seek those resources autho-
rized by their own bishops, their state Catholic conferences, and the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This statement is intended to reflect
and complement, not substitute for, the ongoing teaching of bishops in our own
dioceses and states. When using this document, it is important to remember that
Church teaching is coherent and rests on a comprehensive vision of the dignity
of the human person, a dignity that St. John Paul II described as “manifested in
all its radiance when the person’s origin and destiny are considered: created by
God in his image and likeness as well as redeemed by the most precious blood of
Christ, the person is called to be a ‘child in the Son’ and a living temple of the
Spirit, destined for the eternal life of blessed communion with God” (
Christifideles
Laici
, no. 37). Thus, the particular judgments of the document may fall at various
points along the political spectrum, but the foundational principles that guide
these teachings should not be ignored in any case nor used selectively in order to
serve partisan interests. In light of these reflections and those of local bishops, we
encourage Catholics throughout the United States to be active in the political
process, particularly in these challenging times.
Why Does the Church Teach About Issues Affecting Public Policy?
The Church’s teachings concerning contingent situations are subject to new and
further developments and can be open to discussion, yet we cannot help but be con-
crete—without presuming to enter into details—lest the great social principles remain
mere generalities which challenge no one. . . . The Church’s pastors, taking into
account the contributions of the different sciences, have the right to offer opinions in
all that affects people’s lives, since the task of evangelization implies and demands the
integral promotion of each human being.
(Pope Francis,
Evangelii Gaudium
, no. 182)
9. The Church’s obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of
society is a requirement of our faith. It is a basic part of the mission we have
received from Jesus Christ, who offers a vision of life revealed to us in Sacred
Scripture and Tradition. To echo the teaching of the Second Vatican Council:
Christ, the Word made flesh, in showing us the Father’s love, also shows us
what it truly means to be human (see
Gaudium et Spes
, no. 22). Christ’s love
for us lets us see our human dignity in full clarity and compels us to love our
neighbors as he has loved us. Christ, the Teacher, shows us what is true and
H H H