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Brochure of the Month: September and October 2020
A Guide to Catholic Voting
Separation of church and state means that the state cannot establish an official religion of the nation. It does NOT mean that the church should be silent on the issues that voters may struggle with. The four key principles of Catholic social doctrine to be considered in voting decisions are: 1) Promoting and defending the dignity of the human person, 2) supporting the family, 3) working for the common good, and 4) acting in solidarity with particular concern for the poor and most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters. There are some things that are intrinsically evil, that we can never do or cooperate with. Abortion is of course at the forefront of these evils in the U.S. It is not just one issue among many. Voting for a candidate who holds an unacceptable position can only be done for grave moral reasons, and opposition to the unacceptable position must be voiced. When both candidates hold unacceptable positions, prudential judgment can be used as to which candidate seems likely to do less harm or is more likely to pursue other positive priorities.
The content of the pamphlet can be found here
Accompanying document: 2-sided 8 ½ X 11 bulletin insert summarizing main points of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. The document may be downloaded here. A more up-to-date summary is contained in the following 2 documents:
Summary bulletin Part I: Our Call as Catholic Citizens and
Summary bulletin Part II: Making Moral Choices and Applying Our Principles
Participation in the political process, to help shape a government which truly serves the common good, is a moral obligation. Anyone who has moved into the county needs to register in Fort Bend County. If someone will be 18 by election day, they can go ahead and register now to vote. Deadline for registration is Oct 5. You cannot register online, but you may go online to complete the form, then print it, and mail it in (postmarked by Oct 5; faxes not accepted). If you have moved within Fort Bend County, you may change your address online at https://txapps.texas.gov/tolapp/sos/SOSACManager. Voter registration cards are available at the Hospitality Desk. Address changes within the county may be done online or you may use the regular registration form.