Regarding the Coming Election
Many are asking when the Church is going to make statements or even "endorsements" of political candidates. She isn't. Some in the Church, only speaking for themselves, share their opinions regarding candidates but they do not speak for the Church whether they be clergy or laity.
The Church cannot take sides regarding candidates. However, she can and must take sides regarding issues. It is not and has never been the practice of the Church to endorse candidates.
Some Catholics are at odds with the Faith in many areas, especially abortion, the most serious of all the issues. The taking of innocent life for whatever reason is always against the law of God and the teaching of the Church. You will hear this mentioned as well as other issues in Sunday homilies. People who listen (if they don't already know) will hear of the right to life from birth to natural death, the problem of those who dissent from Church teaching and make false statements/opinions regarding the Faith. There are others who hold views that are also at odds with the Faith but since they are not Catholic do not pretend to speak for the Church. A candidate who supports the right to life from conception to natural death but is pro capital punishment is not really supportive regarding "natural death." We are called to find a fair way to allow immigrants into our country. Those who are already in the U.S., even illegally, must be treated with respect and dignity. This is the way of the Gospel. We who are Christians sometimes must evaluate our opinions and political beliefs not by "feelings" or our own desires but by what the Lord teaches and the Church believes. Christ challenges us, to be faithful we must submit to him.
No one candidate ever holds totally to what the Lord and the Church teaches. Yet we are called to vote for the candidate that most closely aligns to the Faith.
I do not write this to argue with anyone but to share the teaching of the Church. I will not argue with anyone regarding politics, that is not my job. The job of the clergy is to help form consciences according to the Gospel and the Faith of the Church.
Serious Catholics will know the issues involved in this election and pray for the light and wisdom of the Holy Spirit and the salvation of our country.
Great amounts of time wasted on the tsunami of commentary, media hype and viciousness should instead be devoted to prayer because our nation needs this more than anger and hatred. There is always enough of anger and hatred, as Christians we do not need to encourage or wallow in these things. Especially in our own days faithful Catholics need to bring light, peace and mercy to our nation.
Please see what officially is being said by the Church regarding the election.
The following prayer (adapted) was written by Bishop John Carroll, the first Catholic bishop in America and prayed by him at the second inauguration of President George Washington in 1792. (The full prayer is attached at the bottom of this article.)
"We pray O God of might, wisdom and justice, through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with your Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the people of this nation by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality.
Let the light of your divine wisdom direct the deliberations of the people of this nation as they prepare to elect a President so that they may vote for a candidate who will strive for the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty with honesty and ability.
We recommend likewise, to your unbounded mercy, all our brothers and sisters and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of your most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen."
Please remember to vote!
God bless and be merciful to our nation.
Fr. Phil
