We find ourselves in a time of great uncertainty and division. We are in the midst of a global health pandemic that brought much of the world’s economy to its knees and brought to light great inequalities that exist in the labor, educational, housing, and financial sectors. We also live in a country that is starkly divided along political ideologies, with all sides hoping to create a better world but with very different ways of accomplishing that. For decades now, our country has plunged further and further into division, and unfortunately recent times have seen an increase in uncivilized and unkind language, an uptick of personal attacks on people rather than respectful dialogues on our differences and how we might work together. Key to this division is the right-left, Republican and Democrat divide. Within families, communities, and parishes people find themselves pitted against one another because of their political affiliations. Often times, no matter how alike two people might be on a particular issue, if one identifies as red and the other as blue, it is impossible to build or maintain a respectful relationship.
   As members of the Catholic Church, we are called to something different, something not of this political world. Our allegiance falls not with a political party, but with Jesus Christ and his teachings of mercy, justice, and compassion. Neither political party has a monopoly on Catholic teaching, and it is therefore our responsibility to judge candidates not by the color of their yard signs but by their adherence to sanctity of all life, from conception to natural death, and their care for all people, especially the poor and vulnerable.
   To support us in this discernment, we are offering materials developed by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. We thank them for permission to use these materials of iVoteCatholic in the weeks prior to the November 3rd election day. After reviewing these materials, we hope that all people will be able to evaluate their lives and determine ways that they can live more closely aligned to our faith, including voting not based on political affiliation but on how closely a candidate adheres to Gospel values. Most of us are not called to serve in elected office, but we are ALL called to participate in our community – voting for the candidates in local, state, and national elections that will help bring about the Kingdom of God, and then holding leaders accountable to those values. If we let the light, mercy, and love of Christ shine through us and guide us in our lives (and our voting), we can rest assured that we are living out our Gospel call to be faithful and just and doing God’s will.
   (The full text of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship can be found at https://www.usccb.org/offices/justice-peace-human-development/forming-consciences-faithful-citizenship)

Please click on the links to the right for more information about each of the themes.

Click on the links below for more information about each theme. Each link will provide you with:

• faithful citizenship quotes,
• church teaching quotes,
• scriptural foundations,
• conversation starters,
• family activities,
• related social issues,
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, and
• resources from Catholic Relief Services and USCCB. 

Family, Community & Participation - The person is not only sacred but also social. Family must be supported, and people have a right & duty to participate in society for social problems are best addressed by community networks.


Dignity of Work & Rights of Workers -  Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation.


Option for the Poor & Vulnerable -  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.


Life & Dignity of the Human Person  - 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.


Solidarity - Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.  We are our brother’ 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.


Rights & Responsibilities  - 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.


Care for God's Creation - 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.