SOCIAL CONCERNS: VOTING

Voting
As Catholics, we have a moral duty to taking voting and elections very seriously. We also need to form our consciences so as to vote in a way that conforms to Christ and our Catholic values. 

When voting, Catholics must consider the following principles of Catholic Social Teaching:

 -The Dignity of the Human Person
  -Subsidiarity
  -The Common Good
  -Solidarity

These translate into the following policy positions of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:

 -Protecting All Human Life (From Conception until Natural Death)

  -Promoting Peace and Avoiding War

  -Protecting Marriage and Family Life

 -Protecting Religious Freedom/Liberty

  -Making a Preferential Option for the Poor and Economic Justice

 -Encouraging Affordable and Accesible Health Care (while still protecting religious liberties)

  -Caring for Migrants and Victims of Trafficking

  -Promoting Quality Education for All

  -Promoting Justice and Countering Violence (Improving Criminal Justice, Opposing the Death Penalty)

  -Combatting Unjust Discrimination

 -Caring for Our Common Home (Creation, Climate)

  -Keeping Communications, Media, and Culture Safe for All, Especially Children and Families

  -Humanizing Globalization and Helping Our International Brothers and Sisters

--These are taken from the United States Council of Catholic Bishops' Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship document. If you would like to read the USCCB's full statement with explanations,
 please click here (English) or haga clic aquí (español) para leer la declaración completa del USCCB.


These are the 5 Non-Negotiable Issues for Catholic Voters. They go against our faith and moral beliefs:

1. Abortion
   - Instead, choose life.
2. Euthanasia
   - Instead, support life until its natural end.
3. Embryonic Stem Cell Research
   - Instead, value the dignity of all human life.
4. Human Cloning
   - Instead, value the dignity of humanity as God's creation-- not our creation.
5. Homosexual Marriage
   - Instead, protect sacramental, true marriage between one man and one woman.

For more information on these 5 issues and other voting tips, please see Catholic Answers' "Voters' Guide for Serious Catholics". 

For more information on forming your conscience or for prayers and other information regarding voting, please visit the USCCB website or the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston website.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has some wonderful resources on how to form your conscience. Please see the links to Part 1 and Part 2 for more information