Gulf Pine Catholic

12 Gulf Pine Catholic • September 27, 2024 Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship is the teaching document of the Catholic Bishops of the United States on the political responsibility of Catholics. It provides guidance for all who seek to exercise their rights and duties as citizens. As Catholics, we bring the richness of our faith to the public square. We draw from both faith and reason as we seek to affirm the dignity of the human person and the common good of all. Everyone living in this country is called to par- ticipate in public life and contribute to the common good. 1 In Rejoice and Be Glad [ Gaudete et exsul- tate ], Pope Francis writes: Your identification with Christ and His will involves a commitment to build with Him that king- dom of love, justice and universal peace. . . . You cannot grow in holiness without committing your- self, body and soul, to giving your best to this endeavor. 2 As Catholics, we are part of a community with profound teachings that help us consider challenges in public life, contribute to greater justice and peace for all people, and evaluate policy positions, party platforms, and candidates’ promises and actions in light of the Gospel in order to help build a better world. Why does the Church teach about Issues affecting public policy? The Church’s obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of society is a requirement of our faith, a part of the mission given to us by Jesus Christ. As people of both faith and reason, Catholics are called to bring truth to political life and to prac- tice Christ’s commandment to “love one another” (Jn 13:34). The US Constitution protects the right of individ- ual believers and religious bodies to proclaim and live out their faith without government interference, favoritism, or discrimination. Civil law should rec- ognize and protect the Church’s right and responsi- bility to participate in society without abandoning its moral convictions. Our nation’s tradition of plural- ism is enhanced, not threatened, when religious groups and people of faith bring their convictions into public life. The Catholic community brings to political dialogue a consistent moral framework and broad experience serving those in need. Who in the Church should participate in political life? In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. As Catholics, we should be guided more by our moral convictions than by our attach- ment to any political party or interest group. In today’s environment, Catholics may feel politically disenfranchised, sensing that no party and few can- didates fully share our comprehensive commitment to human life and dignity. This should not discour- age us. On the contrary, it makes our obligation to act all the more urgent. Catholic lay women and men need to act on the Church’s moral principles and become more involved: running for office, working within political parties, and communicating con- cerns to elected officials. Even those who cannot vote should raise their voices on matters that affect their lives and the common good. Faithful citizen- ship is an ongoing responsibility, not just an election year duty. How can Catholic social teaching help guide our participation? In the words of Pope Francis, “progress in build- ing a people in peace, justice and fraternity depends on four principles related to constant tensions pres- ent in every social reality. These derive from the pillars of the Church’s social doctrine, which serve as ‘primary and fundamental parameters of refer- ence for interpreting and evaluating social phenom- ena.’” 3 The four principles include the dignity of the human person, the common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity. Taken together, these principles provide a moral framework for Catholic engagement in advancing what we have called a “consistent ethic of life” ( Living the Gospel of Life , no. 22). Rightly understood, this ethic does not treat all issues as morally equivalent; nor does it reduce Catholic teaching to one or two issues. It anchors the Catholic commitment to defend human life and other human rights, from conception until natural death, in the fundamental obligation to respect the dignity of every human being as a child of God. Catholic voters should use Catholic teaching to examine candidates’ positions on issues and should consider candidates’ integrity, philosophy, and per- formance. It is important for all citizens “to see beyond party politics, to analyze campaign rhetoric critically, and to choose their political leaders according to principle, not party affiliation or mere self-interest” (USCCB, Living the Gospel of Life , no. 33). The following summary of the four princi- ples highlights several themes of Catholic social teaching for special consideration: these include human rights and responsibilities, respect for work and the rights of workers, care for God’s creation, and the preferential option for the poor and vulnera- ble. 4 The Dignity of the Human Person Human life is sacred because every person is created in the image and likeness of God. There is a rich and multifaceted Catholic teaching on human dignity summarized in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church . Every human being “must always be understood in his unrepeatable and inviolable uniqueness . . . This entails above all the requirement not only of simple respect on the part of others, especially political and social institutions and their leaders with regard to every man and woman on the earth, but even more, this means that the pri- mary commitment of each person towards others, and particularly of these same institutions, must be for the promotion and integral development of the person” (no. 131). The Compendium continues, “It is necessary to ‘consider every neighbor without exception as another self, taking into account first of all his life and the means necessary for living it with dignity’ ( Gaudium et Spes , no. 27). Every political, economic, social, scientific and cultural program must be inspired by the awareness of the primacy of each human being over society.” 5 Subsidiarity It is impossible to promote the dignity of the person without showing concern for the family, groups, associations, and local realities -- in short, for those economic, social, cultural, recreational, professional, and political communities to which people spontaneously give life and which make it possible for them to achieve effective social growth. 6 The family, based on marriage between a man and a woman, is the fundamental unit of society. This sanctuary for the creation and nurturing of children must not be redefined, undermined, or neglected. Supporting families should be a priority for econom- ic and social policies. How our society is organized -- in economics and politics, in law and public policy -- affects the well-being of individuals and of soci- ety. Every person and association has a right and a duty to participate in shaping society to promote the well-being of individuals and the common good. FORMING CONSCIENCES I, PAGE 15