Voting: The Catholic Obligation
Bombarded with literally thousands of conflicting messages every day, how are we to know how to vote and participate in political and public life?
Many of us tend to identify more with one political party over another, be it Democrat, Republican, or some other party. We tend to identify ourselves as either conservative or liberal, and some choose according to a favorite issue or two. Unfortunately, some also choose – usually subconsciously – according to which political television advertisement or image “strikes” them most, or by a particular issue they feel strongly about despite moral consequences.
However, as Catholics we have a solemn and very serious obligation to cast our votes based on Catholic moral criteria. We are compelled to inform our consciences according to the truth.1
We must first understand what conscience is – and is not. Gaudium et Spes tells us that conscience is not one’s feelings or emotional impulses, but rather a sense of the voice of God’s law telling us to “do this, shun that.”2 It is a reflective judgment of moral deliberation in order to reach a rational and truthful conclusion.3 In order to examine our conscience in this way, we must first understand basic principles of morality and the teachings of the Church. We cannot simply go to Mass each week and thereby believe we know what the Church teaches in respect to moral issues having to do with politics and society. We are instead required to inform our consciences according to the truth. It is important to understand that our conscience must be properly formed if it is to be of value.
Conscience, as the judgment of an act, is not exempt from the possibility of error. As the Council puts it, “not infrequently conscience can be mistaken as a result of invincible ignorance, although it does not on that account forfeit its dignity; but this cannot be said when a man shows little concern for seeking what is true and good, and conscience gradually becomes almost blind from being accustomed to sin.4
This is not simply an emotional exercise, but rather it is an obligation to exert intellectual effort to learning and attention to the sacred teaching of the Church. We must follow our conscience, but also understand that our conscience does not create moral truth, nor decide it. It is for the conscience to perceive truth and for each of us to understand that we can perceive incorrectly. It is entirely possible to be quite sincere about our attempts to do right, but still be wrong. The remedy for this situation is to seek truth, instruction and enlightenment from the teachings of the Church.
This holds true for our participation in public and political life – to include how we vote – just as it holds true in other areas of our lives. Saint Thomas Moore stated it simply, “Man cannot be separated from God, nor politics from morality.”5 In the play A Man for All Seasons, he states, “I believe, when statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties…they lead their country by a short route to chaos.”
Many people consider the “separation of Church and State” to be an obstacle or even an excuse to vote in ways incompatible with the truthful teachings of the Church. As a point of clarification, many people “know” that this separation of church and state is in the Constitution of the United States. This is false – no such language appears in the Constitution. The metaphor “wall of separation between church and state,” was language used by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 in a letter to a Baptist minister in Connecticut — over a decade after the passage of the Bill of Rights. It has since been repeated and used in Supreme Court rulings and has become “knowledge” in popular culture. It is important however, to realize that while the Church has no desire to eliminate one’s freedom of opinion, it is concerned with its obligation to instruct Catholic consciences so as to promote moral truth and actions promoting the dignity of human life and the common good.
There cannot be two parallel lives in their existence; on the one hand, the so-called “spiritual life,” with its values and demands; and on the other, the so-called “secular” life, that is, life in a family, at work, in social responsibilities of public life and in culture. The branch, engrafted to the vine which is Christ, bears its fruit in every sphere of existence and activity.6
Some of the most obvious issues we must consider are: abortion; euthanasia; family life and marriage; so-called “gay marriage”; assistance to the poor and homeless; capital punishment; and others.
These are some of the most primary issues, above many of our personal and popular favorites, i.e. the current war; gun control; tax increases or cuts, and others, which we are certainly also free to choose among. We as Catholics must vote in certain ways on these and other primary issues. If we are to be faithful to God’s Word and to His teachings through the Church, how we vote on these issues is not a choice – it is an obligation. These are moral choices over political ones.
These moral priorities can be generally included in broader categories: Protecting Human Life; Promoting Family Life; Pursuing Social Justice; and Practicing Global Solidarity. The overriding themes are: Life and Dignity of the Human Person; Call to Family, Community, and Participation; Rights and Responsibilities; Option for the Poor and Vulnerable; Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers; Solidarity; and Care for God’s Creation.7 All of course should be considered carefully, and all are of paramount importance. I maintain however, that without the right to life, no other rights are possible. For that reason, the main focus of this writing is on abortion and euthanasia.
The Church teaches on many social issues and Catholics may legitimately disagree on many of them, or on the methods that should be used to address them. One can disagree for example, on how we should help the poor or assist other nations in eliminating human rights violations. We cannot however, say we do not care about the issues or that injustices are acceptable or permissible. We cannot ignore the right to human life because it is fundamental in order to have any other rights. It is the primary consideration among all others.
Abortion and Euthanasia:
In the United States, 1.4 million human lives are destroyed before birth each year. That is nearly four thousand each and every day in this country alone. While realizing that some “good” people in this country, including some Catholics, have determined for various personal reasons that they are “pro-choice,” it is vital to realize that this “choice” is unacceptable for faithful Catholics. “Pro-choice” is tantamount to pro-abortion. Abortion is the killing of an innocent and defenseless human person. Faithful Roman Catholics (along with other Christians) are obligated to oppose abortion in every way possible – including in the way we vote.
Scientific progress has resulted in advances that are unsettling for the consciences of men and women and call for solutions that respect ethical principles in a coherent and fundamental way. At the same time, legislative proposals are put forward which, heedless of the consequences for the existence and future of human beings with regard to the formation of culture and social behavior, attach the very inviolability of human life. Catholics, in this difficult situation, have the right and duty to recall society to a deeper understanding of human life and to the responsibility of everyone in this regard. John Paul II, continuing the constant teaching of the Church, has reiterated many times that those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them.8 (emphasis added)
The Commandment of God is clear: “You shall not kill.”9 It is also clear that both abortion and euthanasia are intrinsically evil and contrary to Christian teaching.
The first right of the human person is his life. He has other goods and some are more precious, but this one is fundamental – the condition of all others. Hence it must be protected above all others. It does not belong to society, nor does it belong to public authority in any form to recognize this right for some and not for others; all discrimination is evil, whether it be founded on race, sex, color or religion. It is not recognition by another that constitutes this right. This right is antecedent to its recognition; it demands recognition and it is strictly unjust to refuse it.10
Any discrimination based on the various stages of life is no more justified than any other discrimination. The right to life remains complete in an old person, even one greatly weakened; it is not lost by one who is incurably sick.11
More to the issue of how we are to vote, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith puts it quite clearly.
It must in any case be clearly understood that whatever may be laid down in civil law in this matter, man can never obey a law which is in itself immoral, and such is the case of a law which would admit in principle the liceity of abortion. Nor can he take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or vote for it. Moreover he may not collaborate in its application. It is, for instance, inadmissible that doctors or nurses should find themselves obliged to cooperate closely in abortions and have to choose between the law of God and their professional situation.12 (emphasis added)
“Catholics who publicly dissent from the Church’s teaching on the right to life of all unborn children should recognize that they have freely chosen by their own actions to separate themselves from what the Church believes and teaches. They have also separated themselves in a significant way from the Catholic community.” 13 Taking this a step further, one could argue that voting for a “pro-choice” candidate for office is a sin. Remember the questions and examination of conscience prior to Confession: “Have you had an abortion? Have you helped anyone obtain an abortion? …” While arguably an indirect assistance, placing a vote for a pro-choice candidate may well help someone obtain an abortion or further the legalization or practice of euthanasia, often known as “mercy killing.”
While many view this as such a remote form of cooperating in abortion, Catholics and other Christians must closely examine motives and consciences, as well as effects. The politician who votes for abortion is a clear accomplice, giving his formal cooperation with abortion. He understands the intention of the act and is supporting it in a tangible way. If the Catholic votes for this politician, understanding that the politician will vote to further legalize or make abortion more accessible, or even to provide additional tax dollars to promote it, then the voter is just as clearly involved, though one step further removed. If you compare this situation to sexism, racism, slavery, or any other form of discrimination, people would be generally outraged against that politician. It should be even more so when the issues concern life itself. Again, no other rights are possible without first the right to one’s very life.
The Second Vatican Council condemned attacks against human life.
Whatever is opposed to life itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, or willful self-destruction, whatever violates the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, torments inflicted upon body or mind, attempts to coerce the will itself…all these things and others like them are infamies indeed. They poison human society, and they do more harm to those who practice them than to those who suffer from the injury. Moreover, they are a supreme dishonor to the Creator.14
Another issue to be considered is the notice given to us that these actions harm those who practice them more than those who suffer from the injury. We as voting Catholics must be concerned not only with the unborn child murdered in the womb, but with its mother, father, medical staff performing the abortion, and even with others who may assist materially in some way or offer incorrect advice. This even holds true for the pro-abortion politician, and is all the worse if the politician is Catholic. All these souls are endangered each time an abortion is performed. This is our business, as we have been commanded by Christ. He has commanded us, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”15 and further, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have love you, so you also should love one another.”16
We are to love one another as Christ Himself loved us. Christ loved us such that he suffered and died an excruciating death, and then rose from the dead so that we could be saved from our sins and live eternal life with Him. He cares deeply for our lives and our eternal souls. By that example, we cannot sit idly by and allow millions of souls to be endangered each year to abortion and other crimes against God and human dignity. We most certainly cannot play a part in endangering those souls. We have been commanded by Christ Himself to love others as He loves us. We must take action to be truly faithful Catholics participating in public life. We must strive to preserve life and human dignity. We must inform our consciences according to the truth. We must participate accordingly in public life. One of the methods we must exercise to fulfill our obligations as faithful Catholics is to vote for political candidates that support the true teachings of the Church, and to oppose those who dissent from sacred truth.
Life, family and social justice are all primary moral considerations for Catholics in the voting booth. Nothing however, can exist without first – life.
Endnotes:
1 Rom. 2:15-16: “They show that the demands of the law are written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even defend them on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge people’s hidden works through Jesus Christ.”
2 Gaudium et spes, no. 16
3 An Introduction to Moral Theology, 2nd Ed., Dr. William E. May, pp. 58
4 Veritatis Splendor, no. 62
5 Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Public Life, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ch. I, no. 1, Nov. 2002
6 Ibid Ch. III, no. 5
7 Faithful Citizenship: Civic Responsibility for a New Millennium, Unites States College of Catholic Bishops, 1999
8 Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Public Life, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ch. III, no. 4
9 Exodus 20:13, “You shall not kill.” The Ten Commandments/Decalogue given to Moses on Mt. Sinai.
10 Declaration on Procured Abortion, no. 11, Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, Nov. 1974
11 Ibid., no. 12
12 Ibid, no. 22
13 Pastoral Statement, “A Time For Honesty” Rev. John J. Myers, Archbishop of Newark.
14 Gaudium et spes, no. 27; Evangelium Vitae, no. 3
15 Matthew 22:29, “The second [commandment] is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
16 John 13:34, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.”
* All Biblical references contained herein are taken from the Saint Joseph Edition of The New American Bible, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York.
© Randal Noller
This item 6673 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org
