Kansas Bishops Address Voting as Faithful Catholics

By Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann, Most Reverend Robert W. Finn
9/18/2008
Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph (www.diocese-kcsj.org/)

"What could possibly be a proportionate reason for the more than 45 million children killed by abortion in the past 35 years? Personally, we cannot conceive of such a proportionate reason."

Archbishop Joseph Naumann has shown tremendous courage in addressing Catholic Governor Kathleen Sebellius who openly defied the teaching of the Church concerning the Right to Life. Similarly, Bishop Robert Finn is deeply respected for his fidelity, courage and committment.

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KANSAS CITY, KS (Archdiocese of Kansas City- St. Joseph) - The Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann and the Most Reverend Robert W. Finn issued a Joint Pastoral Letter to the faithful in Northwestern Missouri and Northeastern Kansas. Catholic Online presents this well reasoned and clear presentation of the teaching of the Catholic Church for all of our readers in our continued effort to equip all Catholics, other Christians and all people of faith and good will to exercise what our U.S.Bishops have rightly called "Faithful Citizenship".

Our Moral Responsibility as Catholic Citizens

Dear Friends in Christ,

With the approaching general election this November, we believe this to be an important moment for us to address together the responsibility of Catholics to be well informed and well formed voters.Except for the election of our next President, the people of Northwestern Missouri and Northeastern Kansas will be choosing different candidates for different offices in our two dioceses. Yet the fundamental moral principles that should guide our choices as Catholic voters are the same.

For generations it has been the determination of Catholic Bishops not to endorse political candidates or parties. This approach was initiated by Archbishop John Carroll � the very first Catholic Bishop serving in the United States. It was long before there was an Internal Revenue Service Code, and had nothing to do with a desire to preserve tax-exempt status. Rather the Church in the United States realized early on that it must not tether the credibility of the Church to the uncertain future actions or statements of a particular politician or party. This understanding of the Church�s proper role in society was affirmed in the Second Vatican Council�s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern Word: �The Church, by reason of her role and competence, is not identified with any political community nor bound by its ties to any political system. It is at once the sign and the safeguard of the transcendental dimension of the human person.�(Gaudium et Spes n.76).

A RIGHT TO SPEAK OUT ON ISSUES

At the same time, it is important to note that the Catholic Church in the United States has always cherished its right to speak to the moral issues confronting our nation. The Church has understood its responsibility in a democratic society to do its best to form properly the consciences of her members. In continuity with the long history of the efforts of American Bishops to assist Catholics with the proper formation of their consciences, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) this past November issued a statement: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. In that document our brother bishops took care to note: �This statement is intended to reflect and complement, not substitute for, the ongoing teachings of bishops in our own dioceses and states.�

It is in this context that we offer the following reflections to assist the Catholic people of Northwestern Missouri and Northeastern Kansas in forming their consciences in preparation for casting their votes this November.

MANY ISSUES: PRUDENTIAL JUDGMENTS

Every Catholic should be concerned about a wide range of issues. We believe in a consistent ethic that evaluates every issue through the prism of its impact on the life and dignity of the human person. Catholics should care about public policies that:

. promote a just and lasting peace in the world,
. protect our nation from terrorism and other security threats,
. welcome and uphold the rights of immigrants,
. enable health care to be accessible and affordable,
. manifest a special concern for the poor by attending to their immediate needs and assisting them to gain economic independence,
. protect the rights of parents to be the primary educators of their children,
. create business and employment opportunities making it possible for individuals to be able to provide for their own material needs and the needs of their families,
. reform the criminal justice system by providing better for the needs of the victims of crimes, protecting the innocent, administering justice fairly, striving to rehabilitate inmates, and eliminating the death penalty,
. foster a proper stewardship of the earth that God has entrusted to our care.
This is by no means an exhaustive list.

While the above issues, as well as many others, have important moral dimensions, Catholics may and do disagree about the most effective public policies for responding to them. How these issues are best addressed and what particular candidates are best equipped to address them requires prudential judgments � defined as circumstances in which people can ethically reach different conclusions. Catholics have an obligation to study, reflect and pray over the relative merits ...

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1 - 10 of 23 Comments

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1 year ago
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Kevin
4 years ago
So ... all a candidate (George Bush) needs to do is say he is against abortion and he automatically is mandated to win all Catholic votes. Christians and Catholic's have been had on this issue over the past 10 - 15 years. Address the root of abortion to save those lives -- you were making more progress against abortion in the Clinton years. Some catholic charities have it right and have their energy focused on support of mothers to make the right choice, rather than once every four years political grand-standing.
Matt Price
4 years ago
Tk - agreed. I actually agree with the moral principles set forth in catholic doctrine. But, because they lack education in terms of sociology or anthropology their behavior and rhetoric appears to be ridiculous. Their goal should first be to step out of their history which is a blind spot and to refocus their efforts on something that is more defensible. If they continue the risk undermining their own credibility far more then they already have.

They regularly flood our campus and it has become worse lately. It seems that the gods are indeed expansionists. Catholicism has one thing going for them and that is money, without which they would have been wiped off the face of the earth if for nothing else their inability to put the pedophilia fire out quickly enough.

People have access to information like never before, if they intend to maintain their pseudo legitimacy they must do so with more integrity, not through marginalization of groups, the legitimacy of which is practically fiat.

It is a very real possibility that within the next twenty years the church as they conceive it will be decede - replaced by a holding company (without tax exemptions).
James D Medina
4 years ago
Catholic=Pro life. I am Catholic and have some Catholic neighbors that are voting for Obama a candidate who supports intrinsic evils. I do not understand it but I will support fully the pro life movement. Blessed be the name of the Lord.+
AndyO
4 years ago
Dear Faithful, peace be with you!

God's commandment on the intentional taking of innocent life is clear. The Churches teaching is consistent regarding God's commandment. Our Pope and Bishop's are our Good Shepard's responsible for teaching us in the way's of Christ, how to be saints in our everyday lives, and saving our souls from ourselves and our misguided secular inclinations. YOU have free will, a gift from God that you can use to do his will or not. YOU have free will to chose Heaven or Hell through what you say or don't say ,or by your actions or inaction. Personally I chose the way of Christ, to be life giving to all, friend or foe, righteous or sinner, to the born or unborn.

Jesus was not a community organizer he is God in the flesh, in fact he said "I did not come to bring peace, but to bring you the Truth". Pilot was a Governor who washed his hands of the sentence pronounced against Jesus by those who were politically powerful and through their own interpretation of sacred scripture thought they knew more than God himself. Judas was one who knew the Truth, lived with the Truth, touched the Truth but still for convenience or gain of power and silver chose death instead of life. Sound familiar!

Faithful and Living the Good News!!
AndyO
tk
4 years ago
As a Catholic I'm frightened by how narrow-minded many Catholic voters have become in the last and current election. This only vote pro-life stance is irresponsible and has brought us the Bush administration's destructive policies on everything including the destruction of our God given Earth,their condoning of torture,and their pursuit of wealth at any cost.A "trickle down" economy doesn't work. We will have a healthy economy by empowering the neediest. Study history. Get news from different sources. Don't vote on the merits of one issue. Vote for the greater more compassionate good. Yes, vote Obama.
anne
4 years ago
Abortion is the deliberate taking of an innocent life. All the caring for the poor or whatever other social wrongs you may think you are correcting cannot justify the taking of one innocent human life so you may not inconvenienced. Many people thought that slavery, of a whole group of people was right and just like the pro-abortionists could have given a host of reasons to justify this perversion of human thinking. Yet today we cannot comprehend such thinking. Because abortion could take care of some problems or that it is legal does not make it right. You cannot trample the rights of the unborn for your convenience. Women and the entire world pay for the sin of abortion because it diminishes us as humans. By the way McCain has voted 100% for life. Obama voted to allow infanticide and to use poor people as a stepping stone to further his ambition.
Bob Wilson
4 years ago
Self centered president? Are you on crack? Why, because we took the fight to the Islamic terrorist? How many attacks have occurred in the US since we've gone on the offensive?

Also, you vote for a pro-homosexual marriage, pro-baby killing candidate? Shame upon you and your Hitlerian choice... speaking of selfish!!!
w.w.
4 years ago
I wish bishops would actually study Catholic history. The Church has had many different attitudes towards abortion through the 2000 years they talk about. I'm interested in the candidate who can actually lower abortions by public health policies. That's Obama!
Len
4 years ago
When we speak of the right to life, are we not talking about the right of people in other countries other than our own,not be killed in the middle of the night by a bomb dropped form a pilot following orders given by a misguided and self centered President. How many countless lives are lost to greed for oil, greed for money, greed for power. this is truly a CULTURE OF DEATH, the sin is in the heart. Before we judge others, we must begin by looking at our selfs. McCain has been pro-abortion when he felt it was more advantageous for him to be pro life he went in that direction.

For the past 8 years we have lived with the most secretive administration in the nations history. We have lived with men who will say whatever it takes to advance their power and influence. The disparity between the the rich and the poor has widened every day. Will you ask me to vote for a man that can change his beliefs at the drop of a hat.
Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate a governor, and Barabbas, a Maverick.

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