Generally speaking, Catholics make good citizens. Under the Fourth Commandment, we are to honor legitimate authority and by extension a properly ordered love of our country. Knowing of course, that only God is perfect and Catholics appreciate that no country is. It is his/her vote which holds the power to rectify the imperfections of the elected officials, and/or government.
We are now on the brink of the 2024 National Elections, which will be held this Tuesday. I hope all who are allowed to and are registered, vote. It is our sacred duty as citizens of this country to vote according to our properly formed conscience and not on mere human feelings or even personalities. Your vote must be a moral decision based on the truth made known to us through our reason, the natural moral law, and the divinely revealed truth of Jesus Christ and taught by His Church.
In the past two presidential elections, we Catholics had an easier task; the differences between the two major party platforms were plain. Sadly and with great disappointment, they have become more blurred this year, although still distinct. Please study the platforms and the policies of the parties.
As Catholics considering our options this Tuesday, life issues need to loom large and primarily, precisely because they are life-and-death issues, that do not admit of compromise. It is beyond scary to hear some of the candidate’s opinions concerning life issues. It seems they thrive on the deaths of innocent people, who are given no choice or voice. We must be their voice. Some even falsely call it a ‘right’. We have no right to death; rather death has a right to us! No society can continue unless it chooses life, protecting the sanctity of marriage as it has been given to us from God, between male and female. Only in this way can our country – any country – survive and flourish. One cannot morally vote for a candidate who opposes life. And please remember VOTE NO to Proposition One.
Before you go to vote, go to Church and pray for guidance, and if you wish offer this prayer:
Lord God, as the election approaches,
we seek to better understand the issues and concerns
that confront our city/state/country,
and how the Gospel compels us to respond
as faithful citizens in our community.
We ask for eyes that are free from blindness
so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters,
one and equal in dignity,
especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty.
We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned,
Men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or gender.
We ask for minds and hearts that are open
to hearing the voice of leaders who will
bring us closer to your Kingdom.
We pray for discernment
so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word,
live your love,
and keep in the ways of your truth
as they follow in the steps of Jesus and his Apostles
and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace.
We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ
and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
O Mary, the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the United States, Pray for Us.