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stefoodie
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Gals, gals, calm down. Speaking as a member and not as moderator, we are ALL highly agitated right now, our emotions are running high, we are hurting and as a consequence hurting others as well. This is so not the goal of this board, and we don't want to lose relationships we've worked so hard to maintain. Let's remember how much we LOVE each other and let's be there for each other right now despite the pain.
Could we please all step away from this thread right now and take a moment to pray? Let's pray for each other, pray for the Holy Spirit to come upon us, pray for Mama Mary's mantle to fall on us gently.
O God, send forth your Holy Spirit into my heart that I may perceive, into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that I may meditate. Inspire me to speak with piety, holiness, tenderness and mercy. Teach, guide and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end. May your grace ever help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with wisdom from on high, for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen.
PEACE.
__________________
stef
mom to five
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ladybugs
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cheesehead mom wrote:
Our son's godfather is a university history prof and penned this letter to the college republicans. It would be a great lesson for your students in history today and offer some great family discussion regardless of your party affiliation. It is solely written from a historical perspective (though he is a strong Catholic).
God's ways are not our ways and I see much good from the Catholics and Bishops who really stepped up in this election! OUr daily mass was packed yesterday--very beautiful. God has worked on hearts as he always does.
Here is the letter:
Hello Happy College Republicans,
Yes, I know… our Republican Presidential candidate did not win. Yes, I know … the Democrats (National, State and some even on this campus) will be very difficult to live with this week. You will notice a touch of smugness, combined with a hint of superiority. But, I suppose they are entitled to it since they would likely say much the same thing about how the Republicans acted back in 2004.
It is perfectly understandable to feel a little depressed after an election that took such a long time to unfold, and which many of you have devoted a good deal of energy to support. But keep in mind that a single election is rarely definitive in American history. There will be off-year elections in 2010 and another presidential election in 2012, and another after that and so on. I can personally remember nine presidential elections – two of which meant nothing to me (I was too young), four left me excited, and three left me depressed. In each case, the nation went through many changes, but the heart of the country remained mostly unchanged – regardless of the particular administration. And that is because in a democracy, the real agent of social and cultural change does not come from the White House but from each of us. And despite the arguments to the contrary, there is still a certain “exceptionalism” within the American people, which should give us confidence that Democracy and Freedom and Natural Law will ultimately prevail.
In fact, history can provide us with a great deal of consolation on that score. Looking to previous elections for trends we must first realize that John McCain had very little probability of winning this election from the start. It has only happened rarely that a single party has held the office for three successive and complete terms through two different presidents. George H. W. Bush following Ronald Reagan (1980-1992) is the most recent example, but prior to that it had not happened since Rutherford B. Hayes followed Ulysses S. Grant after the Civil War (1868-1880), and prior to that it was Martin Van Buren following Andrew Jackson (1828-1840). There were instances, where a single party ruled for more than three terms, through successive presidents, but in every case the example was preceded by a presidential death (Theodore Roosevelt succeeded McKinley who was assassinated, Coolidge & Hoover succeeded Harding who died in office, and Truman succeeded Franklin Roosevelt who died in office). You could argue that the presidential deaths had an impact on the public’s willingness to support the successor (and Franklin Roosevelt is an altogether unusual case).
The point is that despite the very recent example of the elder Bush following Reagan, McCain knew it was highly unlikely that he would be able to convince the public to support a Republican for a third term in office. Consequently, he came up with a totally new strategy – one that had never been tried in American history. He ran on a “maverick” platform that essentially rejected the administration of the sitting President, George W. Bush. McCain’s idea was to overcome the natural obstacles against him by presenting himself as entirely new and unconnected with the sitting administration – in effect, billing himself as a “new party” even though his party shared the same name as that of President Bush. McCain planned to take advantage of the discontent that almost always follows two terms under the same party, and still win the election.
It was an experiment that had very little traction for the first half of his campaign. Realizing this, McCain modified the experiment by selecting Sarah Palin as the first woman Vice President candidate in the Republican party. She had strong ties to the core conservative base of President Bush, and yet also proved herself a “Maverick” by winning her election as Governor of Alaska against a sitting Republican. Also, as a women, she added another element of “newness” which further helped McCain’s “new party” strategy. For a time, this choice proved to be a very successful tactic. McCain’s experience as a maverick, combined with Barack Obama’s unfortunate choice of Joe Biden as vice-president clearly shifted the momentum to McCain.
Unfortunately, the collapse of Lehman Brothers followed by the bailout of Sallie Mae and Freddie Mac (and the subsequent nose dive of the stock market), all brought back the latent discontent that traditional plague incumbent presidencies in their second term. Despite the fact that the banking crisis was largely a side-effect of Democratic policies, of promising home ownership regardless of the ability to pay, the incumbent administration (Bush and the Republicans) received the bulk of the blame. Obama then reemerged as a symbol of change, and despite his obvious lack of experience, he again tapped into the historic inertia that plagues third term elections. When combined with the chance to elect the first black president, McCain had almost no chance for recovery.
In some ways, McCain’s experiment of the “maverick candidacy” was unfortunate. His platform gave legitimacy to Obama’s default campaign strategy which painted the sitting president as ineffective. I think that was terribly unfair to President Bush, and it may have lasting implications on federal policy for the next few years.
On the other hand, McCain’s experiment failed and it is unlikely to be pursued again soon. The Republican Party maintains a strong core of conservative constituents and McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin effectively re-activated many conservatives who had all but given up on McCain. This failed election will likely help to keep that activity alive.
History provides a great deal of consolation on this point also. Presidents who win election on the platform of “change” rarely enjoy long term support. Two years after President Bill Clinton was elected on the promise of changing “twelve years of Reagan-Bush”, the Democrats lost both Houses of Congress for the first time in 40 years. Clinton never regained Democratic control while he was in office. Prior to that, President Jimmy Carter won election in 1976 almost entirely in reaction to Nixon’s Watergate resignation which played favorably to Carter’s reputation as an inexperienced outsider to Washington politics. Despite the honeymoon victory, Carter’s term was marked with constant criticism from both Republicans and Democrats within his party, and his administration was followed by landslide Republican victories for three elections in a row (launching the nearly unprecedented Reagan – Bush era).
In 1965, after President Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Republican Barry Goldwater by a near landslide margin, a series of books came out which argued that the public had clearly rejected conservatism was and had given Johnson a strong mandate to push his Roosevelt era liberalism in the “Great Society.” While it is true that the impact of those Great Society programs can still be felt in American politics, it is equally true that Johnson’s administration was also plagued with criticism from outside and within his party. By 1968, he was almost certain to lose his party’s primaries and rather than fail, he simply withdrew his bid for re-election. What started off with such great fervor of a public mandate in 1964 actually transformed into widespread public antipathy when those programs were actually presented to the public. Within four years, the great mandate for liberalism had been replaced by a new mandate for “Law and Order” carried by the Nixon administration (which lasted through two elections). Though the seeds of conservatism did not receive their full mandate until the Reagan – Bush era in 1980, they were definitely sown during Johnson’s term.
You will almost certainly hear similar arguments made by pundits who will try to paint this election as a mandate for Obama’s socialism. But, if history can provide us with any sort of reliable guide to understanding the patterns and preferences of the American public, I would say that we can start being very optimistic about 2010 and 2012.
Your “officially neutral” College Republicans advisor,
Dr. Zorea
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Could I send this to my husband and local homeschooling groups?
__________________
Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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Carole N.
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Stef, thank you so much for your words of wisdom! We do need to put the election behind us and move forward with an attitude that includes prayer (contemplation) and a plan (conquest). And we do need to pray for each other always in charity.
I am saddened. But I feel that part of it is due to my distance. It is not like I can be active in any organization or help in any efforts to promote prolife values in our country. But I can pray, and pray I will. 
This forum has meant so much to me and to my family. You are a big part of what anchors me to home. I have learned so much (wish I knew it all when I first started homeschooling). Some of you ladies I know IRL and some of you I feel like I know IRL. Let us continue to keep each other in our prayers as we move forward in life.
__________________
Carole ... in Wales
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mimmyof5
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I'm afraid many Catholics did not receive good direction from their priests if the sermon I heard a couple weeks prior to the election was any example. We were told that the pro-life fight needed to be taken out of the political arena because nothing had been gained politically, and that while it was all well and good to work towards overturning Roe v. Wade, perhaps our time could be better spent working with people. Then we were referred to Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good While he never said it, the whole sermon was giving Catholics permission to vote for Obama.
Many Catholics in the past were Democrats and I think those political ties are hard to drop. My dear great aunt, a daily Mass goer and rosary prayer, always voted Democrat. I think it was beyond her to ever consider voting Republican. She came from Irish immigrants and was instrumental in my father's conversion.
Anyway, I don't how much those cultural ties have to do with it, but with the lack of any direction from the pulpit, or actually being told 'more or less' that it's okay to vote for the pro-choice candidate, I can see where many Catholics feel they can be pro-life and still vote for the pro-choice candidate.
Just some musings on my part since I've been trying to understand this myself. Plus I was so very disappointed with our pastor.
Janet
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Lisbet
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Laura and everyone else - I am very sorry if the 'tone' of my post was misinterpreted. It was only my intention to explain that we are always called to instruct in the faith, religious or layperson. I am sorry if I offended, as it was not at all my intent. It is difficult, however, to express views on this topic without either 'side' (ugh, I hate that!) having bruised feelings.
__________________
Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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LisaR
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Lisbet wrote:
| It is difficult, however, to express views on this topic without either 'side' (ugh, I hate that!) having bruised feelings. |
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This can be deleted ,if it needs to be. I guess I do not have a blog to turn to to "journal" about it.
Now that we are a few days out, it seems really so simple and clear:
this is a Commandment of our Faith AND our country (LIFE , Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, in that order!) life which is publically denounced by our new Pres. elect.
I do not see it as a Republican/Democrat thing, an economic thing, a bring the troops home thing, or anything else.
If a person is not alive to begin with , than none of the rest of the "issues" matter anyway.
it is a case of Natural Law, really not even "religious" at all. life comes first. period.
Maybe this is why I, and I think many, are truly hurt and puzzled. I'll be the first to say I'm not "pro-any-party", but I am compelled to let the record state here that I am 100% for life from conception until natural death, and aren't we all, if we are faithful Catholics??
__________________
Lisa
dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
Thomas 11
Dominic 8
Maria Gianna 5
Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
many little saints in heaven!
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LisaR
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PS, I am praying, and my intent is not to attack.
In fact, I would not be offended in the least if someone wanted to publically or PM me and ask for clarification as to why I voted as I did. I always could say "none of your business" if I wanted to, or choose to dialogue.
I am grateful for the opportunities to discuss the election here. it is a HUGE part of many's education right now. thank you.
Peace of Christ,
__________________
Lisa
dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
Thomas 11
Dominic 8
Maria Gianna 5
Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
many little saints in heaven!
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donnalynn
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I agree with Janet, that where some bishops have sent strong statements there are others who did not - once you get to the parish level it can very much be an "anything goes" kind of environment leaving the laity with conflicting messages.
I have been reading this book that has helped me better understand what has happened to the general Catholic view of authority. I think it will a long...long... way to restoring a true Catholic *conscience* among the laity and even among many priests and religious. But I would say the good news is that the journey has begun and I think Catholic homeschoolers are at the forefront of this effort.
Please...please have hope! If anyone would have told me five years ago that abortion would be the issue that decided my vote in 2008 - I would have called them crazy. But here I am saddened by the outcome of the election and looking toward January with trepidation.
I can say that - I carefully avoided any political discussion this year with my mother. I would not have changed her mind and it would only have gotten ugly. This goes back to the assault on the formation of the Catholic conscience - my mother reads books like "Called to Question" - she does not believe that anyone can know when the soul enters the body - on many of the statements from the Catholic hierarchy that I have shared with her - she simply states - "Donna, that is one man's opinion" (whether that man is a priest, bishop, or the Pope!).
My mother has a wide group of friends that share her views - friends that include religious and priests. They believe themselves to be faithful, involved Catholics.
As a parent and homeschooling educator I think my main priorities are to pray for priests and instill in my children a love and trust in the priesthood, the Catholic hierarchy, and the Magisterium.
I am raising children who I hope will love life - all life - not by bringing these issues to their minds at an early age but through our example - through all the things we *do* and *love* - there is time to bring them fully into the intellectual aspects of political realities and the ugliness that is out there.
I want to commend the moderators for letting us all wade through this very difficult time together - it has helped me a lot. And a huge thank you to all of you who have been like a beacon of light in this journey back to faith and Mother Church. I will bring you all and your intentions with me to Adoration today.
__________________
donnalynn
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mary theresa
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donnalynn wrote:
I want to commend the moderators for letting us all wade through this very difficult time together
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Yes. I agree! The moderators are being very patient! 
LisaR wrote:
If a person is not alive to begin with , than none of the rest of the "issues" matter anyway.
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I heard a homily before the election in which our priest compared our country thinking it can/needs to focus on other issues (economic, poverty, health care, etc) to a person dying of cancer wanting to be treated for his migraines first.
He said, "Our country is DYING of this cancer of abortion and we think we need to focus on something else FIRST?"
__________________
Mary Theresa
mother to 3 little girls --March '06, Dec '07 and Jan '10
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SuzanneG
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***MODERATOR'S FINAL NOTE***
As Moderators, we are aware of the tumult surrounding the recent election - we've felt it in our own families. We are also homeschooling moms ourselves with families and needs beyond this board. We are not a policing agency. We count on you, the member to self-police statements and always, always seek to foster an Atmosphere of Respect.
Atmosphere of Respect wrote:
| Now, while we make every effort to be tough on topics in order to learn from charitable back and forth when appropriate, we place a higher priority on being tender with the people involved. This tenderness especially looks to avoid detraction and concerns all people to include members and moderators, those on the message board and off, those making headlines and personal family members, and those of faiths that are not Catholic, to name a few. |
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We've voted for whomever we thought (prayed, discerned, hoped) was the best candidate, the election is over, we have a new president-elect. Our job as Americans is to work for the good of the country. Our job as Catholics is to keep building a culture of life. Our job as Catholic homeschooling moms on this board is to keep this board respectful, courteous, and informative.
We are so grateful and encouraged by the many posts offering positive perspectives, prayers for the future, and of course action items for involvement in the pro-life movement. These discussions will always be welcome here.
We have asked repeatedly in multiple threads that a tone of charity always be taken. In How We Moderate we state:
How We Moderate wrote:
| If a member attacks the Catholic faith or another person, moderators will skip the above steps and quickly edit or delete posts or lock and delete the thread immediately. |
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Any post that is prefaced "moderators can delete this if they like" will automatically be deleted.
__________________
Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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Mary G
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Very clear, concise and direct -- thank you Suzanne and all you mods behind the scenes trying to keep the Boards a haven! 
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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glinNC
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The following was shared on the TORCH leaders' loop, written by a mom in one of the chapters; and I thought it would be good to share ... it's been a rough week absorbing what happened, and we should look at the positive side of it ... as shared by this mom:
"I have been thinking of this all last night, and it bothered me to focus
so much on the negative! I am very disappointed in the results of the
election, but what we have is what we have. Now what do we do? Focus on
the positives and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. This is what I have come up with.
Five reasons we should be GLAD about this election:
1. MCCain and Palin got almost 50% of the popular vote. This means that
almost half of the country were on board with them. This is not small
potatoes! Millions became aware of how many babies we lose after a
diagnosis of Downs. Millions saw Sarah and John's large families stand
behind them, and support them in their efforts. They saw a pro-life,
pro-family candidate at work. A Republican woman almost made it to the
White House!!!!! She was close enough to keep us on the edge of our
seats until last night!
2. America elected an African-American to its highest office. This
surprised me, in a very good way. We are apparently a less racist
country than I had feared. We are looking at people for their merits,
not their lineage. This is truly a grand day for black people in
America, especially the oldest, who remember when times were tougher.
The pictures of black men and women crying were very touching. I felt
for them. I hope this inspires young black men and women to never give
up, that any dream can be achieved!
3. The new vice-president is a Catholic. Now, I know he is not on board
with the Church's beliefs on abortion. However, anyone who says his
rosary daily cannot be ALL bad. He has a devotion to the Blessed
Mother. Let's ask her to change his heart! Having a Catholic in the
white house could turn out to be a huge asset, in ways we never imagine.
He is most likely considering things prayerfully, and that is good too!
4. Same-sex marriage was defeated in several states. This is a small
victory compared to what we were hoping, but it is a victory none-the-less!
5. This is one thing that happened during Terri Schiavo's trial,too.
Millions of Americans hit their knees. Families and parishes started
novenas and rosaries around the clock. Millions of people were united in
their belief of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Many gave up things
as sacrifices. Many helped man booths, hand out flyers and spread the
word that even the smallest among us is great. Noone is unimportant.
Noone is insignificant. In the words of our Holy Father Pope Benedict
XVI, "We are not some casual or meaningless product of evolution. Each
of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of
us is loved, each of us is necessary." From his Homily, at the Mass of
his installation, April 24, 2005.
All of us are important, and for reasons that we cannot now see, God
allowed Obama and Biden to win this election. For the reasons above, I
am thankful. I pray for guidance for him and all his advisors. I pray
that the threats of assassination are just threats, and that his family
is safe. I pray that much good can come of this, in ways we cannot even
imagine yet. With God, all things are possible.
In Christ,
Leocea"
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Michaela
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glinNC wrote:
The following was shared on the TORCH leaders' loop, written by a mom in one of the chapters; and I thought it would be good to share ... it's been a rough week absorbing what happened, and we should look at the positive side of it ... as shared by this mom:
Leocea
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Leocea is on the 4Real boards.
She also posted this on the Mother Nuture forum here.
5 Reasons to be GLAD about this Election
Several moms have added more positives to focus on about the election.
__________________
Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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glinNC
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Oh, great! I didn't know that. I received her permission through the TORCH loop to share with the group. I'm glad it's already here ... her words are very encouraging.
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Essy
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Have you all seen this site? I just joined.
www.catholicvote.com
__________________
Wife to Roy since Sept 1985
Mom to Sarah(May 2002)and Christian (August 2003)
Praying In the Moment
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Sparrow
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LisaR wrote:
If a person is not alive to begin with , than none of the rest of the "issues" matter anyway.
I'll be the first to say I'm not "pro-any-party", but I am compelled to let the record state here that I am 100% for life from conception until natural death, and aren't we all, if we are faithful Catholics?? |
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Yes, I agree.
__________________
Katie, blessed wife to Tyson and mom to all girls! Bailey (7) Riley (3) and Rory (3/17)
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Elena
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To lighten things up a little bit, I found this guy on the Anchoress. He's great! Enjoy!
__________________
Elena
Wife to Peter, mom of many!
My Domestic Church
One Day at a Time
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Michaela
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Elena wrote:
| To lighten things up a little bit, I found this guy on the Anchoress. He's great! Enjoy! |
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Thanks for sharing this, Elena.
He talks soooo fast!  but I like what he said.
__________________
Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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Willa
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**** Moderator Background Information Post ****
Jennifer posted a Final Moderator's Note above. I just deleted three posts that in my view went against the guidelines she had brought up. You are welcome to PM me if you were one of the posters and have questions about why your post was deleted.
Because we as a board are committed to following the teachings of the Magisterium, I thought it might be a good time to link to those Magisterium teachings on abortion and voting with a clear conscience. I excerpted a few quotes because I know how wearying it is to look at a whole bunch of links, but I think the quotes are fair representatives of the general message given almost uniformly by a cross-spectrum of bishops across the country.
First, a bit of information about what the Magisterium is, probably not necessary because I know most of you know this:
The Magisterium is defined as
Quote:
"the Pope and .. the bishops in communion with him....
The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ."47 This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church) |
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Here are some links to statements by the Pope and by various bishops. They represent the authority of the Magisterium insofar as they are in communion with the teachings of the Pope, and they have been remarkably consistent in basic points.
--That it is a civic right and duty for Catholics to vote with an informed Catholic world view.
--That a policy involving intrinsic evil (such as support for abortion) is more serious than an economic, social or foreign policy where there is room for prudential judgment.
--That a person is held accountable for one's vote -- it is a serious matter.
What the statements do NOT seem to say uniformly is that it is always and everywhere objectively sinful to vote for a pro-abortion candidate. There are some that say that, and some that don't. Because it is not a Magisterial doctrine that all pro-Obama voters are sinners or that they need to be admonished, or that they need to be admonished in this kind of forum, the mods prefer to keep that kind of discussion off the board. Jennifer and others have already explained why.
Here is what we can all agree on as Catholics loyal to the Magisterium:
--the election is already over and we have a President elect. This is done, for better or for worse.
--abortion is a crying evil in our land which we are all to work against and pray about.
****Note: These quotes from Popes and Bishops define our offical board position on the Catholic civic conscience. The summaries are just my paraphrases and of course, are in no way representative of the Magisterium except as they accord with what is in those documents linked below. ****
So here are all the links:
Here is a letter by Cardinal Ratzinger shortly before he became Pope Benedict:
Quote:
| The Church teaches that abortion or euthanasia is a grave sin. The Encyclical Letter Evangelium vitae, with reference to judicial decisions or civil laws that authorise or promote abortion or euthanasia, states that there is a "grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection. [...] In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to ‘take part in a propoganda campaign in favour of such a law or vote for it’" (no. 73). Christians have a "grave obligation of conscience not to cooperate formally in practices which, even if permitted by civil legislation, are contrary to God’s law. Indeed, from the moral standpoint, it is never licit to cooperate formally in evil. [...] |
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Here is the encyclical by Pope John Paul II that Pope Benedict mentions:
Evangelium Vitae --specifically about abortion and other life issues, and their place in civic life. He writes (strongly indeed, but these are the very words of the Successor to St Peter in an encyclical written to all the people):
Quote:
| This is what is happening also at the level of politics and government: the original and inalienable right to life is questioned or denied on the basis of a parliamentary vote or the will of one part of the people-even if it is the majority. ... In this way democracy, contradicting its own principles, effectively moves towards a form of totalitarianism. The State is no longer the "common home" where all can live together on the basis of principles of fundamental equality, but is transformed into a tyrant State, which arrogates to itself the right to dispose of the life of the weakest and most defenceless members, from the unborn child to the elderly, in the name of a public interest which is really nothing but the interest of one part. The appearance of the strictest respect for legality is maintained, at least when the laws permitting abortion and euthanasia are the result of a ballot in accordance with what are generally seen as the rules of democracy. Really, what we have here is only the tragic caricature of legality; the democratic ideal, which is only truly such when it acknowledges and safeguards the dignity of every human person, is betrayed in its very foundations: "How is it still possible to speak of the dignity of every human person when the killing of the weakest and most innocent is permitted? In the name of what justice is the most unjust of discriminations practised: some individuals are held to be deserving of defence and others are denied that dignity?" 16 When this happens, the process leading to the breakdown of a genuinely human co-existence and the disintegration of the State itself has already begun. |
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Here are the statements of many bishops (the Magisterium in pastoral action insofar as they are teaching in union with Rome)
Archbishop Chaput
Quote:
“So can a Catholic in good conscience vote for a pro-choice candidate? The answer is: I can’t, and I won’t. But I do know some serious Catholics–people whom I admire–who may. I think their reasoning is mistaken, but at least they sincerely struggle with the abortion issue, and it causes them real pain. And most important: They don’t keep quiet about it; they don’t give up; they keep lobbying their party and their representatives to change their pro-abortion views and protect the unborn. Catholics can vote for pro-choice candidates if they vote for them despite–not because of–their pro-choice views.”
“But [Catholics who support ‘pro-choice’ candidates] also need a compelling proportionate reason to justify it. What is a ‘proportionate’ reason when it comes to the abortion issue? It’s the kind of reason we will be able to explain, with a clean heart, to the victims of abortion when we meet them face to face in the next life–which we most certainly will. If we’re confident that these victims will accept our motives as something more than an alibi, then we can proceed.” |
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Archbishop Burke in the Vatican (in an earlier interview he had called the Democratic Party the "party of death" and he was questioned on this):
Quote:
| It is not my intention to engage in partisan politics. I wish that both of the major political parties in the United States of America were more coherent regarding the right to life. The Democratic Party, however has, over the years, put forth and defended a political agenda which is grievously anti-life, favoring the right to procured abortion and "marriage" between persons of the same sex. One can legitimately question the wisdom of the decisions taken in the war in Iraq, but war in itself is not always and everywhere evil, ....Procured abortion is the fundamental moral issue in the safeguarding and fostering of human life. To make economics or the environment the fundamental political issue, when life itself, in its most innocent and defenseless form, remains unprotected is morally irresponsible. |
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Bishop Samuel Aquila: We Will Be Judged
Quote:
| “For any society to be just, it must reflect the order of God,” Bishop Aquila said. “There are fundamental rights that no one can violate and those are the inalienable rights that our forefathers recognized so clearly -- and note the order -- life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” He said people must be concerned about the economy, the war in Iraq, the questions about immigration and other issues, but “we must recognize that first must come the fundamental right to life…the respect for human life from the moment of conception to natural death.” |
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Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship
Quote:
In making these decisions, it is essential for Catholics to be guided by a well-formed conscience that recognizes that all issues do not carry the same moral weight and that the moral obligation to oppose intrinsically evil acts has a special claim on our consciences and our actions. These decisions should take into account a candidate’s commitments, character, integrity, and ability to influence a given issue. In the end, this is a decision to be made by each Catholic
guided by a conscience formed by Catholic moral teaching.
38. It is important to be clear that the political choices faced by citizens not only have an impact on general peace and prosperity but also may affect the individual’s salvation |
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Joint Pastoral Letter by Kansas City Bishops about Catholic Voting
Quote:
| Could a Catholic in good conscience vote for a candidate who supports legalized abortion when there is a choice of another candidate who does not support abortion or any other intrinsically evil policy? Could a voter’s preference for the candidate’s positions on the pursuit of peace, economic policies benefiting the poor, support for universal health care, a more just immigration policy, etc. overcome a candidate’s support for legalized abortion? In such a case, the Catholic voter must ask and answer the question: 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 |
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(this one is about why American Catholic bishops don't endorse specific political candidates or parties -- why, instead, they lay out general voting principles)
Quote:
| 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). |
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A few more:
Kansas City Bishop on Freedom of Choice Act
Listen to Our Bishops (lots of quotes from various bishops)
Bishop Olmstead: Catholics in the Public Square
Kansas City Bishops
Plus, many, many letters, addresses, and homilies of bishops (plus encyclicals and the like)can be found here
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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LisaR
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| Posted: Nov 08 2008 at 8:10pm | IP Logged
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Willa, this is an amazing collection. I want to thank you and all the moderators so much for working so hard on the election threads.
Would you mind if I printed your post to share with my kids? We have been discussing some of the Bishops letters, but I did not have the compilation you have.
God Bless,
__________________
Lisa
dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
Thomas 11
Dominic 8
Maria Gianna 5
Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
many little saints in heaven!
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Election Prayers ... what happened?
