We are in a sad state in our country when elected officials and others are considered according to some of their constituents to always be "right" in whatever they say or do. Those of us who are Christian believe (I hope) that the only person who was ALWAYS right was Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. One of the sad realities of that first situation is that one side will seemingly never admit that those on the other side can do anything that is worthy of recognition or praise.
Our American bishops, in their teaching in the document, "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" make it clear that they and other Church clergy do not and should not endorse any one candidate, but instead present the issues and where the Catholic Church stands on these issues and so help "to shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching." I hope to make written and spoken versions of this teaching available for us to use for study and prayer before we go to the polls. By first making it clear that the Catholic Church's leaders are not, in their capacity as preachers and teachers to endorse candidates for public office, there are more than a few instances in which our Church leaders applaud or at time criticize particular efforts of our elected officials to make or enforce laws.
One instance of applause came out from our American Bishops recently on January 24, 2020 after the Trump Administration announced that it is taking steps to enforce the Weldon Amendment, a federal law that prohibits discrimination by states against health insurance plans that do not cover abortion. After stating the fact that for nearly 6 years employers in the state of California (including churches) have been forced to fund and facilitate abortions in their health insurance plans, Bishop Naumann, from the bishop's committee on pro-life activities said "We strongly commend the Trump Administration for taking this critical action to enforce federal law," (in this case the Weldon Amendment).
One of our Sacred Heart parishioners let me know of the reality of our bishops commending the current administration for this and other efforts to protect the rights of conscience of those in religious institutions against the government (state and federal) telling them what they must do when it clearly violates their conscience and beliefs. I hope more of our parishioners will take time to pull up the USCCB website regularly and stay up with what our bishops are saying and teaching from the Catholic Tradition that will help us develop and have a "Catholic conscience" on many issues that affect us and others (including the voiceless child in a mother's womb).
Our American bishops, in their teaching in the document, "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" make it clear that they and other Church clergy do not and should not endorse any one candidate, but instead present the issues and where the Catholic Church stands on these issues and so help "to shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching." I hope to make written and spoken versions of this teaching available for us to use for study and prayer before we go to the polls. By first making it clear that the Catholic Church's leaders are not, in their capacity as preachers and teachers to endorse candidates for public office, there are more than a few instances in which our Church leaders applaud or at time criticize particular efforts of our elected officials to make or enforce laws.
One instance of applause came out from our American Bishops recently on January 24, 2020 after the Trump Administration announced that it is taking steps to enforce the Weldon Amendment, a federal law that prohibits discrimination by states against health insurance plans that do not cover abortion. After stating the fact that for nearly 6 years employers in the state of California (including churches) have been forced to fund and facilitate abortions in their health insurance plans, Bishop Naumann, from the bishop's committee on pro-life activities said "We strongly commend the Trump Administration for taking this critical action to enforce federal law," (in this case the Weldon Amendment).
One of our Sacred Heart parishioners let me know of the reality of our bishops commending the current administration for this and other efforts to protect the rights of conscience of those in religious institutions against the government (state and federal) telling them what they must do when it clearly violates their conscience and beliefs. I hope more of our parishioners will take time to pull up the USCCB website regularly and stay up with what our bishops are saying and teaching from the Catholic Tradition that will help us develop and have a "Catholic conscience" on many issues that affect us and others (including the voiceless child in a mother's womb).