We have a presidential election coming up on November 3rd. Make sure to vote.
As Catholics we have a duty to vote intelligently and vote guided by our faith. How we vote and what issues we promote affect whether values of God's Kingdom are being promoted on earth or not. Proclaiming the Kingdom of God is what we're about as disciples of Jesus Christ. Love of God and love of neighbor are the guiding light for how we should discern and vote.
To help you through some of the major issues of today, some useful resources include:
1) Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching - Our Church's social teachings are one of the crown jewels of the Catholic Church. They ground our social choices in consistent rational, ethical principles that have their foundation in the Gospel.
2) A Paulist Reflection for the 2020 US Elections - We Paulists have been blessed by God with some really smart priests. Church documents are wonderful but one can tell there is often a committee writing them so they are so packed that they can be a bit confusing. You sometimes need a theology degree to unpack their insightful and subtle nuances. Our guide is reflective of the Paulists, pragmatic and clear. Also check out the Paulist voting resource page.
3) Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship - This is the classic USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) document to help us navigate forming our conscience in our voting.
4) California Catholic Conference - They are the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in California. They advocate with policy makers and the public to advance the Catholic vision of human life and dignity, the good of society, and concern for those who are poor and vulnerable. Their website also provides insights into the California ballot measures.
5. California Ballot Initiatives Slides - Chris Pagano (Newmanite and member of the League of Women Voters) helped us explore the upcoming California state ballot initiatives at our Critical Conversation. These slides guide one through the meaning of the various ballot initiatives and their standard pros and cons.
6. Voting Presentation at Sacred Heart Church - This presentation is by former parishioner Fr. Tom Massaro, SJ, which he gave at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Saratoga.
Please take time to review the issues. Consider discussing it with your family or friends. There is a lot of noise out there and a lot of misinformation, so we must do our best to understand the issues at hand and discern which candidates and bills best promote the values of God's Kingdom.
In discussing with family and friends or strangers, do not try to convert them. We all tend to have a stubborn streak and when someone tries to manipulate us, we will hold onto our original thoughts even stronger than before. Just share your thoughts logically and with enthusiasm and be open to listening to other people's thoughts. Follow the example of Jesus who loved all he met and treated all with dignity. We can also remind folks, "repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."