Voting guide to Catholic Christians from Pope Francis This newsletter is going out to our supporters globally. While the upcoming election of a new president is technically only an American issue, we realize that this election is about preserving democracy and truly impacts the entire world. So if you are a U.S. citizen, we ask you to click on the Scorecard link as you weigh the issues of importance to you in this election. If you are from another country, we ask your prayers for the outcome of this election. And if you have family or friends from the United States, we invite you to share this newsletter with all of them. |
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Who are Pope Francis Voters? Faith does not fit neatly into the secular institution of political parties. And still, we are called to be engaged in politics. This is no small feat. As Pope Francis says, "Following Jesus means swimming against the tide, renouncing evil and selfishness." Our nation is in a spiritual crisis, and our faith and patriotism compel us to speak clearly and to act according to our consciences and our personal values. Catholics are called to defend, promote, and protect the sacredness of human life. We cannot be single issue voters. Instead, we are called to be Pope Francis Voters. The sacred issues that Pope asks us to bring into the voting booth include protecting people in poverty, the elderly, and migrants and rejecting racism. Prayerful consideration of the candidates for President make it clear: Catholics are called to be true to their faith and recognize that there are multiple issues to consider when casting our vote. |
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In recent years, Pope Francis has provided explicit instruction on the many ways we are called to defend, promote, and protect the sacredness of life. In his writing and speaking, Pope Francis makes it clear: abortion is not the only issue that matters. Our defense of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally sacred, Pope Francis says, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection. We cannot uphold an ideal of holiness that would ignore injustice in a world where some revel, spend with abandon and live only for the latest consumer goods, even as others look on from afar, living their entire lives in abject poverty. We often hear it said that the situation of migrants is a lesser issue. Some Catholics consider it a secondary issue compared to the “grave” bioethical questions. That a politician looking for votes might say such a thing is understandable, but not a Christian, for whom the only proper attitude is to stand in the shoes of those brothers and sisters of ours who risk their lives to offer a future to their children. And in his General Audience - June 3, 2020, Pope Francis said: "We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life." To evaluate the issues that matter to you in the coming election, click here. |
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Listen to our CCRI podcast interview with Sister Simone Campbell of Network Lobby |
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NETWORK has advocated on Capitol Hill for over 40 years. Since their founding, they have focused on legislation that will benefit all the people and not just the rich and powerful. So many Catholics have been taught that voting is a single-issue responsibility. But Pope Francis has advised voters not to ignore injustice or act as though one issue is more important than others. Pope Francis makes it clear: abortion is not the only issue that matters in choosing a candidate. To listen to the interview with Sr. Simone, click here. |
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Leaders from around the world are sending good wishes to Donald Trump and the first lady |
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We at CCRI join with world leaders in sending prayerful thoughts and good wishes to Donald Trump and Melania as they are striving to recover from having contracted Covid-19 . We also extend our prayers to the more thanthirty-five million people who have contracted this disease throughout the world and offer our condolences to the families and friends of the nearly one and a half million people who have died from this deadly disease. |
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Join with us and be part of reforming our Church |
YOUR GIFT – IN ANY AMOUNT – IS PRICELESS When you make a donation to support our cause, you join with others who are investing in restoring our Church to what Jesus intended. If you are part of the movement to stop contributing to your local parish and/or diocese, you may consider a donation to CCRI in its stead. The dollars we receive are used to run our programs and to reach a broad spectrum of the People of God. This includes the Faithful, reform activists, young adults as well as those who feel abandoned by the Church, to mention just a few. Your personal contributions in offering us suggestions and your donations are most appreciated. We invite all of you in the United States as you enter this election season to do so with thoughtful reflection and prayerful consideration as you cast your vote. For those of you in other countries, we invite you to forward this newsletter to your family and friends in the U.S.
Rene Reid CCRI director |
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