Resources for an informed conscience

    With the Texas primary finally upon us this week, a record turnout is expected. “In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. This obligation is rooted in our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do.” (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, No. 13).  In choosing the right candidate, it is imperative that our choices be based on more than first impressions of a candidate’s personality. Rather we must seek out reliable information to evaluate in a systematic way in light of our Catholic social values and principles.  Here are a few online resources to encourage well-informed participation in the political process.

faithfulcitizenship.org – The Faithful Citizenship website is the central repository of information about putting our Catholic faith into action through the political process. The U.S. Catholic Bishops’ statement entitled Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship can be found here  – a summary of the document is available in the back of the chapel after Mass – as well as other resources outlining the principles for making informed decisions about candidates and policies.

www.usccb.org/sdwp – At this URL, you’ll find the homepage of the national Office of Justice, Peace and Human Development of the U.S. Catholic Church. The site is stacked with resources on individual issues and policy debates.  Each is written from a Catholic perspective.  The site links to written statements, transcripts of congressional testimony and policy “backgrounders” on a whole host of international and domestic issues like poverty, the environment, global economics and war. 

www.2008electionprocon.org – This site sorts presidential candidates’ stances on major issues into a simple pro-con format and includes quotes from the candidates themselves to support their position. The site is maintained by a California nonprofit not affiliated with any religioun and claims to exist to promote non-partisan citizen education.  The list of issues addressed by the service is extensive and the site is designed to cut down the time it takes to find out what a particular candidate thinks about a specific topic.

    And because, we don’t just need to be steeped in information, but are called to pray unceasingly for our world and our place in it, here is a prayer for those preparing to cast a vote this Tuesday:

Gracious and loving God, let your Spirit be with me today. Hear my prayers, and increase in me the will to follow your Son Jesus. Help me to draw on the resources of my faith as I use the opportunities of our democracy to shape a society more respectful of the life, dignity, and rights of the human person, especially the poor and vulnerable. I ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.