Bishop Walkowiak has urged us to examine our life’s priorities, asking, “What are the allegiances that can tell us the truth about whose image we bear? How strong is our allegiance to being an American, to being a consumer, a member of a political party? And how strong is our allegiance to being a Christian?”
Watch his homily here: https://youtu.be/GTSkkCrCAkM.
As we participate in our country’s democratic process at every level, let us recognize and remember that by baptism we are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of God, and every human person is stamped with his likeness.
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“Our highest obligation in life…regardless of nationality or political affiliation, is to give ourselves back to God and walk in his ways.”
Now available: A Catholic Approach to Voting in the 2024 Election-Un Enfoque Catolico para Votar en las Elecciones de 2024 (Michigan Catholic Conference)
English | Español
Election Resources for Catholics in Michigan
2024 Election Year Guidelines for Catholic Parishes and Organizations (Michigan Catholic Conference):
View/download guidelines
Michigan Voter Information (Department of State):
To view sample ballots, deadlines, or to check your registration status and polling location, visit https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/.
Voting with faith and a conscience at election time
As a part of understanding and participating in our country’s electoral process, Catholics are called to the vocation of faith-filled citizenship.
Catholics Care, Catholics Vote: Faithful Citizenship
Participation in our country’s political and public life comes with great responsibility. As Catholics, we are members of a community of faith with a long tradition of teaching and action on human life and dignity, marriage and family, justice and peace, care for creation, and the common good. We’re encouraged to examine the pertinent issues, and make choices that are most in line with this tradition of teaching and action. As Americans, we are also blessed with religious liberty which safeguards our right to bring our principles and moral convictions into the public arena. These Constitutional freedoms need to be both exercised and protected.
The Church’s obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of society is a requirement of our faith (Source, Feb. 2020 digital edition, #9). Catholics are called to engage in the political process, guided by a well-formed conscience. To aid us in this process, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops provides a teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics called Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (en Español).
This document contains the U.S. bishops’ guidance for Catholics in excercising their rights and duties as participants in our country’s democracy. Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship doesn’t instruct Catholics to endorse specific candidates or issues, but instead is intended as a teaching guide. Additionally, the document on faithful citizenship “does not offer a voters’ guide, scorecard of issues or direction on how to vote,” but rather, “applies Catholic moral principles to a range of important issues.”
See also: USCCB’s Political Activities Guidelines
Prepare for an election:
2024 Election Resources for Catholics in Michigan
USCCB (the public policy voice for the Catholic Church on national issues)
Listen to episodes of the USCCB’s “First Freedom” podcast
Conscience and the Catholic Voter | What does it mean to form my conscience?
More Faithful Citizenship resources | Recursos para ciudadanos fieles
As election day nears, let the Spirit be your guide (Bishop Walkowiak, October 2016)
Civilize It: A Better Kind of Politics
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ “Civilize It” initiative is a response to Pope Francis’ call in Fratelli Tutti to seek “a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good” (no. 154). Initially launched during the 2019-2020 election cycle, “Civilize It” calls U.S. Catholics to engage in political discourse with charity and respect whether during national elections, or at the local school board or city council meeting.
Learn more:
Videos to inspire Catholics to prayer and action in political life (USCCB YouTube, February 2020)
USCCB First Freedom podcast
For additional resources and to take the “Civilize It” pledge, click here.
Additional Resources from:
USCCB
Issues | Take Action | What is Catholic Social Teaching?
Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC)
Advocacy Issues | Join the Catholic Advocacy Network
