This week, Bishop Anthony Taylor of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock cited the “Faithful Citizenship” document released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in a homily posted on The Arkansas Catholic‘s website.
In his homily, Bishop Taylor said,
“To help us sort out what to do, the bishops of the United States issue — or re-issue — for every election cycle a ‘Faithful Citizenship’ document to help us make a prudential judgment regarding how best to ‘Give to God what is God’s’ in the difficult and confusing choices before us. This is not just a matter of opposing evil; it also requires that we work actively to do good.”
The Conference of Catholic Bishops offers the document in two forms: A short summary and a lengthier Call to Political Responsibility.
The summary says in part,
“In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. As Catholics, we should be guided more by our moral convictions than by our attachment to a political party or interest group.”
The document cites seven key points to consider in civic involvement:
- The Right to Life and the Dignity of the Human Person
- The Call to Family, Community, and Participation
- Rights and Responsibilities
- The Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
- The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
- Solidarity
- Care for God’s Creation
Bishop Taylor summed up by saying, “‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s’ — do your civic duty and vote. But ‘Give to God what is God’s’ — in the choices you make in casting that ballot.”
Click here to read Bishop Taylor’s entire homily.
Click here to download the UCCB’s two-page “Faithful Citizenship” summary.
