Experts: Catholics should vote!

How should I vote in this election? What resources are available for me to discern voting? Can I justify not voting if I don’t like either candidate? If you’ve asked yourself these questions over the past few months, you’re not alone. Many Catholics are wondering how to approach the voting booth this November and the Church is here to help.

On Monday, Oct. 19, the Capital Region Catholic Frassati and the Diocese of Albany hosted a Catholic voting principles panel discussion on Google Zoom. Over 47 young-adult Catholics attended the bi-partisan meeting to learn more about how people of faith should discern voting in the upcoming 2020 Presidential election. 

Attendees were able to submit discussion questions prior to the meeting to the panel participants, which consisted of: Father Robert Longobucco, Vicar General, Vicar for Faith Formation and Education, and pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish; Renee Morgiewicz, coordinator of Parish Services and Respect Life Ministries for the Diocese of Albany; Kathy Gallagher, director of Pro-Life Activities for the New York State Catholic Conference and director of Catholic Action Network; and Deacon Thomas Gutch, deacon at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Watervliet.

Regardless of where Catholics may stand on party lines, all panelists emphasized that the Catholic Church remains politically homeless, and Catholics should strive to assess each of the issues discussed by the candidates (crime, health care, the economy, etc.) through a faith-filled lens, neutral of political influence. 

If you’re looking for the major takeaways of the discussion: Yes, you should vote. It is a Catholic’s right and responsibility. Just as importantly, educate yourself on the issues. Some suggested resources from the meeting included the On The Issues website (https://ontheissues.org/) and “Forming Consciences for the Faithful Citizenship,” found on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website (https://www.usccb.org/.) 

From that education, Catholics should discern which candidate they believe best aligns with the moral values, lessons and teachings of the Church. A large division in the voting discernment process falls over pro-life issues. Gallagher noted that the U.S. bishops state that pro-life issues, such as abortion, un-just war, and euthanasia, have a “special claim on our conscious” as a priority. 

“If a candidate is in favor of broadening abortion, can that be a disqualifying thing for a voter? Yes, it can, but it doesn't have to be,” said Gallagher. “The bishops are clear: one could vote for someone who is supporting broadening the right to abortion only for truly grave moral reasons.”

Still, Catholic’s can’t ignore the other issues. The U.S. bishops say “you have to look at all the issues, like immigration and racism and pornography and environment and take that into consideration prior to voting,” added Gallagher. “We can't use the moral weight of abortion and taking of human lives to dismiss those other issues.”