Can Catholics vote for a Democrat? If you surf the web or read opinions given on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and all sorts of other online websites and blogs this question could surface in your mind. If you listen to some bishops, some priests, laypeople and some right-wing political or religious commentators you can easily get the impression that it would be sinful to vote for a Democrat. In fact at least one bishop, a number of priests and some lay people have come out and publically said it would be sinful to vote for a Democrat. I’ve even had one friend of Facebook say that she would pray for my soul if I voted for a Democrat.
Much of the rhetoric regarding this question arises because of the pro-choice stance of the Democratic Party and many members which was highlighted in the recent convention. Since Roe v Wade, the Democratic Party has struggled to define itself as pro-life because of this one issue – abortion. At the same time the Catholic Church rightfully has strongly opposed abortion under most if not all circumstances. The Catholic bishops in the United States have gone so far as to make abortion a preeminent issue among all life issues.
This conflict has made it difficult for the Democratic party to define itself as pro-life even though many of its held positions are pro-life. They have been unable to develop a consistent platform because of this issue. It has caused a lot of divisiveness within the party and some would argue the Democratic party has changed in the past few decades. It has. I would like to briefly take a look at the relationship between Catholic Church and the Democratic party in recent history then I would like to answer the question above.
To begin with, we must keep in mind that up until the late 1960’s it was quite clear that to be Catholic was to be a Democrat. Few Catholics would have identified themselves as Republicans. For many years the Catholic Church and the Democratic party were the most welcoming institutions in the United States. During the great immigration of mostly Europeans coming to the United States in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the Catholic Church and the Democratic party worked together to offer needed social services for all who arrived on our shores – many through Ellis Island. They protected those who arrived from the wider world, they provided food, housing and medical care for those who needed it. They also gradually helped them integrate with that world. We can be proud of this history and cooperation.
Some would say that in recent years the Democratic party has lost its soul. In some ways it has. Yet in many ways it has not. The U.S. bishops have consistently pointed out that in regards to being pro-life both opposing evil and doing good are essential. So, being pro-life means opposing things that lead to death and the pro-abortion platform of the Democratic party would fit into this category. In regards to doing good, the Democrats aim to be the party of women and children, immigrants and minorities. Pope Francis has made it clear that we can’t claim to be pro-life if we support the separation of children from their parents at the U.S. border, if we support denying people who have need for adequate health care access to health care, if we keep people from getting the housing or the education that they need. We can’t be pro-life and for the death penalty. All Catholics have a responsibility to work towards having a consistent ethic of life. So, the desire for inclusion and tolerance by the Democratic party is an important form of being pro-life because it aims to protect groups of people that are often excluded and seen as undervalued members of society.
Now to be perfectly clear, the Republican party and its platform cannot be considered consistently pro-life either. The Republican party has always supported the death penalty. Many in the party turn a deaf ear to the plight of immigrants, women and minorities. They turn a deaf ear toward the tightening of laws in regard to gun control and affordable health care for all. So, the Republican party is good about saying “no” in its push against abortion but not good about saying “yes” to life when it comes to many policies that are deeply connected to the sanctity of life. Saint John Paul II spoke to this issue in his encyclical “Veritatis splendor” in which he wrote: “The fact that only the negative commandments oblige always and under all circumstances does not mean that in the moral life, prohibitions are more important than the obligation to do good indicated by the positive commandments “ – love of God and love of neighbor.
So, to be clear, neither political party aligns entirely with church teaching. We cannot expect our political parties to properly form our conscience. That is why each a catholic voter must use prudential wisdom and rely on their well-formed conscience in making a decision as to who to vote for. Anyone suggesting anything otherwise is wrong.
The challenge of Catholic citizens is to sift among the morally flawed options. This can lead to a situation where a person has to choose between two evils. The temptation is to treat the lesser evil as good by default. A catholic can be a Democrat or a Republican. The problem develops when people become blind to the limitations of their own party. They begin to see others who disagree with them as “simply wrong”. This often leads to a political ideology that is far more dogmatic than any religion! You get an ideology that refuses to be judged by any higher standard.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops produced a document to help Catholics develop a well-formed conscience in deciding what to do in the coming election. It is called “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility” and can be found on the website of the Catholic Bishops located at: usccb.org. This document makes it crystal clear that no one can nor should tell a Catholic how to vote on election day. It is simply wrong. I would go so far as to say in most cases it is sinful. No bishop, no priest, no lay catholic person should ever tell anyone they must vote for either candidate. Anyone who insists that Catholics must vote for the Democratic candidate or the Republican candidate is in violation of the guidance of the church and misleading the faithful.
In summary, no one sins if they vote for a Republican candidate or a Democratic candidate if they do so with an informed conscience. No one should vote based solely on a candidates’ position or lack of position on one issue. To do so is irresponsible. As Catholics our task is to weigh the issues, become knowledgeable about the candidates’ positions. To do this we should remember three things. First, respect for the dignity of each and every person is the core of Catholic social and moral teaching. This is our most basic principle. Second, we must always focus on the common good, not our own personal interests. We do this by asking how do we make the world a better palace, not how can I improve my own personal situation? Third, we have a responsibility, an obligation to form our consciences and participate in the civic life of the nation.
Catholics remain a powerful voting bloc. Both major candidates are trying to win the Catholic vote. Catholics are certainly no longer a united block. Each individual is free to choose the candidate they feel best can serve the needs of all God’s people and lead the country. May we all be responsible voters and exercise our right to vote for whom we feel is best without any threat of committing a serious sin. To threaten this is childish and pharisaical.
Mike's Ponderings 