Illinois Bishops Issue Statement On Conscience and Voting

Yesterday, the six Catholic bishops of Illinois issued a statement on Elections, Conscience, and the Responsibility to Vote. In part, it reads:

Catholics should always vote for that person most committed to being a public servant dedicated to the common good. ...[A]ny candidate who supports a public policy where part of humanity (such as the pre-born, the elderly, the handicapped, or the sick) is excluded from the protection of law and treated as if they were non-persons is gravely deficient in his or her view of the requirements of a just society.

Too often, the choice of candidates for elected office falls short of a vision of the common good as rich and full as Catholic social teaching. This may be discouraging, so we call on Catholics who understand and accept the Church’s teaching to become more engaged in political life.... In Illinois, we make up almost one-third of the population.... For Catholics, voting ought not to be seen as just an option or a privilege but a duty. By voting with an informed conscience, a renewed "Catholic vote" could become a political force for justice....