Political Responsibility
... topics of his entire document. Many people want to completely separate the Church from politics, and while it is easy to understand why, we as Catholics should be obligated to make conscientious decisions regarding political affairs. As the Bishop declared, "The Church intends to instruct and illuminate the consciences of the faithful, particularly those involved in political life, so that their actions may always serve the integral promotion of the human person and the common good." For Catholics, the defense of human life and dignity is not a narrow cause, but a way of life and a structure for action. A key message of the Vatican statement on public life is that Catholics in politics must reflect the moral values of our faith with clear and consistent priority for the life and dignity of the human person. To aid Catholics and the rest of the nation in voting based on moral and ethical standards, the Catholic church is also responsible for their Catholic social teachings. In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is a moral obligation. All believers are called to faithful citizenship, to become informed, active, and responsible participants in the political process. Therefore, to be an active and informed citizen, it is required that we have ongoing participation in both th...