Introduction

The year 2000 marks a great spiritual milestone and offers an important civic challenge. The new millennium requires a new kind of politics, focused more on moral principles than on the latest polls; more on the needs of the poor and vulnerable than the contributions of the rich and powerful; more on the pursuit of the common good than the demands of special interests. This is a time to bring together the guidance of the Gospel and the opportunities of our democracy to shape a society more respectful of human life and dignity, and more committed to justice and peace.

We hope the campaigns and elections of the year 2000 become turning points in our democracy, leading to more participation and less cynicism, more civil dialogue on fundamental issues and less partisans posturing and attack ads.

The role of the Church

As bishops, we do not seek the formation of a religious voting bloc, nor do we instruct persons on how they should vote by endorsing or opposing parties or candidates. We are convinced that a consistent ethic of life should be the moral framework from which to address all issues in the political arena. We hope that voters will examine the positions of candidates on the full range of issues, as well as on their personal integrity, philosophy, and performance.

A Call to Faithful Citizenship

As members of the Catholic community, we enter the public forum to act on our moral convictions, share our experience in serving the poor and vulnerable, and add our values to the dialogue over our nation’s future. Our moral framework does not fit the categories of right or left, Democrat or Republican. Our responsibility is to measure every party and platform by how its agenda touches human life and dignity. In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is a moral obligation.

Catholic assets in the public square

The Catholic community brings to public life the insights of the Scriptures and Catholic teaching, broad experience in serving those in need, and a large diverse community. We are called to be a community of consciences within the larger society. As Catholics, our conscience will not permit us to abandon unborn children because they are seen as unwanted or inconvenient, to turn our backs on immigrants because they lack the proper documents, or to turn away from poor women and children because they lack economic or political power.

Conclusion

The call to faithful citizenship raises a fundamental question: What does it mean to be a believer and a citizen in the year 2000 and beyond? As Catholics, we can recommit ourselves to carry the values of the Gospel and church teaching into the public square. As citizens, we can vote and participate in the debate over the values and leaders that will take us into the next century. The dual calling of faith and citizenship is at the heart of what it means to be a Catholic in the United States at the beginning of a new millennium.