In the Catholic tradition - responsible citizenship a virtue; participation in the political process a moral obligation

Editor’s note: The following excerpts are from The Challenge of Faithful Citizenship - a Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, a summary of the statement by the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Elections are a time for debate and decisions. Our nation has been attacked and has gone to war. We have moved from sharing budget surpluses to allocating the burdens of deficits. Our world faces fundamental questions of life and death, war and peace, who moves ahead and who is left behind. Our community of faith is working to heal wounds and rebuild trust, but we cannot abandon the duty to act on our faith in political life.

In this election year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ask us who has a place at the table of life in our nation and around the world. Where is the place at the table for children destroyed before they are born; for the hungry and those who lack health care; for families who need decent work, wages, education, and hope for the future? How can the poor and vulnerable have a real place at the table where policies and priorities are set? For Catholics, a special table - an altar - is where we find the direction to use our voices and votes to defend life, advance justice, pursue peace, and find a place at the table for all God’s children.

We need a new kind of politics - focused on moral principles, not on polls; on the needs of the vulnerable, not the contributions of the powerful; and on the pursuit of the common good, not the demands of special interests. Some Catholics may feel politically homeless, sensing that no political party and too few candidates share a consistent concern for human life and dignity. However, this is no time for retreat or discouragement. We need more, not less engagement in political life.

The dual calling of faith and citizenship is at the heart of what it means to be a Catholic in the United States at this time. We urge Catholics to register, vote, and become more involved in public life, to protect human life and dignity and to advance the common good. Faithful citizenship challenges us to seek a place at the table of life for all God’s children in the elections of 2004 and beyond.

For the complete Faithful Citizenship statement and a wide range of resources for parishes, schools, dioceses, and other groups, visit www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship 1-800-235-8722.