Are you happy or unhappy with the election results? Do you want to communicate with your elected officials and let them know you are following their work even after campaign season is over? Join the Catholic Advocacy Network and stay informed on important issues affecting life, dignity, and the common good. You can receive a newsletter, 'action alerts' when important legislation is pending, as well as easy ways to contact your elected officials. Jason Adkins, Esq., Executive Director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, explained to us at our fall Lunch and Learn that for every 1 letter or email a politician receives on an issue, they 'count' it as 10, assuming that other constituents care about the same issue but are not taking time to write in. Your participation makes a difference! To join the Catholic Advocacy Network, click here or text "CAN" to 1-651-998-7322.
Prayer after the Election from the US Council of Catholic Bishops:
God of all nations, Father of the human family, we give you thanks for the freedom we exercise and the many blessings of democracy we enjoy in these United States of America.
We ask for your protection and guidance for all who devote themselves to the common good, working for justice and peace at home and around the world.
We lift up all our duly elected leaders and public servants, those who will serve us as president, as legislators and judges, those in the military and law enforcement.
Heal us from our differences and unite us, O Lord, with a common purpose, dedication, and commitment to achieve liberty and justice in the years ahead for all people, and especially those who are most vulnerable in our midst. Amen.
The Catholic bishops of Minnesota encourage all Catholics to vote in the 2024 election, guided by prayer, with a focus on human dignity. Recognizing that every person is made in the image and likeness of God and therefore has inherent dignity, the bishops emphasize that many issues debated by elected officials significantly impact this principle. On April 2, 2024, the Church released a Declaration on Human Dignity, titled Dignitatis Infinita. This document provides insights into how contemporary issues such as abortion, war, poverty, assisted suicide, and gender relate to human dignity.
The Minnesota Catholic Conference urges Catholics to utilize this declaration alongside the USCCB's Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship to educate themselves and guide their voting decisions for local, state, and federal offices in the upcoming November election. While no candidate may fully align with all Catholic values, we are called to participate actively in shaping our communities through thoughtful and prayerful civic engagement.
Ultimately, voting is an expression of love—love for God, love for neighbor, and love for the world we inhabit. By casting our ballots with a well-formed conscience, we participate in the civic life of our community in a way that reflects our deepest values and hopes for society. We are called to be salt and light in the world (see Matthew 5:13-16). Voting with a Catholic conscience is one way we can bring the light of Christ into the public square, working toward a society that respects life, promotes justice, and upholds human dignity.
To help Catholics prepare to vote, Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC) has created a collection of resources, including specific information on Catholic Social Teaching, faithful citizenship, human dignity, and political guidelines for parishes. These resources, designed to guide and inform voters, can be found by clicking the titles below:
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship
Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching
Examination of Conscience: Loving Our Neighbors in the Public Square
Scripture Meditation: Pope Francis and the Parable of the Good Samaritan
Civilize It: A Better Kind of Politics
As Catholics, we must never be afraid of bringing our faith into the public square. However, because the Church is not a political entity, we must make sure that our individual advocacy efforts are kept distinct from the Church’s teaching voice. Their guidelines for parish and church organization political activity clearly lay out which activities are prohibited, and which are permissible.
