As Catholics navigate the divisive political season, this section provides interviews with priests on the dangers of politics becoming a religion and the civic responsiblity of Catholics, a national nonprofit's guide to have civil political discourse, a statement from Bishop Anthony B. Taylor and more.
Politics and religion are two things we are told never to discuss in polite company, yet are often debated. In the divisive world of politics, it’s easy to be sucked into party loyalty and shed our Catholic identity or try to mold it to fit the Republican or Democrat model. Religious leaders can help guide Catholics during election season, but God is the compass. “The most fundamental identity that God has given us is we’re his children. More...
Whether it’s sitting across from a close relative, chatting with friends or engaging with a stranger on social media, navigating politics can be like dodging landmines. But it doesn’t have to be. Braver Angels, a national nonprofit, was founded on the idea that liberals and conservatives can come together “not to find a centrist compromise, but to find one another as citizens,” according to its website, braverangels.org. The movement began after the 2016 presidential election between President More...
As the elections get closer, statements are being made in the media and social media about how Catholics should or should not vote. Arkansas Catholic asked Bishop Anthony B. Taylor to summarize our duties as Catholics and voters. Q. Can a bishop, priest, sister or Church leader say that someone is going to hell because they vote for a particular candidate? Is it a mortal sin to vote for one candidate over the other? A. "In voting More...
CLEVELAND -- The U.S. bishops' quadrennial document on political responsibility is rooted in the Catholic Church's long-standing moral tradition that upholds human dignity and the common good of all, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City said. "The document is meant to give Catholic voters an opportunity to reflect upon how their faith intersects with their political and civic responsibilities," said the archbishop, who chairs the bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. Titled "Forming Consciences More...
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, said Sept. 9 that he has privately begun "applying Gospel principles" to correct a pastor who in a video says Catholics who are Democrats must "repent" of their support for the party or "face the fires of hell." "Canon law indicates that before penalties are imposed, we need to ensure that fraternal correction, rebuke or other means of pastoral solicitude will not be sufficient to repair the More...
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