Faithful Citizenship

Dear Fellow Parishioners,

As a Catholic parish, we cannot take a position for a particular political party or a specific candidate for political office. (For one thing, it is prohibited by the Internal Revenue Service.) Instead of supporting any candidate, as a Catholic parish, we advocate for issues that affect the moral status and common good of the people of our nation. The privilege of voting comes with the burden of being well-informed on the issues. Many people and religious organizations claim to speak for the Church's position on the issues of our country, yet proffer simplistic responses to complicated problems. Because of the complexity of modern society, we might be tempted to gravitate to solutions that seem straightforward yet disregard some basic tenants of human dignity. To help you in making an informed decision, I direct your focus to the well-prepared materials provided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which do represent a comprehensive explanation of the Church's position on the most important concerns of our day. Please visit the following website: www.faithfulcitizenship.org.

I often get frustrated by not having a candidate who fits the profile of an "ideal" president according to Catholic social teaching. The way I deal with this challenge is to realize that no matter who is elected president, I will support him on some issues and confront him on others. Please read a few of the articles from USCCB if you would like to have a better understanding of the Church's position on various issues. Let's always be respectful of dialogue and pray for one another as we exercise the great privilege of voting.

Your brother,
Fr. Kevin Carlin Kennedy