What you can do in your parish regarding
elections
Table of Contents
Bulletin Inserts
Internet and Email Tools
- Priests for Life sends out a bi-weekly e-mail commentary, free of charge, as
well as numerous press releases and statements. Between now and the elections,
these emails will help people understand Church teaching about political
responsibility. You can help distribute this information by sending it out to
your church e-mail list, or by inviting your people to subscribe personally.
Contact
subscribe@priestsforlife.org
- Our own website,
www.priestsforlife.org/elections, has numerous resources. Place a link to
that page on your parish web site and publicize the address in your bulletin.
- Help your people find out about the positions of candidates by referring
them to
www.priestsforlife.org/candidates. People can spread the message of faithful
citizenship by visiting internet chat rooms and discussion forums. This can be a
means of activating those who agree with us, and persuading those who do not.
Guidance about where to go and what to say can be found at
www.priestsforlife.org/elections.
Letters to the Editor
One of the most effective ways for your congregation to participate in the
electoral process is by writing letters to the editor. They would probably have
the most success by focusing on religious publications. Diocesan newspapers and
other Catholic publications offer excellent opportunities to encourage other
members of the Faithful to participate in the electoral process and to do so in
a way that conforms to Catholic teachings.
Our "Letters to the Editor" Project is described on our website at
www.priestsforlife.org/letters. Sample letters and talking points can be found
there, as well as links that enable people to send the letters to papers via
email. We encourage people to form small groups in which those who are not
comfortable composing a letter can find assistance from others in putting their
thoughts on paper. In this way the number of letters sent can be effectively
increased. You may want to make the following material available at the back of
Church, or at least provide it to those who express an interest in this
activity. For more information, contact Priests for Life at vote@priestsforlife.org
or (888) 735-3448 x. 297.
Talking Points
Primacy of the Abortion Issue
- "Respect for the dignity of the human person demands a commitment to human
rights across a broad spectrum…. Yet abortion and euthanasia have become
preeminent threats to human dignity because they directly attack life itself,
the most fundamental human good and the condition for all others" (US Bishops,
Living the Gospel of Life, 1998, n. 5).
- "Among important issues involving the dignity of human life with which the
Church is concerned, abortion necessarily plays a central role. Abortion, the
direct killing of an innocent human being, is always gravely immoral (The
Gospel of Life, no. 57); its victims are the most vulnerable and defenseless
members of the human family. It is imperative that those who are called to serve
the least among us give urgent attention and priority to this issue of justice.
This focus and the Church's commitment to a consistent ethic of life complement
one another" (US Bishops Pastoral Plan for Pro-life Activities, A Campaign in
Support of Life, 2001).
- "Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human
rights -- for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to
culture -- is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and
fundamental right and the condition of all other personal rights, is not
defended with maximum determination" (Christifideles Laici)
Responsibility to Vote
- Active participation in our community is a fundamental element of the
Catholic faith.
- Catholics must make registering to vote a priority rather than considering
it a secondary concern.
- The Catholic Conference of Bishops states that active citizenship is a moral
imperative. "We encourage all citizens, particularly Catholics, to
embrace their citizenship not merely as a duty and privilege, but as an
opportunity meaningfully to participate in building the culture of life.
Every voice matters in the public forum. Every vote counts. Every act of
responsible citizenship is an exercise of significant individual power. We must
exercise that power in ways that defend human life, especially those of God's
children who are unborn, disabled or otherwise vulnerable." (US Bishops,
Living the Gospel of Life, 1998, n. 34)
- While there is never an ideal candidate, one can try to determine which
candidate who will best advance respect for life.
- If neither candidate respects life, a vote to prevent the candidate who will
promote the greater evil is morally permissible as a means of limiting evil.
- Life is the foundation upon which all other rights exist. Therefore, support
for other rights is irrelevant if support for life does not serve as its
foundation.
Voter Registration
There are millions of Christians in America who are not registered to vote,
and many of them are in our Churches. Many elections, moreover, are determined
by a margin that is less than the number of people in a single congregation.
Exit polling has also shown that those who attend Church regularly vote
according to Christian values.
With all this in mind, it is easy to see how valuable it is for pastors to
urge their people to register to vote. There are various ways this can be done.
a) Simply remind your people, in homilies and in the bulletin, to register to
vote.
b) People can register by downloading the necessary forms from the internet.
See www.priestsforlife.org/vote for details.
c) Various parishes, dioceses, and State Catholic Conferences have undertaken
voter registration drives, whereby people are given the opportunity to fill out
the voter registration forms before leaving Church. This is perfectly legal for
Churches to do, as the IRS indicates in the quote below. Priests for Life has
assembled a sample description of how such a drive would take place. See
www.priestsforlife.org/vote or call our election team at 888-PFL-3448, ext. 297.
The guidelines of the Internal Revenue Service indicate the following:
"…[A]ctivities intended to encourage people to participate in the electoral
process, such as voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, would not
constitute prohibited political campaign activity if conducted in a non-partisan
manner" (Internal Revenue Service, Tax Guide for Churches and Religious
Organizations, July 2002).
Brochures and Booklets
Priests for Life is happy to provide educational material for
Churches. Among the brochures we distribute are the following:
- What does the Church teach about Life Issues? - Recently published by
Liguori, this booklet presents a proper understanding of the "consistent ethic
of life."
- Religious Beliefs, Abortion and the Law - This brochure clarifies why
laws against abortion are not an "imposition of religious beliefs."
- Are You a Single Issue Person? - Political correctness tells people that
it is not fashionable for a person to vote on a single issue. Here, we remind
Catholics that abortion is the foundational issue upon which all other issues
depend.
- You Wouldn't Even Ask - This brochure addresses the point that some
positions candidates take disqualify them for public office. It makes the case
that a politician who supports abortion is as unqualified for public office as a
candidate who supports terrorism.
- Ten Responses to Pro-Abortion Politicians - Many politicians attempt to
dodge the abortion issue by putting up smoke and mirrors to blame others or
circumstances for their support of abortion. This offers people short responses
to such arguments.
- Caesar Must Obey God - Unfortunately, many Catholics have forgotten that
life belongs to God. In this piece, we remind them that government is
subservient to God and that man-made laws are only legitimate when they adhere
to God's law.
- Reflections on the Political Responsibility of Christians - This booklet
contains a series of brief reflections about how and why we as believers should
exercise political responsibility. The reflections draw from the teachings of
Scripture, the Second Vatican Council, Pope John Paul II, and the United States
Catholic Bishops. This is not an exhaustive analysis of these themes, but rather
a "pastoral glance" at them, in order to overcome some of the common
misunderstandings and slogans that can too easily lull us into apathy regarding
our civic responsibilities, or into the fallacy that religious life and
political life are somehow disconnected.
- Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics - This
document is a challenge to all Catholics to embrace the founding
principles of the United States and the teachings of the Gospel of Life.
It is a call to Catholics at all levels in the Church, including the hierarchy,
to take on an even greater public witness regarding the sanctity of human life.
For more information on our resources, contact our resource department at PO
Box 141172, Staten Island, NY 10314, Ph. (718) 980-4400, ext. 239; Fax.
718-980-3900, email Orders@priestsforlife.org or see our website,
www.priestsforlife.org
Get Out The Vote
Encouraging Others to Vote
Often you will find that people who do not think of doing something at one
moment are happy to do it the next. Surprisingly, this can even be said of
voting. Talk to your parishioners the importance of voting and ask that they do
so. If possible, speak with them individually and encourage them to vote.
Recently there has been a surge of elections being decided by a single vote. In
fact, at least three mayoral elections over the past few years have been decided
by coin tosses after the elections ended in ties! Make your parishioners aware
of this and use it as one among many tools to encourage them to vote.
Early Voting
Many states have adopted early voting programs separate from absentee ballot
programs. There, individuals can call their County Clerk's office or local Board
of Elections to request a ballot. These people can then cast their ballots by
mail just like absentee voters. The advantage that this offers is that last
minute interruptions do not prevent people from voting. For example, a person
may be sick on Election Day, or their car may break down. Early voting ensures
that no such problems prevent them from voting. Please ask your parishioners
to look into this possibility.
GOTV E-mail
If your parish has an e-mail list, send out an e-mail to your list the day
before the election asking that your members/congregation come out to vote. You
may think that those who would not vote still would not vote, but many factors
can result in that single e-mail making a difference. Distractions arise, people
decide that their vote doesn't matter, they are disappointed in one action or
another of a candidate. In these cases, encouragement from a source that they
respect may get some to vote who otherwise would have allowed one or another
factor to get in their way.
GOTV Calls
One of the most effective ways to get people to vote is by placing live calls
in the days immediately preceding the election. Organize a group of your
parishioners, or ask an existing group in your parish, to make calls to the rest
of the parishioners asking that they come out to vote. This serves not only as a
reminder to people that they have a responsibility to vote, but also that the
way that they vote is tied to their faith. This is the single most effective way
to ensure that your parishioners come out to vote on Election Day.
Helping People Get to the Polls
Although absentee ballots are available, many elderly or incapacitated people
either learn about them too late or simply do not know how to obtain one. Sadly,
this usually means that many of these people end up not voting. Try compiling
two separate lists, one of those who will need rides to the polls, another of
those who are willing to assist them in getting to the polls. The latter are of
the most help when they have use of a car, though it is possible that they would
simply be able to walk or take public transportation with people who do not feel
confident in being able to make it to the polls by themselves.
Poll Watching
In the 2000 election, there were numerous charges made by both Republicans
and Democrats that election laws were broken on Election Day. The best way to
counteract this is to have your members participate in poll watching. Poll
watching is a very simple activity with a minimal time commitment, although some
may wish to take Election Day off from work to assist in the effort. Individuals
can simply contact either local party to volunteer. Typically either a campaign
or party will conduct a brief training seminar to acquaint volunteers with the
activity. Then, on Election Day, watchers ensure that no laws are broken at the
polling sites. While this may seem insignificant, election irregularities have
occurred in countless close elections. Whether preventing intimidation at the
polls or ensuring that individuals receive only one ballot, poll watching is an
excellent way for Catholics to fulfill their political responsibility.
http://www.priestsforlife.org/elections
The Priests for Life website is one of the most comprehensive
tools on the internet for information on abortion, and the Church's response to
this evil. Please link your parish website to ours and publicize the web address
in your bulletin and other parish literature. The section
www.priestsforlife.org/elections gives specific focus to our political
responsibility, and includes the following resources, among others:
- Official Church Teaching: Find numerous documents of the Holy Father,
the USCCB, and individual bishops related to faithful citizenship and the role
of the Church in politics.
- Pastoral resources: Find bulletin inserts, homily helps, and educational
articles that can be used in ministry or for personal reading.
- Candidates positions: Find references to websites that can assist you
and your congregation to know where candidates throughout the nation stand on
various issues.
- Special projects: Find explanations of how to do various
election-related activities, such as voter registration, letters to the editor,
internet presence, and much more.
- Recruit volunteers The internet is an excellent tool for recruiting
volunteers. Priests for Life has set up a form that allows volunteers to select
projects of interest from numerous potential activities. In your bulletin,
provide a link to the form at
www.votersunday.org/join.html
to give the members of your congregation the opportunity to participate in our
election efforts.
- Learn the positions of candidates. Unfortunately many members of your
congregation are unaware of the candidates' positions on the major issues.
Provide them with a link to
www.priestsforlife.org/candidates. Urge them to compare the candidates and
make an informed decision on Election Day. One of the main reasons people do not
vote is because they think that they are insufficiently informed about the
candidates for office
- Materials in Spanish
Study Guide to "Living the Gospel of
Life"
In 1998, the United States bishops issued "Living the Gospel of Life: A
Challenge to American Catholics."
Few documents have more succinctly and clearly captured the Church's response
to the political process, and few have spoken more powerfully to the duty of the
Christian to take part in that process in ways that advance the culture of life.
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, who served at the
Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Family, has prepared a study guide to this
document. With discussion questions, background information, and suggestions for
further reading, the guide is ideal for small groups meeting in churches,
schools, or homes.
The study guide is non-partisan and neither names nor endorses any candidates
for public office.
The guide will be available over the summer, in print and online at
www.priestsforlife.org/gospel.
We suggest that small groups be formed to use the study guide for a six week
period prior to the elections.
To place orders for the study guide, email
orders@priestsforlife.org, or call toll free 888-PFL-3448, ext. 237. You may
also fax 718-980-3900, or write to Priests for Life, PO Box 141172, Staten
Island, NY 10314.
Voter Education
Many organizations publish non-partisan voter guides to inform their members
of candidate positions. 501(c)3 voter guides, i.e. guides that neither indicate
agreement with candidate positions nor advocate the election or defeat of a
candidate, can be distributed among your members and by your members to the
general public. Check with your diocese or Catholic Conference to see if they
have published any voter guides. Please encourage your congregation at
least to view these and, preferably, to distribute the information contained in
them.
Political Responsibility Homilies
www.priestsforlife.org/preaching/electionhomilies.htm
America's worldview was shaped by pastors. They preached sermons on very
specific and practical aspects of life, including fires, earthquakes, and solar
eclipses. "Occasional" sermons were sermons preached on significant occasions,
and "Annual sermons" were preached each year at a given time.
The largest collection of annual sermons were the "election sermons," which were
preached every year for three centuries starting with the first in Virginia in
1634. Liberty Fund has published 2734 pages of this material in Political
Sermons of the American Founding Era, 1730-1805 (and this is only material that
does not already appear in other published works).
The war for Independence did not simply take place on battlefields. It was
engaged in the pulpits, where the very heart and soul of the people were stirred
with a commitment to defend that liberty which only God can give. Indeed, the
same is true of America's efforts to rid herself of slavery and of segregation.
And today, the same can be said of abortion -- and in that part of history, you
are privileged to take your place.
Talking points on Political Responsibility and
Elections
The bishops teach that participation in the political process is a virtue,
and that every vote counts. Believers are not second-class citizens. Rather,
they have every right to strive by legitimate means to shape public policy
according to their moral convictions.
All legitimate authority comes from God and is
responsible to God. Nations as well as individuals must follow his law.
Protecting human life is no more a sectarian
creed than the Declaration of Independence is a sectarian document. Because all
rights depend on life, the right to life is the most fundamental issue in any
campaign.
The Church does not endorse candidates or
parties. The Church does, however, urge us to look at every party critically,
and to evaluate every candidate in the light of how his or her policies would
advance human life and dignity. Loyalty to a political party is not wrong, but
loyalty to Christ and His teachings must take precedence. The Church, moreover,
speaks of the demands of the Gospel to voters, candidates, and public officials
alike, and does not change her message because of who is in power or who is
running for office.
Find specific homily starters based on the
readings of the Sundays prior to Election Day for each of the three cycles at
www.priestsforlife.org/preaching/electionhomilies.htm
