We are Catholic and we are American. You will be in our prayers and we promise to pray for you as you serve us. Our nation is struggling financially, yet we still have hope that things will get better. Yet, we believe that the nation's recovery should not come at the cost of the principles that have made our nation strong. While the economy is extremely important, we can not abandon the ideas that define us as a nation and expect to be a great society.
With that being said, we have quite a bit to ask of you.
Our hope is you will consider our words carefully.
* We are Catholics first. We may be Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green, etc. Many of us do not claim a political party. Regardless, we will never abandon our faith for the purposes of politics. Being Catholic is not defined by political party affiliation.
* As elected representatives, you work for us. We do not work for you.
* Abortion isn't just another issue. It is the primary issue, unlike any other of our time.
* We will not ignore other attacks on life and family - euthanasia, fetal stem cell research, cloning, same-sex marriage, torture, etc.
* We will not forget the poor, the disenfranchised, immigrants, the elderly, the young, the disabled or any other group that society might not champion. Nor will we allow you to forget them either.
* We take our responsibility to be good citizens very seriously.
* We will look past the rhetoric, the slogans, and the ads. We will look for integrity, character, ethical behavior, and honesty.
* We expect that you will see your position as a great responsibility to serve and not one of mere authority.
* We ask that you implement policies that protect life, family, true freedom, and just laws.
* Our country needs you to be holy. If we are to start to rise again, then common sense dictates our leaders become examples for us to rally around. Being holy is the only option.
* If you are a Catholic, you have a special obligation to follow the Church's teachings, in addition to your obligation to defend and uphold the Constitution. Neither are optional once you are in office. The "personally opposed" argument is a smoke-screen and we see right through it.
* Please don't abandon your faith in order to win an election, make a political deal, stay high in an opinion poll or make money. It is not worth it for you or us.
* We will encourage our fellow citizens to vote and to give you their feedback and opinion.
* We appreciate your service to our country and to us. We promise to pray for you, support you, challenge you, and expect a lot from you.
"It must be noted also that a well-formed Christian conscience does not permit one to vote for a political program or an individual law which contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals. The Christian faith is an integral unity, and thus it is incoherent to isolate some particular element to the detriment of the whole of Catholic doctrine. A political commitment to a single isolated aspect of the Church’s social doctrine does not exhaust one’s responsibility towards the common good."
—Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
"For the Christian people of America conversion to the Gospel means to revise "all the different areas and aspects of life, especially those related to the social order and the pursuit of the common good." It will be especially necessary "to nurture the growing awareness in society of the dignity of every person and, therefore, to promote in the community a sense of the duty to participate in political life in harmony with the Gospel.""
—Pope John Paul II
Thank you and God Bless,
-Marcel LeJeune - Aggie Catholics
-Kevin Knight - NewAdvent.org
-Matt Archbold - CreativeMinorityReport.com
-George Sipe - ConvertJournal.com
-JC Sanders - equusnomveritas.blogspot.com
-Mark Shea - Catholic and Enjoying It
-Brandon Vogt - The Thin Veil
-Elizabeth Scalia - TheAnchoress
-ADeaconsWife
-abbafatherchapter.blogspot.com
-Dan Lower - Keyboard Theologians
-Why I Am Catholic
Other Signatures:
-Renee Aste - Lowell Massachusetts
-Adolfo Rodriguez - Covington, LA
-Brett Powers - Richland, WA.
-Tony
-Mickey Jackson
If you would like to add your name to this list. Please leave a comment below.
Feel free to re-post in other places. (h/t Aggie Catholics)
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