What Does the Catholic Church Teach on Elections?
Adolfo Castañeda (Human Life International) and Dr.Felipe Vizcarrondoz
See also Politics

The mission Christ entrusted to the Church is of a supernatural order, it is not political, economic or social. From this mission derive teachings for all aspects of human life. For this reason: "To the Church belongs the right always and everywhere to announce moral principles, including those pertaining to the social order, and to make judgments on any human affairs to the extent that they are required by the fundamental rights of the human person or the salvation of souls" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2032).

The Church does not impose on the whole of society her Catholic principles (Mass attendance on Sundays, etc.). The Church proposes the principles of the natural law (not to steal, not to kill, etc.). These principles are universal, without them no society can be just. "The natural law, present in the heart of each man and established by reason, is universal in its precepts and its authority extends to all men. It expresses the dignity of the person and determines the basis for his fundamental rights and duties" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1956). In this context, the Church does not tell people for whom to vote, but teaches the moral criteria with which to vote with a right conscience.

When there are elections in a society, citizens reflect on a variety of issues, social, economic, and educational, among others. Voters elect candidates according to the issues they consider more important. The Church also considers that not all social problems have the same moral weight. The Church teaches that "the first right of the human person is his life. He has other goods and some are more precious, but this one is fundamental – the condition of all the others. Hence it must be protected above all others" (Declaration on Procured Abortion, no. 11).

Therefore, the first criterion for correct voting, according to the Church’s teaching, is the defense of innocent human life from direct attacks. Presently, the most frequent direct attacks against innocent human beings, some even legally, are abortion in all its forms: surgical, pharmacological, abortifacient contraceptives, destructive embryo manipulation (in vitro fertilization, stem cell research and cloning), as well as euthanasia and assisted suicide. All of these are intrinsically evil, and should not be permitted (see the Letter from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger – Pope Benedict XVI – to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of the USA, 2004).

The next criterion is the defense of marriage between a man and a woman, on which the family, the basic unit of society, is based (see Catechism, nos. 2201 and 2207). Today, the most frequent and direct attacks against marriage, including legal benefits, are out-wedlock unions and same sex unions. Both types of unions are also intrinsically evil (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 2400 and 2537).

The third criterion for correct voting is the defense of freedom of religion and of conscience. regarding this critical issue, Pope Benedict XVI stated: "It is imperative that the entire Catholic community in the United States come to realize the grave threats to the Church’s public moral witness presented by a radical secularism, which finds increasing expression in the political and cultural spheres. The seriousness of these threats needs to be clearly appreciated at every level of ecclesial life. Of particular concern are certain attempts being made to limit that most cherished of American freedoms, the freedom of religion.Many of you have pointed out that concerted efforts have been made to deny the right of conscientious objection on the part of Catholic individuals and institutions with regard to cooperation in intrinsically evil practices. Others have spoken to me of a worrying tendency to reduce religious freedom to mere freedom of worship without guarantees of respect for freedom of conscience.Here once more we see the need for an engaged, articulate and well-formed Catholic laity endowed with a strong critical sense vis-à-vis the dominant culture and with the courage to counter a reductive secularism which would delegitimize the church’s participation in public debate about the issues which are determining the future of American society" (Address of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the Bishops of the United States of America on their "Ad Limina" visit, 19 January 2012).

Once a candidate’s position on these three issues has been considered: the defense of innocent human life from euthanasia and abortion in all its forms, the defense of marriage between a man and a woman, and the defense of freedom of religion and of conscience, then comes the consideration of that candidate’s position on other important issues, regarding which there can be different legitimate solutions: war, social justice, education, immigration, etc.,(see again the Letter from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger – Pope Benedict XVI – to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of the USA, 2004).