The voice of the shepherds, and the ‘inner voice’

We have a number of really good bishops who are getting increasingly visible and vocal on the issues of the day and how they intersect with the faith. Some are particularly bold. Why? Because these bishops are out front in teaching and publishing the moral principles of voting for Catholics. It’s a great guide for the upcoming — or any — elections.

It deals a lot with the culturally ubiquitous but philosophically identifiable term “conscience.”  

THE DUTY TO FORM AND FOLLOW ONE’S CONSCIENCE. We are conscientious voters when we are guided by our consciences. Conscience is a law “written” by God on our hearts that disposes us to love and to do good and avoid evil (cf. Romans 2:12-16). The conscience is like an inner voice that has the authority of the very voice of God. We have a serious duty to follow the guidance of conscience. To act against the judgment of conscience when it is certain about what is good and evil has the same seriousness as disobeying God. It is important to remember however that it is possible for our conscience to be certain and at the same time incorrect about what is good and evil.

For this reason, we have an equally serious duty to peroperly form or teach our conscience so that it can correctly judge what is good and evil. We are obliged to seek the truth and then to abide by it…In seeking the truth, Catholics receive important guidance from the teachings of the Catholic Church on matters pertaining to faith and morals.

Here’s one of the reasons the bishops need to make this clear, and publicly so. Remember that unprecedented statement released several months ago by a rather large group of Catholic Congress men and women claiming to uphold the social teachings, but not always the same morals, as the Church?

The “Statement of Principles” was released on February 28, and signed by 55 of the 72 Catholic Democrats in the House of Representatives. The group professes its commitment to carrying out Catholic social teaching in many ways: “reducing the rising rates of poverty; increasing access to education for all; pressing for increased access to health care; and taking seriously the decision to go to war.”

The Democratic group goes on to acknowledge “the undesirability of abortion– we do not celebrate its practice.” But the statement says that although they recognize the Church’s teaching authority the lawmakers “believe also in the primacy of conscience.” Acknowledging the “tension that comes with being in disagreement with the Church in some areas,” the legislators leave it clear (if not explicitly stated) that they will not attempt to end legal abortion.

The “Statement of Principle” does not mention other controversial issues on which Democratic lawmakers have often clashed with Church teachings, such as euthanasia, embryonic research, and government recognition of same-sex unions.

That’s precisely the confusion the bishops of Kansas, among other USCCB shepherds, are trying to clear up since the lines are blurred enough in the culture, without Catholic political leaders casting further doubt. In the Moral Principles for Catholic Voters, the Kansas bishops specifically address the confusion over legitimate disagreement on some issues.

PRUDENTIAL JUDGMENTS ON SOCIAL POLICY. In some moral matters the use of reason allows for a legitimate diversity in our prudential judgments. Catholic voters may differ, for example, on what constitutes the best immigration policy, how to provide universal health care, or affordable housing. Catholics may even have differing judments on the state’s use of the death penalty or the decision to wage a just war. The morality of such questions lies not in what is done (the moral object), but in the motive and circumstances…

Notwithstanding a possible diversity of prudential judgments, each of us should guide our decision-making on such issues by a fundamental respect for the dignity of every person from the moment of conception to natural death. This is a non-negotiable principle. It is the foundation for both Catholic social teaching and of a just society. Respect for human dignity is the basis for the fundamental right to life.

It’s a great document. Goes on to address judgments concerning moral evils, choices that are intrinsically evil, and the conscientious voter’s dilemma in elections without clear, moral options in the candidates. But they make this clear:

VOTING IS A MORAL ACT. It involves duties and responsibilities. Our duty is to vote in keeping with a conscience properly formed by fundamental moral principles. As Bishops we are not telling Catholics which candidates they should vote for. Rather, we simply want to teach how we should form our consciences and consider the issues in light of these fundamental moral principles.