Live as a faithful citizen.
Preparing for Elections
Short video (2 minutes) from the US Catholic Bishops on ways to bring the Gospel to our votes!
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Longer video (12 minutes) from the US Catholic Bishops on ways to form our consciences before we vote. (Includes a piece by Bishop Murry!)
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Short video (2 minutes) from the Canadian Catholic Bishops about the issues that must concern Catholics as they discern candidates & issues.
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The Life and Dignity of the Human person and a consitent ethic of life is discussed.
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Online Resources
"Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," the document from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, guides us on the political responsibility of Catholics and the exercise of our rights and duties as citizens.
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"When personal attacks replace honest debate, no one wins. This kind of attack, no matter the reason, only serves to further divide our communities. As Catholics, we must model a better way.
"Civilize It is a non-partisan call to focus on the dignity of all people, even when we disagree, and to put faith in action by bearing witness to a better way forward. " |
Check in on the official representative of the Catholic Church in public matters affecting the Church and the general welfare of the citizens of Ohio:
Conscience, Candidates and Discipleship in Voting
Bishop Robert McElvoy of the Diocese of San Diego addressed an audience at the University of San Diego asking, "Where does Catholic theology begin in assisting believers to carry out their role of ennobling the world?" "We are called in our lives as citizens and believers to be missionaries of dialogue and civility in a moment that values neither." Read the text of this address. It won't take long, but it's worth it! |
Books on civic engagement are available
in our diocesan library:
Polarization in the US Catholic Church: Naming the Wounds, Beginning to Heal edited by Mary Ellen Konieczny, Charles C. Camosy, & Tricia C. Bruce Liturgical Press, 2016 Underscores how shared beliefs and aspirations can heal deep fissures and the hurts they have caused. Cutting across disciplinary and political lines, this volume brings essential commentary in the direction of reclaimed universality among American Catholics. Racial Justice and the Catholic Church by Bryan N. Massingale Orbis Books, 2010 Confronting racism is difficult yet essential work to heal the brokenness in our society and our church. This book examines the presence of racism in this country. It also explores how Catholic social teaching has been used - and not used - to combat racism and promote reconciliation and justice. . Teaching Kids to Respect Others: Reflections, Activities, and Prayers on Bullying and Prejudice. by Kevin M. Dowd, Twenty Third Publications, 2018. The epidemic of bullying and disrespecting others fills the news each day. In this excellent and important book, Kevin Dowd offers catechists and parents practical and prayerful ways to help our children learn about and deal with issues of respect, bullying, and prejudice. Among the topics he explores are caring for family, friends, classmates, teachers, people in other countries, people who are different, immigrants and refugees, the sick, and more. Drop by Drop. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, illustrated by Carrie Gowran. Loyola Press, 2015. Drop by Drop contains colorful pictures and an engaging story that helps children understand important lessons of how to work for justice and peace and to help those in need. Sister Mary Jerome’s nephew Mike works for Catholic Relief Services. This is an organization that helps people throughout the world. Mr. Mike came to Sister’s class and told the story of a village in the country of Burkina Faso, which is in Africa. The story is about a girl named Sylvie and how her village needed water. Sylvie eventually learns that her village has been chosen for a special Water Project |
Catholicism & Citizenship: Political Cultures of the Church in the Twenty-First Century by Massimo Faggioli Liturgical Press, 2017 The beginning of the twenty-first century has provided abundant evidence of the necessity to re-examine the relationship between Catholicism and the modern, global world. This book tries to proceed on this path with a focus on the meaning, legacy, and reception in today's world of the ecclesiology of Vatican II, starting with Gaudium et Spes: "This council exhorts Christians, as citizens of two cities, to strive to discharge their earthly duties conscientiously and in response to the Gospel spirit." Catholicism and Citizenship is a call for a rediscovery of the moral and political imagination of Vatican II for the Church and the world of our time. Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship. by Fr. Greg Boyle Simon & Schuster, 2017 In a nation deeply divided and plagued by poverty and violence, Barking to the Choir offers a snapshot into the challenges and joys of life on the margins. These former gang members uplift the soul and reveal how bright life can be when filled with unconditional love and kindness. This book is guaranteed to shake up our ideas about God and about people with a glimpse at a world defined by more compassion and fewer barriers. Gently and humorously, Barking to the Choir invites us to find kinship with one another and re-convinces us all of our own goodness Catholic Economics: Alternatives to the Jungle by Angus Sibley Liturgical Press, 2015 Inequality, unemployment, degradation of our environment: these and other practical economic problems reflect faulty economic theories. We have been led astray by ideas that made some sense in the past but are unsuited to our times and by ideas that are fundamentally mistaken. The Catholic Church has an extensive body of teachings on economic and social matters which offers practical alternatives to the economics of the jungle. This book provides clear explanations of major errors in conventional economic thinking and shows how the church's teachings can point us in a better direction. |
American Catholic & Civic Engagement: A Distinctive Voice edited by Margaret O'Brien Steinfels Rowman & Littlefield, 2004 Explores the fundamental concepts that underlie Catholic social thought and their relevance to American public life. Essays by scholars, business and labor leaders, church administrators, activists, policymakers, and more address issues facing Catholics in the United States. American Catholics, American Culture: Tradition & Resistance edited by Margaret O'Brien Steinfels Rowman & Littlefield, 2004 Explores the philosophical and practical differences between Catholicism and American culture on issues. Essays by scholars, business and labor leaders, church administrators, activists, policymakers, and more address issues facing Catholics in the United States. This Economy Kills: Pope Francis on Capitalism and Social Justice by Andrea Tornielli and Giacomo Galeazzi Translated by Demetrio S. Yocum Liturgical Press, 2015 When Pope Francis wrote in his apostolic letter The Joy of the Gospel that the economy of the West is one that "kills," he was immediately labeled by some as Marxist. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand Pope Francis' convictions about the world we live in and the way he believes Christians are called to shape it. Immigration and the Next America by Archbishop José H. Gomez Our Sunday Visitor, 2013 Archbishop José Gomez has written a personal, passionate and practical contribution to the national debate about immigration - pointing the way toward a recovery of America's highest ideals. "Immigration is a human rights test of our generation. It's also a defining historical moment for America. The meaning of this hour is that we need to renew our country in the image of her founding promises of universal rights rooted in God. Immigration is about more than immigration. It's about renewing the soul of America." |