Just ahead of Election Day, Cardinal Burke offers guidance to Catholic voters
Caroline MolloyCardinal Raymond Burke released an election guide on October 22, encouraging Catholics to respond to “even the smallest ray of hope” that their votes can effect “ever greater change for the common good.”
In the guide, Cardinal Burke emphasized human life, marriage, family and religious freedom as preeminent aspects of the common good for Catholics to consider as they head to the polls.
The guide seeks to answer “moral questions regarding voting” and was released less than two weeks before the general elections.
On his personal website, Cardinal Burke explained that “as Election Day approaches, many have raised serious moral questions regarding how to vote.”
He added, “Sadly, in our great nation, we confront a situation in which both major political parties espouse certain agenda which are flagrantly contrary to the most fundamental tenets of the moral law.”
Cardinal Burke acknowledges that for Catholics, “as for all men and women of goodwill, the question is: In fulfilling our civic duty to vote, how can we be obedient to the law of God written upon our hearts in the present situation of deplorable moral and therefore cultural decline and decay?”
For more detailed guidance on voting in good conscience, Cardinal Burke refers to his pastoral letter, “On Our Civic Responsibility for the Common Good,” published as Archbishop of St. Louis in 2004. In his current message, he offers five proposals:
