A Reflection on Voting Next Week by Fr. Tim Cummings

Next Tuesday, November 8th, Americans will go to cast their votes for the future leaders of our country. As Americans, we should cherish the many freedoms we have across our country. One of those freedoms is our ability to vote for the future elected officials of our country, our state and local government. We should keep all our elected officials in our prayer that they will serve the needs of the people across our country as well as to pray for a peaceful election process.

I am enclosing the following 2 items which has been taken from the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). 1) Prayer Before An Election & 2) Link to The Forming Conscience for Faithful Citizenship – Part I
 

PRAYER BEFORE AN ELECTION

Lord God, as the election approaches, we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our city/state/country, and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community. We ask for eyes that are free from blindness so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters, one and equal in dignity, especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty. We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned, Men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or gender. We ask for minds and hearts that are open to hearing the voice of leaders who will bring us closer to your Kingdom.

We pray for discernment so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word, live your love, and keep in the ways of your truth as they follow in the steps of Jesus and His Apostles and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace.

We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

 

The Forming Conscience for Faithful Citizenship – Part I The U.S. Bishops’ Reflection on Catholic Teaching and Political Life | USCCB https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/forming-consciences-for-faithful-citizenship-part-one
 

Some key concepts from the document:

- God is love, and He desires that we help build a “civilization of love” one in which all human beings have the freedom & opportunity to experience the love of God. (#1)

- As Americans, we should be concerned with the promotion of human life from conception to natural death (abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, etc.) (#2)

- We should also be concerned for the needs of the common good (race relations, immigrants, economic inequality, ethnicity, violence)

- We are called to practice Christ’s commandment “to love one another” (#10)

 

There are a lot of things to reflect on in choosing a candidate. Not every candidate holds to every principle and teaching of our Catholic faith. But we must participate in the formation and growth of our country and her leaders through our prayers, our support and choosing our future leaders. Hopefully the above document from the USCCB will help you in the discernment of our future leaders and country.

Fr. Tim