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A Letter From
The Archbishop
ON
CONSCIENTIOUS VOTING
September
16, 2004
Dear friends in Christ,
A few years
ago, the Bishops of the United States wrote these words to our people, and
they remain true:
"We
encourage all citizens, particularly Catholics, to embrace their
citizenship not merely as a duty and privilege, but as an opportunity
meaningfully to participate in building the culture of life."
This
encouragement leans heavily on the forceful teaching of our Holy Father,
Pope John Paul II, who has said, with special regard for our own nation:
"A free and
virtuous society, which America aspires to be, must reject practices that
devalue and violate human life at any stage from conception until natural
death…man cannot be separated from God, nor politics from morality."
What must
Catholics do — in this upcoming General Election, and in all elections of
law-makers and law-upholders?
The Church
holds her members to acceptance, complete acceptance of her teaching on
matters of faith and morals. We can argue incessantly about degrees of
authority, and types of authoritative statement. But the Church's teaching
is to be held and practiced. In moral theology, there are two kinds of
cooperation involved in this question, and they break down as follows:
"Formal cooperation is that degree of cooperation in which my will
embraces the evil object of another's will. Thus, to vote for a candidate
because he favors abortion is formal cooperation in his evil political
acts. However, to vote for someone in order to limit a greater evil, that
is, to restrict in so far as possible the evil that another candidate
might do if elected, is to have a good purpose in voting. The voter's will
has as its object this limitation of evil and not the evil which the
imperfect politician might do in his less than perfect adherence to
Catholic moral principles. Such cooperation is called material, and is
permitted for a serious reason, such as preventing the election of a worse
candidate." (cf., Colin. B. Donovan, Moral Duties Concerning Voting,
EWTN)
This
distinction may seem somewhat technical, especially to our modern ears,
which are too often satisfied by easier answers. But the distinction is
one of profound consequence, and must be accounted when we decide, in
conscience, how we are to vote in a given election. The fundamental
teaching on this importance is found in the Catechism of the Catholic
Church:
"Conscience
must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. In the formation of
conscience the Word of God is the light for our path, we must assimilate
it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also
examine our conscience before the Lord's Cross. We are assisted by the
gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and
guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church." (#1783-1785)
Dear
friends, as a Bishop of the Church, I cannot tell you for whom to vote. It
would be to misuse authority given me to exercise with humility and
prudence. But I can teach you, on behalf of the Church, the manner in
which you must decide for whom to vote, and I hope that in this letter I
have given you clear and helpful instruction. If I have failed in this
effort, then as usual, I will count heavily on the mercy and understanding
of God. But if I have succeeded in giving you a foothold in which to begin
your preparations for the upcoming election, then I am content. For us
all, our responsibility to our Faith and to our country requires that we
consider these issues, and that we do what is right. For only action that
is right and true will in the end rescue our country. This is a critical
moment — and to do nothing would be a great tragedy. Therefore, let us
implore the Holy Spirit to enlighten us, to enlighten our country, and if
not even the middle or the finish, may He reveal to us, as we live, at
least the beginning of our country's journey back to living the rights
endowed by our Creator, rights once happily acknowledged and protected, by
all citizens, for all citizens: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
— but most of all, Life.
Sincerely
yours in Christ,
Most
Reverend John F. Donoghue
Archbishop of Atlanta
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