Peace & Justice

This is the blog of the Commission on Peace and Justice for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, New York.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Building Faithful Citizenship

Building Faithful Citizenship is a brief, weekly bulletin reflection on the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.

For Sunday Bulletins on July 27


In today’s reading from 1 Kings, God was so pleased with Solomon’s unselfish request for an “understanding heart” that God blessed Solomon with great wisdom. Attaining wisdom can be challenging for voters as voices on every side present opposing positions on issues as varied as stem-cell research, treatment of immigrants, economics, war and fuel prices. Perhaps a measure for that wisdom can be found in the U.S. Catholic bishops call to a consistent ethic of life that “,,,provides a moral framework for principled Catholic engagement in political life and, rightly understood, neither treats all issues as morally equivalent nor reduces Catholic teaching to one or two issues. It anchors the Catholic commitment to defend human life, from conception until natural death, in the fundamental moral obligation to respect the dignity of every person as a child of God.” (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship #40)

Reflection: Do I vote as if I believe that God is present in every human being?