Courageous Priest : Does the Church Have a Right in Telling Me How to Vote?

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Does the Church Have a Right in Telling Me How to Vote? Fr. Paul Gousse Some will say: “the church has no right in telling me how to vote”. Bishop Peter Libasci (letter in the link below) is not telling us how to vote, only that we must vote and to be aware that when we vote we must make judgments between politicians and their policy. The Scripture says “as we judge so shall we be judged”. Our Bishop is telling us that we must vote “OUR CONSCIENCE”, but it must be an “INFORMED CONSCIENCE.”  An informed conscience asks “what does God have to say about my vote, what does my church teach and why does it teach that”? To those who say: “the church has no right in telling me how to vote,” I reply that the church has a duty to inform the faithful, instructing them in the Commandments and life in Christ. (See CCC 2246 below) Any individual who says he can advocate for and enable the practice of abortion and claims that he can still be a Catholic in good standing, has a very serious problem with integrity which that person ignores only at their own peril.   I am saying that you need to think and pray very carefully about your vote, because a vote for a candidate who promotes actions or behaviors that are intrinsically evil and gravely sinful makes you morally complicit and places the eternal salvation of your soul in serious jeopardy. Father Paul Gousse, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and St. Leo parish in Rochester, NH Bishop Peter Libasci Letter of 10-31-12   2246 It is a part of the Church’s mission “to pass moral judgments even in matters related to politics, whenever the fundamental rights of man or the salvation of souls requires it. The means, the only means, she may use are those which are in accord with the Gospel and the welfare of all men according to the diversity of times and circumstances.” More Voting post: Archbishop Charles Chaput: History of the Catholic and Democratic Relationship Bishop David Kagan of Bismarck: Admonishing a Catholic Politician Fr. Fred Park: Don’t Vote Like a Pagan Video  A good one to put on facebook for Catholic Democrats or those who are “personally opposed to abortion, but…”: Why is Life the Top Priority to Me in this Election?   Discover More Archbishop Chaput: I Certainly Can’t Vote For Someone Who Is Pro-Choice! Bishop Paprocki: Think And Pray Very Carefully About Your Vote Cardinal George Pell – Politicians Who Claim a Catholic Identity