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Bishop Tobin, “Abortion is a sin, and those who provide it, promote it,
and support it will be held accountable by Almighty God”
The Gospel of life must be proclaimed, and human life defended in all places and all times. The arena for moral responsibility includes not only the halls of government, but the voting booth as well. (American Bishops, “Living the Gospel of Life”)
by Bishop Thomas Tobin: Prior
to the recent primary election I received a heartfelt letter from a
member of the Diocese who had just discovered that the candidate for
whom she had intended to vote was “pro-choice and for same-sex
marriage.” She wrote: “Dear Bishop Tobin, for whom do I vote? Do I vote
at all?”
I responded to my letter-writer that it wasn’t
appropriate for me to suggest candidates for whom she should or
shouldn’t vote, but that it was important for her to become
well-informed about the candidates and their positions, pray about it,
and then vote according to her well formed conscience. I told her
that I often faced the same dilemma. I also sent her a copy of the
American Bishops’ document, “Forming Consciences for Faithful
Citizenship,” that places in a broader context some of these important
political decisions.
 Bishop Thomas Tobin
It’s a real problem that many faithful Catholics
face these days – how to vote when all of the candidates are
pro-abortion. (Candidates euphemistically call it “pro-choice” but it’s
really a stance that enables and promotes abortion, isn’t it?)
The dilemma is more excruciating when the
candidates profess to be lifelong Catholics. As I said in my recent
statement about Catholic politicians and abortion, “It is always
disappointing when a Catholic candidate for political office abandons
the teaching of the Church on the dignity of human life for the sake of
self-serving political gain. Such actions demonstrate an inexcusable
lack of moral courage . . . Abortion is a sin, and those who provide it,
promote it, and support it will be held accountable by Almighty God for
the unjust death of unborn children.”
What a
pathetic spectacle Catholic candidates present when, having to choose
between Planned Parenthood and the Catholic Church, they choose Planned
Parenthood, the largest provider of abortions in our nation. Do
these candidates have no respect for the religious heritage of their
parents and grandparents? Have they no appreciation for the sacraments,
the solid education, the communal support, and the moments of comfort
and guidance the Church has provided for their family over many
generations? And I wonder – when in the future these candidates are in
need of prayers and blessings, the Last Rites of the Church, and then
finally funeral services – will they turn to Planned Parenthood or the
Catholic Church to stand by their side?
The Bishops’ document to which I’ve already
referred gives some guidance in these questions. It explains, first of
all, the importance of the virtue of prudence. “The Church fosters
well-formed consciences not only by teaching moral truth, but also by
encouraging its members to develop the virtue of prudence. Prudence
enables us to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose
the right means of achieving it.” (#19)
The Bishops then get a little more specific about
voting. “Catholics often face difficult choices about how to vote. That
is why it is so important to vote according to a well-formed
conscience.” (#34) And this: “When all the candidates hold a position in
favor of an intrinsic evil, the conscientious voter faces a dilemma.”
(#36)
And that brings us back to the question posed by my letter writer: “Bishop Tobin, for whom do I vote?”
If we distill the guidance of the Church, it seems
to me that when no candidate presents an acceptable position, especially
about critical moral issues like abortion, the voter has three options.
3 Voting Options When Both Candidates Support Abortion
The first is to choose the candidate who, in
traditional terms, is the lesser of two evils. Let’s just say, for
example, that one candidate promotes an extreme position on abortion,
welcomes the endorsement of and eagerly embraces the evil agenda of
Planned Parenthood, supports partial-birth abortion, and disdains the
sincere convictions of pro-lifers; and another candidate would restrict
abortion in some circumstances, opposes taxpayer funding of abortions,
and is willing to work with and respect pro-lifers – a voter might
properly choose the second candidate even though the position is flawed.
Secondly, as a kind of protest, a voter could
decide to write-in the name of someone who represents pro-life values.
In this scenario, one might vote for St. John Paul, Pope Francis, Mother
Teresa, or our own local pro-life hero, Baby Angela! Even though this
person surely wouldn’t be elected to office, a vote in that direction
would send a clear signal that at least some voters won’t settle for
anything less than a pro-life candidate. Contrary to what critics will
charge, it’s not a wasted vote; it’s a sincere expression of conscience
that upholds moral truth. And that’s never a waste!
Finally, a voter might well decide to skip this
year’s election and not vote at all, or at least not vote for a
particular office. Although Catholics have a general moral obligation to
participate in the life of our nation, there are many ways to do that,
and there’s certainly no obligation to vote in each and every election,
particularly when the options are repugnant to the well-informed
conscientious Christian voter.
I know, it’s a tough time to be a moral, pro-life
voter. The field is narrow and the options are few. But, vote according
to your conscience, pray for our state and nation, and sleep well.
Remember,
God’s still in charge!
Slight editing.
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