In a 2015 reflection entitled Pray for Politicians that They Govern Us Well, Pope Francis wrote:
“We need to participate for the common good. Sometimes we hear ‘a good Catholic is not interested in politics.” This is not true: good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves so that the leader[s] can govern.”
As disciples of Christ, we are called to share the richness of our faith in the public square, as Pope Francis states in Gaudete et Exsultate:
“Your identification with Christ and his will involves a commitment to build with him that kingdom of love, justice and universal peace . . . . You cannot grow in holiness without committing yourself, body and soul, to giving your best to this endeavor.”
Catholic Social Teaching
The principles and themes of Catholic social teaching should be the moral framework from which we address all issues in the political arena. Among those principles are:
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The life and dignity of the human person,
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Human rights and responsibilities,
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The call to family and community,
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The dignity of work and the rights of workers,
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The preferential option for those who are poor and vulnerable
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Solidarity, and
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Care for God’s creation.