Diocesan Resources
Conscience and the Catholic Voter by Bishop William E. Lori (2008)
Conscience and the Catholic Voter by Bishop William E. Lori, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport (Connecticut) and Chair of the USCCB Committee on Doctrine.
As this election year proceeds, politics bombards us from all sides. If we wish, we can know every campaign tactic and antic instantaneously. Yet the issues facing our nation and world go far beyond campaign theatrics. That is why it is especially important for us to be informed about the issues which confront us in national, state, and local elections, and understand how they pertain to the common good and to the human dignity of each person.
In other words, a well-formed conscience is “standard operating equipment” for participating well in the political process. This is the main point of the U.S. bishops’ document on political responsibility issued in November 2007, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.