The
Church speaks clearly. "The
right to life is the right through
which all others flow."
And in the political sphere,
"life issues are the most
important criteria when it comes
to casting a ballot."
This
is also why the Lord brought
CFC back to where He intended
it to be -- to renew the family
and to defend life. "The
inalienable right to life ...
outweighs other concerns ...,"
including work with the poor.
Family and life are about who
we are as CFC-FFL. Family and
life are about our mission in
the world today. Family and
life are what the spiritual
battle that rages is all about.
Now
that we are restored to our
authentic charism, there is
much that the Lord will do in
and through us. But we need
to clean up our own act. We
cannot become the enemy within.
We must be pro-life and live
pro-life. We must also vote
pro-life.
Be
guided by a fully-formed conscience
that heeds the authentic teaching
of the Church. Her teachings
are clear and her guidance precious.
God
bless.
frank
Bishops:
Life Issues Important on Local
Levels
Remind Voters Congressional
and State Posts Are Key
NEW
YORK, OCT. 7, 2008 (Zenit.org).-
New York prelates are urging
citizens to get informed about
the platforms of Congressional
and state candidates, since
they say many moral issues are
decided at the state level.
This
was one of the points highlighted
in a statement released last
week called "Our Cherished
Right, Our Solemn Duty."
The
prelates first recalled that
life
issues are the most important
criteria when it comes to casting
a ballot.
"It
is the rare candidate who will
agree with the Church on every
issue," they acknowledged.
"But […] not
every issue is of equal moral
gravity. The inalienable right
to life of every innocent human
person outweighs other concerns
where Catholics may use prudential
judgment, such
as how best to meet the needs
of the poor or to increase access
to health care for all.
"The
right to life is the right through
which all others flow.
To the extent candidates reject
this fundamental right by supporting
an objective evil, such as legal
abortion, euthanasia or embryonic
stem cell research, Catholics
should consider them less acceptable
for public office."
The
New York bishops further recalled
that the presidential election
is not the only important choice
for Catholic voters this November.
But, they recognized that informing
oneself about other candidates
can be more difficult.
"Educating
ourselves for the presidential
election is somewhat easier
than doing so for the congressional
or state legislative races,
mainly because the candidates'
positions are generally better
known," they wrote. "It
is often more difficult to get
as good a grasp on the positions
of incumbent congressional representatives
and state legislators, not to
mention their challengers.
"How
many of us cannot even name
our state senator or assembly
member, let alone their electoral
opponents? News accounts of
positions are harder to come
by, and voting records on important
issues are often lacking."
Yet,
they affirmed, New York "is
facing many critical issues
which are of vital concern to
faithful Catholics, and it is
absolutely necessary for good
citizens to pay attention to
these races and to vote accordingly
for the better candidates."
"Many
of the most compelling moral
issues of the day play out at
the state level," the bishops
affirmed. They noted issues
such as "commonsense restrictions
on abortion, whether or not
to employ the death penalty,
issues related to same-sex 'marriage'
and civil unions, parental rights
in education, programs to serve
the poor [and] access to health
insurance."
The
prelates urged voters "to
learn where all the candidates
for every office stand with
regard to [critical issues]."
"For
to me life is Christ, and death
is gain." (Phil 1:21)