Voting has begun and I am hopeful that this is not too late to touch the hearts and minds of Christian voters, particularly Hispano(a) Catholics. As a Hispano Catholic, member of the Knights of Columbus, the Hermanos of La Sociedad del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Los Hermanos Cruzados, and other Christian Catholic lay organizations, I have learned a lot about our Catholic faith and these life lessons has framed what I am sharing here. I am not speaking for or on behalf of any of these organizations.
We have a moral obligation to vote, per the Catechism of the Catholic Church(CCC) 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.” This clearly states how we should be voting and how we vote with God-given conviction and morals.
Furthermore, in regard to how we vote, it is clear in Catholic teachings that we cannot vote for something that is intrinsically evil. Certainly the Pro-life/Pro-choice issue comes to mind. From CCC1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
— by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
— by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
— by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
— by protecting evil-doers.
I have maintained that without life, we cannot have liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Who we vote for determines the fate and future our own lives, but more significantly, those who have no voice, namely, the unborn.
According to CCC1874 “To choose deliberately—that is, both knowing it and willing it—something gravely contrary to the divine law and to the ultimate end of man is to commit a mortal sin. This destroys in us the charity without which eternal beatitude is impossible. Unrepented, it brings eternal death.”
Unfortunately, it appears that we vote for a party, rather than for a person and this teaching from CCC1868 clearly delineates the consequences of our actions and should reinforce that we are a Christian Catholic before we are an Independent, Republican or Democrat. We are not going to enter our judgement day and be judged if we were a true and faithful Independent, Republican or Democrat! I would much rather hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. Matthew 25:23
Vote as if the salvation of your soul depends upon it, because it does!
Thank You,
Harry Montoya
EDMUND BURKE: All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
