Elections are important. They make a big difference in the prosperity of our country, future decisions of the Supreme Court, and the economic and moral welfare of your family.
Click here to read “Catholics and Election Year Politics 2016”
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
THANKS FR. DAVE. THIS ANSWERED QUESTION ON THE “POPE’S ENDORSEMENT MESSAGE”.
I am glad you found it helpful.
Good morning, Father Dave….
This is the most difficult election I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime. Clearly, as you’ve demonstrated with the parable of a father and his two sons, we cannot know the consequences of action by either of our political presidential candidates by what they say. But we do have some sense of what they will do because of their party affiliations. The aura surrounding Mrs. Clinton is tainted with scandal and possible law infraction. The aura surrounding Mr. Trump is also tainted in addition to his bully-tactic temperament. A sitting president should have superlative qualities and values, intelligence, knowledge of government, law, and world history, a developed sense of protocol, common sense, a cabinet of forthright people, advisors who know what they’re doing. A great president should be dedicated to God as well as the people of this country and its land…. To my of way of thinking, neither of these candidates qualify. Clearly … others would disagree. We’re living in a nuclear age where the threat of proliferation is on the rise, where terrorists wage war on the innocent and kill savagely. In summary, the evolution into this situation is dire and humbling. It sends many of us to our knees in prayer to seek God’s truth. Perhaps in this truth, we are actually living and are part of the parable of the weeds and wheat. God bless you.
I understand your comments completely, and agree. My vote is entirely about who will nominate future Justices to the Supreme Court.
Hey, Fr. Dave! Sure miss seeing you. I hope all is well with you in your new digs.
I love seeing your columns, but not sure I agree with you on this one. While the Church never endorses candidates, it certainly can, and should, condemn those who clearly espouse positions that are inimical to Church teaching. Think of the Lion of Munster. History now extols that good bishop as a hero, and his confrers who did not similarly speak out as cowards. I think history will treat the American hierarchy similarly for not having condemned the Democratic Party for its positions on life and religious liberty.
The Church can avoid endorsing or opposing particular candidates, but the Church has a duty to endorse or oppose particular platforms that are clearly opposed to Church teaching. I think this distinction is entirely lost on the faithful when they hear that the Church should not endorse or oppose particular candidates.
And none of this is instructive on how the Church should discipline its own members. If Tim Kaine purports to be a Catholic in good standing, and it is plain he is promoting views that are hostile to the faith, then the Church has every right to hold him accountable for his actions and to declare that he is not a Catholic in good standing. In my view, the Church is derelict in not so holding him accountable.
But I digress. And, my, how I can.
In any case, I wish you the very best and look forward to seeing you.
Dave
Yes, your are right in saying that the Church should carefully evaluate, and then endorse or condemn a party platform. It is much harder to evaluate persons. I remember Ronald Reagan at one time was a Democrat as well. He changed, as he was very fond of saying, but that also affirms that many politicians do change, and change frequently, sometimes only to influence the polls and public opinion. While we might hope that politicians will change to a pro-life position, as Reagan sincerely did, we cannot trust ahead of time that they will. What we can always affirm is our own faith which never changes. We stick with what is solid and never changes, which is our faith, and affirm it always. Politicians are all over the place!
Canon Law mandates that it is only the Bishop who presides over the place where a Catholic politician lives who is the person who must make our Catholic faith known to him or her. In short, it is a matter of personal spiritual direction from the local Bishop.
The media is biased and leans toward Hillary. It is very evident during the party conventions and debates. We have seen her “shenanigans” for quite some time…she and Bill are above the law and she will say and do anything to climb to the top. With Mr. Trump, a business man and financial entrepreneur, I put my trust since he loves America and wants it to become a nation of respect again in world trade, military, and support of law and order here at home.
His vice president nominee is pro life. I would hope that Trump surrounds himself with top advisors. Our country is in a mess with all the laws it has passed, especially legalizing the murders of the unborn. We are paying the consequences, but of the two, Trump seems the most honest and transparent and has admitted to any guilt laid upon hm. Has Hillary?
Thanks for your comments, which affirm again for me that my vote will be for the candidate that will nominate the best candidates for the Supreme Court. Presidents come and go, and most are well checked by the Congress, but the Justices serve for life, and their decisions are long lasting.
Father Dave,
I am a new reader of your weekly articles and I do enjoy them. This election year presents a great dilemma for me in that I cannot support either of the candidates for President. Trump is a bully who will berate anyone who disagrees with him and I fear he will not listen to advisers because he thinks he is always right. He talks about bringing jobs “back” to America, yet he has overseas workers making products that he either owns or endorses. He declares bankruptcy to avoid paying workers on his properties. I do not think he is a good man or a role model for our children.
Mrs Clinton is tainted with scandal, she is pro abortion and what more needs to be said.
I think we need a third party and that is why I am voting for Gary Johnson, even though he is probably not qualified, but making a statement that we need other options besides Democrats or Republicans.
Thank you for the forum
Yes, I understand your comments completely. I wish our choices were different. In the end, I have come to realize the supreme importance of the Supreme Court. This third equal branch of our government has come to exercise enormous power in changing the direction of our American culture in the last few years. My vote will be for the candidate I believe who will nominate the best Supreme Court Justices for the future, especially in terms of religious freedom. Whoever becomes president of these two candidates will encounter such opposition in Congress that neither one will be able to accomplish much anyway, or steer the country in any direction. However, they will be able to nominate Justices who can. I pay attention to that!
Hi Kathleen!
After reading your comment, I felt compelled to reply. First, I completely agree that neither candidate is worthy of the position of POTUS. In a country of some 320 million people, these are the BEST 2 candidates we can come up with?? It makes me cringe. However, there is more to these 2 candidates that I must point out. Neither candidate is humble, but without the presidency, Hillary and Bill lose relevance. They both made their millions through public office. They have given speeches, seminars, written books, all based on their tenure in public office. Conversely, Trump gains nothing financially by running for office. In fact, he is giving up control of his enterprises so as to set the United States straight again. POTUS pay is nothing compared to Trump’s billions, so their is no real incentive here. Further, Trump gave up all this control to run for office, only to be publicly ridiculed by the very people he is trying to help. It is for this reason I believe Trump’s presidential run is far more altruistic than Hillary’s.
One thing I always like to tell people is to look deeper than the actual candidate. Look at the people they will appoint to cabinet posts and the SCOTUS. By comparison, Trump’s picks, thus far, are far better for the United States, our economic health and national security than are Hillary’s. And his SCOTUS picks will protect and defend the Constitution as our founder’s intended in contrast to Hillary’s. Her picks will CHALLENGE the Constitution and will be ACTIVIST judges who will fight against their own ideas of “perceived” injustices in the United States. Do you know there are people who actually agree that Trump is better for our economy and national security, but will vote for Hillary because she will select justices who will preserve MARRIAGE EQUALITY….aka: GAY MARRIAGE? These people are actually willing to throw our economy and security over a cliff just so gays can get married? It is truly unbelievable. Yes, Donald Trump has made some very unflattering and derogatory comments about women, but his comments are not a threat to national security, whereas Hillary’s and Bill’s actions ARE. But, people these days are more angry about mean words being spoken than they are about the outright obliteration of our economy and security. People have become so short-sighted these days.
Trump, so far, has selected VERY RESPECTABLE people for his posts. I like to think of it as a SUPER BOWL team of players who know how to get things done. Hillary wants activists who will completely decimate our country, one freedom at a time. Only the elite, such as herself and her cronies, will live the “good life” while the rest of us get to eat cake. So, when voting, I remind people they are not just voting for the front and center candidate, but rather, they are voting for the team. I believe Trump’s team can save this country, and his SCOTUS picks are a veritable who’s who in conservative circles. Despite his boisterous bravado, he does know how to pick good people who know how to get things done.
We are definitely in a world of hurt right now, Kathleen. This country needs prayers…..and we had better pray hard and with contrite hearts for what we have done to our blessed Republic. If we continue to throw Jesus out of the classroom and out of our country in order to “not offend” the microcosm of society which is completely amoral, we will be doomed, just as Abe Lincoln stated: .” we will be undone not from outside, but from within,” Ronald Reagan said our freedoms are always one generation from being lost forever,…and I believe THIS is that generation to which he was referring.
God Bless.
My vote will be for the candidate I believe will make the best Supreme Court Justices, as this is the area that will affect our Catholic faith the most in the years to come.
What you say is true but I have to go with “A Catholic can never vote for someone who advocates the murder of another person” This disqualifies Hillary Clinton immediatelybecause of her position on abortion. . We are hoping to elect people who will fill the shoes in Cabinet, Supreme Court, and Congress,
Thanks Fr. Dave for your advice always. Carol Bohner
My vote will be for the one I think will eliminate the best Supreme Court Justices.
At the Deliverance meeting at St. Rose this weekend, one of the speakers said to vote for the one that is closer to our Christian faith. I agree with that statement. At the same time, we should look at their resume. Hillary failed at every job her husband gave her and even her job now with this President is a disaster. However, I somehow believe that I will have to answer to God if I vote for anyone who wants to kill a baby in their mother’s womb.
When the Bible says that He knit us together in our mothers womb, we are His creation and just as I would not be a part of destroying anyone’s handiwork, I would not be a part of destroying God’s handiwork. I would not like to face those baby’s that are in have when my time comes and have them ask why?
Thanks for your comments.
I am sick of hearing negative things about Trump. He’s given up everything because he loves his country and wants to make a difference. He had successful parents and good
Siblings a sister is a judge. His children all love him and that speaks for itself. They have
All put their lives in danger with the terrible demonstrations at his gatherings. It is hard to
Think we are living in AMERICA. I have a huge family all Catholics and we are all praying
That Trump and Pence (a wonderful man not afraid to back up pro life against Keane)
Will be OUR NEXT PRESIDENT and VP. Blessings
Thanks for your comments. Fortunately, we do not have too long to wait and see how this election turns out.
I liked your article and found it thought provoking. I found the comments by very caring Catholics very judgmental on the human side of Jesus presence. I work where daily I see people suffering because of lack of food, shelter and love. These wonderful people are God’s children. They did not ask for what changed their journey in life. They are trying to make the best of the situation for daily living. The moral fabric of our country is not just wealth, high paying jobs, lovely homes, great cars, etc. It is helping people not judging. You cannot judge when you have not walked in the footsteps of the other person. I totally believe God loves all people and is merciful. Your comments are tongue lashing to others. I love Catholicism and I, myself, love rituals and the teaching of the church. But I also love my neighbor and my enemies.
Love of our enemies is the most amazing of all of the teachings of Our Lord, and can take a lifetime to truly comprehend its wisdom.