Election guides call on Catholics to participate in federal campaign

Updated Oct. 15, 2019

Vancouver Catholics are being asked to put their faith into action and exercise their right to participate in the political process when the Canadian federal election is held Oct. 21.

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, has written a letter to the faithful reminding them of their moral obligation to vote. The letter reminds Catholics that, “Voting is more than an act of civic participation. It is a serious responsibility that lets us bring our Christian values to the ballot box in the hope of positively influencing Canadian society.”

The full letter is available online at rcav.org/election2019 along with Catholic voting resources.

Among the resources is an Archdiocese of Vancouver Catholic Voter’s Guide (below) to help the faithful make an informed decision at the polls.

In addition, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has released a 2019 Federal Election Guide (below), prepared by the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace, that asks Catholics to evaluate political party and candidate policies in light of Christian positions on important moral and social issues.

“The Guide’s content offers a reflection on key ethical and moral issues that voters, especially Catholics, may want to consider,” the Guide states. “While Christian beliefs do not constitute a political platform, they can be seen as a prism through which to analyze and evaluate government policies, laws, and programs.

“The principles of respect for life from conception to natural death and of the dignity of the human person should influence how Christians assess a party’s position on key moral issues,” according to the Guide.

“Choosing life also means being always concerned for the weakest among us – physically, economically, and socially.

“It is a sign of a healthy democratic community when informed and responsible citizens engage in an ongoing dialogue on major social issues with their political leaders.”

Archbishop Miller said the guide is a reminder to Catholics to participate in the democratic process.

The Archdiocese of Toronto has also released a guide for voters. Packaged as a series of infographics, that resource addresses some big issues and includes a list of facts on the subject and questions to consider before voting. (Full guide can be found here).