If you are like me, you have probably asked yourself at one time or another, “How should Catholics evaluate a candidate?”
After all, I’ve yet to see a candidate that embodied all of the qualities and views I would want. So how are we to know which issues are most important?
The Catholic Key published a very good article written by Bishop Finn (Diocese of KC), which you can read here. The article focuses on abortion as the most important issue and how Catholics, by choosing a pro-choice candidate, are “put[ing] aside their conscience on this life and death issue.”
There have also been various groups that argue that there are more issues to think about than just abortion - distribution of wealth and caring for the poor for example. They argue that those issues are just as important as abortion, and represent other important areas of our faith.
After much thinking, and after hearing an excellent homily in my own church a week ago, the priority is much clearer for me. Life has to come before any other social or economic issues. Lower taxes, a better healthcare system, more jobs … none of them matter if a person is not given the chance to live.
I’m sure if you were given the choice between being alive and paying higher taxes, or being dead and having low taxes (or even no taxes!) you would chose life.
Everyone should get to make that choice for themselves.
Now, if only I could find that perfect candidate before November 4th …
God Bless
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