How to Vote? Part II
    In last weekend’s bulletin article (10-4-20), I wrote that a Catholic is called to vote according to a well-formed conscience. Indeed, “Catholics have a serious and lifelong obligation to form their consciences in accord with human reason and the teaching of the Church” (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, 17).  Let’s take another look at how we form our conscience, especially as it pertains to political issues, which are often moral issues.  
    “The formation of conscience includes several elements. First, there is a desire to embrace goodness and truth. For Catholics, this begins with a willingness and openness to seek the truth and what is right by studying Sacred Scripture and the teaching of the Church as contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is also important to examine the facts and background information about various[political] choices. Finally, prayerful reflection is essential to discern the will of God. Catholics must also understand that if they fail to form their consciences in the light of the truths of the faith and the moral teachings of the Church they can make erroneous judgments” (FCFC, 18, emphasis mine).
    Having laid out some of the key elements necessary regarding forming our conscience, let’s consider something that many voters face in our political arena these days. When it comes to voting for a particular candidate, we often are faced with a moral dilemma: namely, no political candidate’s political platform is fully in accord with the truth. What do we do? The Catholic bishops provide some helpful guidance. I quote them here at length:
Decisions about political life are complex and require the exercise of a well-formed conscience aided by prudence. This exercise of conscience begins with outright opposition to laws and other policies that violate human life or weaken its protection. Those who knowingly, willingly, and directly support public policies or legislation that undermine fundamental moral principles cooperate with evil (FCFC, 31)… Catholics often face difficult choices about how to vote. This is why it is so important to vote according to a well-formed conscience that perceives the proper relationship among moral goods. A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, deliberately subjecting workers or the poor to subhuman living conditions, redefining marriage in ways that violate its essential meaning, or racist behavior, if the voter’s intent is to support that position. In such cases, a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate’s opposition to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness to other important moral issues involving human life and dignity (FCFC, 34)… There may be times when a Catholic who rejects a candidate’s unacceptable position even on policies promoting an intrinsically evil act may reasonably decide to vote for that candidate for other morally grave reasons. Voting in this way would be permissible only for truly grave moral reasons, not to advance narrow interests or partisan preferences or to ignore a fundamental moral evil. When all candidates hold a position that promotes an intrinsically evil act, the conscientious voter faces a dilemma. The voter may decide to take the extraordinary step of not voting for any candidate or, after careful deliberation, may decide to vote for the candidate deemed less likely to advance such a morally flawed position and more likely to pursue other authentic human goods (35,36)… In making these decisions, it is essential for Catholics to be guided by a well-formed conscience that recognizes that all issues do not carry the same moral weight and that the moral obligation to oppose policies promoting intrinsically evil acts has a special claim on our consciences and our actions. These decisions should take into account a candidate’s commitments, character, integrity, and ability to influence a given issue. In the end, this is a decision to be made by each Catholic guided by a conscience formed by Catholic moral teaching (37) (Emphasis is mine in this entire quote.) 
The entire quote above is very balanced and nuanced. Perhaps reading it numerous times would prove helpful. 
    My dear brothers and sisters, our task to be Catholics who vote with a well-formed conscience is not an easy one. Yet, what a marvelous privilege it is we have in this country to help decide how we are governed by having the freedom to vote. Again, let us invoke the Holy Spirit’s guidance and may we make the most prudent and morally sound decision we can make come November 3rd. God bless you!  
Fr. Stiles