The above referenced document also says:
- In this statement, we bishops do not intend to tell Catholics for whom or against whom to vote. Our purpose is to help Catholics form their consciences in accordance with God’s truth. We recognize that the responsibility to make choices in political life rests with each individual in light of a properly formed conscience, and that participation goes well beyond casting a vote in a particular election.
And
Racism and other unjust discrimination, the use of the death penalty, resorting to unjust war, the use of torture,4 war crimes, the failure to respond to those who are suffering from hunger or a lack of health care, or an unjust immigration policy are all serious moral issues that challenge our consciences and require us to act. These are not
optional concerns which can be dismissed. Catholics are urged to seriously consider
Church teaching on these issues. Although choices about how best to respond to these and other compelling threats to human life and dignity are matters for principled debate and decision, this does not make them optional concerns or permit Catholics to dismiss or ignore Church teaching on these important issues.
A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism, 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.
- There may be times when a Catholic who rejects a candidate’s unacceptable
position may 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.
Of course the Church doesn’t want one to vote in favor of something that goes against Church teaching, such as abortion. But they do NOT tell us HOW to vote, but give specific guidelines that we are told to consider. Yes, abortion is a very important consideration. But it is not the ONLY consideration. Yes, we are to use a well informed conscience. Yes, the Church wants us to vote to eradicate abortion. But we are not sinning if we do vote for a pro-choice candidate depending on our intent. If you vote for a pro-choice candidate
because they are pro-choice, that is sinning. But if you vote for a pro-choice candidate because you feel other important areas will be impacted, and those areas are important to you as well, that is a lesser evil.
Of COURSE the Church wants you to vote with all their rules and regulations in mind, and of course they want you to vote to outlaw abortion, and of course they will groom Catholics to do so, but one won’t go to Hell for voting for the other guy. Nor will one a “bad” Catholic for doing so. As the above document says, there are also other ways to participate besides voting, in our daily lives to encourage good and not evil.
But no where in that document (or others shown from the Vatican or Bishops) say you absolutely have to vote one way or another, else be separated from the Church. If that was our instruction, they would say so. Just like they are specific - to the letter about - other issues in which we are required to do or not do in order to be compliant with the Church.
If we are forbidden from voting for a pro-choice candidate, they would say it, just like we are forbidden from using artificial birth control, and MUST attend Mass. If this is an area unbending, they would make that as clear as the other areas that are unbending.
