We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately

[NoelFitz]

We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.

Benjamin Franklin

I see in the WWW the results of an EWTN survey on Catholic voters in the US:

‘But Trump trails in all head-to-head matchups against Democratic candidates, by as much as 11 percent (vs. Biden, 51-40) …

The poll’s findings expose a widening gap among Catholics based on devotion. From the EWTN analysis: “When it comes to foundational Church teaching, the active or devout Catholics are increasingly at odds with their fellow Catholics, to the point that there are virtually two Catholic communities in the country. ‘

As an Irish person I should not need to tell US Catholics about loyalty – we should support our own. Many Catholics in good conscience will vote Democrat and should not be vilified by their fellow-Catholics. I see in CAF many posts attacking Mr Biden and his supporters. Then some wonder why people leave the Church. Are they rather chased out?

I also see accusations about criminal activities within Biden’s family, yet in Ireland we have the presumption of innocence and the right of people to their good name. None of us can judge the state of another’s soul.

Do others in CAF believe one is free in conscience to support the Democrats and Mr Biden, as many will? Ordinary Americans will realize that the interests of multi-millionaires and billionaires may differ from theirs.

Catholics should stay together and feel free to obey their own consciences, not those of others.

Subscribers to CAF should support the freedom, integrity and intelligence of their co-coreligionists, and vote for whom they think is the better person for themselves, the US and the world.

 

[Gab123]

Many Catholics in good conscience will vote Democrat

it’s one thing to support pro-life Democrats, of which there are a handful. The problem is when one is supporting democratic candidates who are agents of the democratic platform whose agenda explicitly promotes, funds and defends the culture of death. As for “in good conscience”, the late Fr. John Hardon SJ explains that your conscience is not enough to make the right decision:

 

[CathoRick]

As an Irish person I should not need to tell US Catholics about loyalty – we should support our own.

Indeed, and we support them not by reaffirming their harmful beliefs, but by correcting them in a loving but firm manner whenever they go astray from the teachings of our Blessed Lord and His Church.

 

[Limoncello4021]

You’ve posted your opinions on the American political battles before, so we’ve seen them. Of course we have the obligation to vote our consciences, enlightened to the truth by God. Was your thread’'s title implying we should vote for Biden because he’s a nominal Catholic? By no means should we support such a person if our consciences say otherwise.
We must constantly strive to know God’s truth through prayer and trust. In many cases, as has been true for many years–nothing unique now–we have to decide between or among radically flawed individuals. Voting for a candidate means voting in an entire party and agenda, a platform. I myself will fully support Trump because voting for Biden/Sanders will usher in an agenda of abortion on demand and an increase in the culture of death, already reigning here – and well advanced in Ireland.

 

[NoelFitz]

Gab123,
thanks for your reply.

I wee in the WWW:
Aquinas therefore believes that not only is one excused from wrongdoing if one’s conscience is in error, one also is bound to do the wrong thing if one’s conscience tells one that it is the RIGHT thing to do. He also believes that one has a duty to have a well-formed conscience, one that knows what the right thing to do is, and Aquinas is clear that Church authority is a trustworthy guide about what is right and wrong.

Fr Harden says "Of course, we must follow conscience’’.

The necessity to have a properly formed conscience is a different issue. Initially let us not wander too far from

Was your thread’'s title implying we should vote for Biden because he’s a nominal Catholic?

No.
My point is that one should vote in the way one thinks is correct, and others should respect your freedom.

I do not say which way any individual should vote. I am not the judge of anyone else, but I am saying one has the right to vote as one’s conscience dictates.

If a Catholic decides to vote for the Catholic Biden, a fellow-member of the household of the faith, with a clear conscience (s)he should be respected for his/her choice.

I myself will fully support Trump because voting for Biden/Sanders will usher in an agenda of abortion on demand and an increase in the culture of death, already reigning here – and well advanced in Ireland.

Murder is wrong, abortion is wrong. Whether one aborts a baby created due to rape, incest or will have fatal fetal abnormalities it is still abortion. It is not only ‘abortion on demand’ that is abortion.
I admit to difficulties. Should one abort a fetus in a Fallopian tube (ectopic)?

But here I want to stress freedom of conscience and one can remain a Catholic in good standing and be a Democrat.

 

[Gab123]

The necessity to have a properly formed conscience is a different issue.

But this is the crux of the matter. It’s one thing to be invincibly ignorant and follow one’s own uninformed conscience; it’s quite another for Catholics to know Church teaching and knowingly support agents who promote agendas that directly and blatantly further the culture of death. it’s called rationalizing sin. These days it’s pretty hard to be invincibly ignorant, and the claim of following one’s own conscience is often an excuse for not wanting to be open to or hear the truth…

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Limoncello4021]

Agree fully and well said.
The foundation of Catholic social teaching is the Right to Life. Any social program built on an evil foundation (ie. no right to life for SOME people) is wrong. God is not mocked.