Ales Rarus

Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics
Copyright � 2004, Catholic Answers.

HOW THIS VOTER'S GUIDE HELPS YOU

This voter's guide helps you cast your vote in an informed manner consistent with Catholic moral teaching. It helps you eliminate from consideration candidates who endorse policies that cannot be reconciled with moral norms that used to be held by all Christians.

On most issues that come before voters or legislators, a Catholic can take one side or the other and not act contrary to his faith. Most matters do not have a "Catholic position."

But some issues are so key, so elemental, that only one position accords with the teaching of the Christian gospel. No one endorsing the wrong side of these subjects can be said to act in accord with the Church's moral norms.

This voter's guide identifies five "non-negotiable" issues and helps you narrow down the list of acceptable candidates, whether they are running for national, state, or local offices.

Candidates who endorse or promote any of the five non-negotiables should be considered to have disqualified themselves from holding public office, and you should not vote for them. You should make your choice from among the remaining candidates."

`Good Pope John' and the path to peace

"Want to change the world? Begin with ourselves and our public institutions"

Pennsylvania Catholic Conference

"As members of a democratic society, we have a responsibility to see that our government respects and promotes the dignity and rights of all . . . As conscientious citizens, we must bring our love for country and concern for the welfare of others to government and to the polling place."

- The bishops of Pennsylvania in Personal Participation: The Key to a Just Society