Elections: An interesting time of year

		Guest Column  Susanna D. Herro

Lessons learned during this election cycle and the teaching opportunities presented are important to our future as citizens and as members of the Church.

One of the most frequent questions I've been asked at various venues around the diocese is "Can the church speak out on political issues?" The important word in that question is, "issues."

Challenging Catholics

As some of you might have seen, a challenge to Catholics' participation was raised recently by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. It got a lot of press and play in the local media.

That organization wrote an "informal letter of complaint" to the Wisconsin Elections Board questioning the Diocese of Madison's distribution of a brochure urging church members to "Vote Yes" on the Marriage Amendment.

Was this complaint justified?

Promoting issues

A simple reading of Wisconsin law shows that churches cannot be restricted in communicating with their members on referendum issues and that there is no need to report such activities.

Here is a distinction that every Catholic should emblazon in their mind: The Catholic Church does not promote candidates, but can and must promote issues.

The question of whether the bishop, priests, diocesan staff, and the laity have a right to engage in the political debate is a very serious question. Clarity on this point is essential if we, as members of the church, hope to build a society based on justice and to bring the Catholic Social Teachings to fruition.

Teaching ethics

Pope Benedict, in God is Love, says "Justice is both the aim and the intrinsic criterion of all politics. Politics is more than a mere mechanism for defining the rules of public life: its origin and its goal are found in justice, which by its very nature has to do with ethics."

The church is a primary teacher of ethics. Justice and mercy are major components of our faith. It follows that as we spread the Gospel, we must spread the Gospel in the political arena, where more ethical principles are needed and where policies are made.

The United States Constitution, the Wisconsin Constitution, and yes, even the laws governing the Election Board, verify our rights to be involved in political issues.

Duty to participate

Two main political issues before us in this election cycle are the Marriage Amendment and the Death Penalty. Taking part in the debate on both of these subjects is not just a right, but a duty as Catholics. Both are central to our understanding of what creates the common good.

Marriage and the family are the first church, deserving of special consideration. The death penalty is not essential for public safety. The church, including the bishop, priests, staff, and laity, have the right and the duty to share our view of what is best for our world.

This is the lesson I hope that all church leaders learn during this election cycle: our right and our duty to be part of the political process needs to be proclaimed to all the people! "Be not afraid" are words for the political arena, too.

Susanna D. Herro is director of justice and pastoral outreach for the Diocese of Madison.