MADISON — In 2008, as in past election years, the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC), the public policy voice of Wisconsin’s bishops, has prepared a series of resources to help Catholics reflect on their duties as faithful citizens.
Series of materials
The materials consist of a nine-week series, which will be published in the Catholic Herald and can be used in parishes. The series opens with a joint letter from the bishops of Wisconsin and goes on to cover the main points found in the U.S. bishops’ 2007 statement, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States.
The bishops’ letter is followed in the series by the latest edition of the WCC Guidelines for Church Involvement in Electoral Politics, and the next two inserts explain the importance of developing a well-formed conscience.
Catholic social doctrine
The following four weekly inserts discuss the principles of Catholic social doctrine and their application to the political sphere. Then the series concludes with a copy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ summary of the 2007 Faithful Citizenship statement.
WCC Executive Director, John Huebscher, explained that the series would aid Catholics who want to reflect on how their faith and the political issues of the day intersect.
“These materials will not tell anyone how to vote,” Huebscher observed. “Nor will they answer every question or probe every issue of concern to faithful citizens. But they will offer a good place to start.”
Huebscher added that while the Faithful Citizenship series is timed to take advantage of the recent heightened interest in politics, its message extends beyond the election season.
Faithful citizenship
“The series refers to faithful citizenship, not faithful voting because our call to be involved in the public life of the community does not end on election day,” he noted. “The Church calls us to remain active as citizens in all seasons.”
The WCC has also developed a question card that voters can use when questioning candidates running for state office.
The materials are provided to parishes through the diocesan offices responsible for respect life and social concerns issues.
Copies of all the WCC’s voter education materials are available on the WCC website at www.wisconsincatholic.org