“If you want peace, work for justice -
if you want justice, defend life;
if you want life, embrace truth.”
- Pope Saint John Paul II 

“Sometimes we hear: a good Catholic is not interested in politics. This is not true: good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves so that the leader can govern.”
- Pope Francis 

For Catholics, voting is not just a bonus; it is a duty.  God gives us the gift of living in a country where we have direct influence on how we are governed, thus having influence on fostering the dignity of human life and the common good.  It can be complicated or difficult at times, but we cannot ignore it.  If we do, we are rejecting a gift and responsibility the Lord has given. It is not wise to reject His gifts. In fact, if we ignore them we put our salvation at risk.

Steps to guide our voting:
1) Go to Confession! - We need a clean soul to see clearly in confusing times.

2) Do Prayer and Penance - We need to implore God for graces to discern well and for courage to act justly.

3) Study the issues, the party platforms, and the candidates with a humble and open heart.

4) Remain calm - Our actions and inactions have consequences, but we strive to trust in the Lord's Providence to bring all things to good.

Bishop Malesic's Election Message

U.S. Bishop's Document "On Faithful Citizenship"

Moral Guide to Voting (from EWTN) - This particular guide is a bit lengthy, but extremely helpful as one discerns how to apply Catholic teaching in complicated voting situations.

Below is a 4 part catechesis of Faithful citizenship Fr. Pfeiffer preached at Masses.