Post Election Reflections

I will say it up front. I am not happy at finding myself in a minority situation here in the United States. But this week's events made very clear that I am not in sync with most of my fellow citizens. Not that I was happy with the paltry choices I was given in the voting booth! I knew when I placed my vote that the best I could hope for was to buy just a little more time for what was left of the status quo.  Instead, people of faith who are pro-life, pro-natural marriage are put on notice: the civic order will not support our efforts; will not bless our institutions; will eventually not even respect our right to dissent.

Okay. At least we know where we stand, and can't pretend or procrastinate any more.

But there are some things we can and must do--since we cannot abdicate our call to evangelize the culture. Among the responses to the election results was a very wise observation on how the U.S. Bishop's document "Faithful Citizenship" has yet to be implemented. Not that many people haven't tried to apply the teachings of the document in this and previous elections. That's not the issue. In our haste to fix the system, we skipped over the principles the bishops laid down: the foundations for the formation of conscience, without which we are doomed to a cycle of short-term, inconclusive goals:

1. Desire to Embrace Goodness and Truth
2. The Study of Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church
3. Examine the Facts;  Background Information
4. Prayerful Reflection – trying to discern God’s Will

Even in our secularized and mildly hostile context, people are still open to the values embedded in those principles. They can really be principles; that is, the "first" things we establish, rather than the part we skip over in our haste to accomplish something.


Here are some other Catholic responses to the election results:

• Thomas McDonald acknowledges the many Catholics who won't get what the fuss is about: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/godandthemachine/2012/11/be-content-to-trust-in-the-lord/
• Lisa Hendey reminds us to "be the change" you wish to see--nobody's stopping you!: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lisahendey/2012/11/after-the-election-be-the-change-you-desire/
• The Christophers point out that politics isn't the be-all and end-all; the culture itself is still open to conversion: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christophers/2012/11/change-the-culture-change-the-world/
• A perspective from a Catholic "Conservative Leftist": it's hard-hitting and not entirely polite, but there are some valuable insights there. Somebody has to say these things! http://www.patheos.com/blogs/samrocha/2012/11/whats-left-of-the-left-did-the-grand-old-party-just-get-old/
• The Anchoress welcomes us all to "interesting times" (wait, wasn't that some kind of ancient curse?): http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2012/11/07/post-election-12-welcome-to-interesting-times/

Finally, here is the official letter from Cardinal Dolan as President of the US Bishops' Conference to President Obama.