Are you ready to go to the polls on November 5? Here are resources on Catholic social teaching to help inform your vote.
On Care for Our Common Home: Laudato Si’, by Pope Francis. In 2015, Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato Si’ inspired and urged the world’s Catholics and all people of good will to take urgent action against the injustice of the climate emergency and the ecological crisis, to protect the poor and future generations. It is also available in Spanish.
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States. All the faithful, and people of good will, are encouraged to use this statement to help form their consciences, contribute to civil and respectful public dialogue, and shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching.
Leader’s Guide to Sharing Catholic Social Teaching, by the Committee on Domestic Policy, Committee on International Policy, and Committee on Education. This guide was developed to help parish ministers and other adults study Catholic social teaching, either individually or in a group setting. Based upon the bishops’ statement of June 1998, the guide includes overviews and session outlines on Catholic social teaching, along with prayers and 10 study sheets containing themes, quotes, scriptural foundations and much more.
To borrow these or other resources, the diocesan library and Office of Faith Formation and Lay Ecclesial Ministry are open for in-person visits and consultations 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may also visit the website. Once you make your selections, you can email the request to mhynes@youngstowndiocese.org.
