The 2024 election will determine not only our next U.S. president but also numerous elected officials at the local, state and federal levels. As Minnesotans prepare to vote, we as Catholics are called to do so with a focus on the dignity of the human person, recognizing that every person is made in the image and likeness of God. This fundamental belief is central to how we engage in public life, including how we vote.
To help Catholics prepare to vote, Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC) has created a collection of resources, including specific information on Catholic social teaching, faithful citizenship, human dignity, and guidelines for parish and Church organizations. These resources can be found at mncatholic.org/election2024.
Catholic social teaching
Catholic social teaching (CST) offers a framework for how to build a just society that promotes human flourishing. It is not a set of ready-made policy prescriptions, but more like a mental model to help see and discern with the mind of the Church. CST reflects the Gospel’s call to love our neighbor, promote the common good and uphold the dignity of every human person. These principles give Catholics the tools to build a more just society and put back together what the world tries to divide.
When voting, it’s essential to reflect on the Catholic social teaching framework. It is often said that no candidate or party perfectly embodies all the Catholic Church’s teachings. But by prioritizing issues that most directly affect human dignity and the common good –– which may not be the same in each election or candidate race –– we can allow Gospel principles to properly inform our vote.
Faithful citizenship
To help form our conscience and unpack some of the relevant principles of Catholic social teaching, Catholics can turn to the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops’ “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” as an important resource to guide voting decisions. This resource does not prescribe specific votes but instead provides a foundation for forming one’s conscience. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that our conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened (CCC 1783). We must form our conscience before informing ourselves on the issues if we hope to transform our state.
Human dignity
In April 2024, the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released “Dignitatis Infinita,” a Declaration on Human Dignity, which MCC staff has distilled into a resource for all Minnesota Catholics called “On Human Dignity.” This important summary offers valuable insights into how contemporary issues — such as abortion, war, poverty, assisted suicide and gender — relate to the concept of human dignity. We urge Catholics to study this declaration and apply its teachings as they evaluate candidates and issues on the ballot.
Guidelines for political activity
As Catholics, we must never be afraid of bringing our faith into the public square. In fact, there are plenty of things we can do to educate ourselves and others in our parishes and schools. But because the Church is not a partisan organization entity, we must make sure that our individual advocacy efforts are kept distinct from the Church’s teaching voice. Our guidelines for parish and Church organization political activity clearly lay out which activities are prohibited, and which are permissible.
Ultimately, voting is an expression of love — love for God, love for neighbor and love for the world we inhabit. And though it is not necessarily the most important part of being a faithful citizen, it is certainly an important one. By casting our ballots with a well-formed conscience, we participate in the civic life of our community in a way that reflects our deepest values and hopes for society.
“Inside the Capitol” is a legislative update from Minnesota Catholic Conference staff.
