Guidance

* The Gospel

The most fundamental guidance is brought to us from Christ through the Gospels.

Christ taught repeatedly that we have a duty to love and care for one another.  This duty is central to Christianity as both a religion and a way of life, and distinguishes Christianity from all other ways of life.  The most elegant statement of this duty may be found in Christ’s statement of the Greatest Commandment.  It has been well said that all the rest is commentary.

As to whom the “others” we should love are, it is clear that Christ meant all people, and particularly all those in need.  For example, see his famous parable on the Good Samaritan.

In Chapter 25 of the Gospel of Matthew, Christ expanded on further on both the meaning of the duty of loving one another and the consequences of failing to do so.

* Catholic Social Teachings

Since at least time the labor movement began to respond to the unbridled development of industry in the latter part of the 19th century, the Catholic Church has advised both governments and the people of the world in the building of social structures consistent with the teachings of the Gospel.

Having previously concluded that evangelization and ministering to Christ’s people are it’s proper roles, the Church, starting at least with Pope Leo XIII, has turned instead to educating the faithful in the relevance of the Gospel to issues facing the world

The dozens of statements issued by the Church since Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum are frequently synthesized into seven general themes, which range from the life and dignity of the human person, and of all God’s creation, to the importance of family and community life and participation.

* Our Bishops

Various conferences of Catholic Bishops, including both the American and Canadian Conferences, have provided information on both the duty to vote and frameworks for discernment.

Materials provided by the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops may be found here.

Materials provided by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops may be found here.