Did you know that the Catholic vote has mirrored or predicted the winner of the general election in 5 of the last 6 presidential elections? For example, in 2012 President Obama carried Catholics 50 percent to 48 percent while he won the overall national vote 51 percent to 47 percent. Is that surprising? Like most churches, my Catholic church, the dioscese which it belongs to, and even the Catholic radio station is a non-profit organization. Non-profits are not allowed under law to endorse a candidate or political party (or their non-profit status could be revoked costing $$$) Maybe this is for the best. But it does make it hard for leadership of any church to give clear guidelines to voters. Instead it seems we receive more often vague unoffending statements that you can pretty much read whatever you want out of them. They always emphasize forming your conscience and the importance of upholding the dignity of life in all its forms, while conveniently leaving out the “how to” of forming your conscience.

It is important for people to know that under the Obama administration funding to Planned Parenthood (PP, largest US abortion provider) increased by 30% resulting in the United States government giving PP $542 million annually. To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, nobody has the right to do something wrong. We don’t have a right to own slaves, we don’t have a right to kill unborn children. The unborn child is not property of the mother to be dealt with at her discretion. We are a nation built upon the foundation that all humans are CREATED equal, with rights bestowed on them by God, beginning with a right to life, and then a right to freedom, and so on. We cannot have an ordered society built on disordered personal desires. The rules that regulate our nation, should be for the good of ALL people, the common good. It is not right to force tax payers to fund abortion.

Is the abortion issue really that big of a human rights issue? I’ve always found this 2 min sound illustration comparing the loss of life thought-and-feeling-provoking.

“I may not trust Donald Trump to always do the right thing, but I completely trust that Hillary Clinton will do the wrong thing regarding the protection of the most vulnerable in our society.” ~Regular Joan

Our lawmakers matter. Our laws matter. If you ever saw the show, “The Apprentice,”  you know that Donald Trump is not known for his gentility or humility. (He completely lacks both among other things). I cannot say I completely trust him. But he has promised to nominate judges to the Supreme Court that uphold the Constitution and the God-given right to life. (God given, man taken). I do completely trust Hillary Clinton to make as many pro-abortion changes to our country and the world as she has in her power to do so. She has already said she has plans to overturn the Hyde Amendment so that the government can spend even more money funding abortion. She has also gone on record with plans to circumvent the 43-year-old law known as the Helms Amendment so the US can finance abortion around the world too. Note: specifically WITHOUT conscience protection. (1- link below) Hillary Clinton believes abortion is a right, and it should be so accessible (even free) that no one should be burdened with putting their body through an inconvenient pregnancy. Pro-life news sources have reported there are over half a million parents wanting to adopt a baby in the US, and for every couple that gets to adopt a child there are 32 couples still waiting. There may be unwanted pregnancies but these are not unwanted babies.

Enough from me, I’m just a passionately pro-life blogger, struggling to reconcile the world we live in with what God wants for the human race. I strive to give Jesus my heart 100% and then to follow it. And that is all anyone can really ask, form and follow– your own conscience. This is a timeless 3-min video of Mother Angelica from 2000. (Hint click the previous sentence) The more I get to know her the more I appreciate her quirky personality and genuine love.

“No one has the right to call death unto someone God has called to life.” ~Mother Angelica

I’m with you, Sister! Or I guess I should say Mother! I vote for life. Forming one’s conscience isn’t a light task, and while some may shy away from the heavy lifting of prayer and research, I hope you won’t shy away from reading this great commentary from Archbishop Chaput.

“The Gospel of John reminds us that the truth, and only the truth, makes us free. We’re fully human and free only when we live under the authority of the truth. And in that light, no issue has made us more dishonest and less free as believers and as a nation than abortion. People uncomfortable with the abortion issue argue, quite properly, that Catholic teaching is bigger than just one issue. Other urgent issues also need our attention. Being pro-birth is not the same as being pro-life. And being truly ‘pro-life’ doesn’t end with defending the unborn child. But it does, and it must, begin there. … In every abortion, an innocent life always dies. This is why no equivalence can ever exist between the intentional killing involved in abortion, infanticide and euthanasia, on the one hand, and issues like homelessness, the death penalty and anti-poverty policy on the other. Again, all of these issues are important. But trying to reason or imply them into having the same moral weight is a debasement of Christian thought.” — Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia (2)

To close, I want to offer encouragement about the upcoming elections.

“When we have God, we always have a dog in the fight.”  ~Regular Joan

That came to me while drawing sidewalk chalk with my kiddos! As any 1st grader will inform her 3 year old sister, GOD spelled backwards is DOG. I was pondering if we needed to ask St. Jude to intercede on our nation’s behalf (patron saint of lost causes). But really it is never a loss cause when we have God! So let’s amp up the prayers. I invite you to join in a pre-election novena (you’ve perhaps seen this making the rounds on social media. This one sends you daily prayers http://www.praymorenovenas.com/election-novena/ Here is another one that you can pray everyday with the 1.9 million Knights of Columbus, no need to sign up for anything https://www.romancatholicman.com/national-novena-oct-30-nov-7/). Come what may, there is always hope where there is God.

To end I would like to give you two links to two great homilies that have helped me form my conscience. The first needs to go viral, the second already has!

Homily comparing CYRUS and ANTIOCHAS (Trump and Clinton?)

Rev John Lankeit of the Diocese of Phoenix

(1) https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/wikileaks-clinton-will-fund-overseas-abortion-without-conscience-protection

(2)For more bishops’ statements see the link I pulled that great one of Chaput’s from: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/election-2016-u.s.-bishops-on-voting