ELECTION 2024 REFLECTION SERIES
SAVE THE DATES
Thursday, September 19 Thursday, October 10
Thursday, October 3 Thursday, October 17
All sessions are from 7 – 8:30 pm in the John XXIII room at St. Matthias.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) say in Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, “As a nation, we share many blessings and strengths, including a tradition of religious freedom and political participation. However, as a people, we face serious challenges that are both political and moral. This has always been so, and as Catholics we are called to participate in public life in a manner consistent with the mission of our Lord, a mission that he has called us to share.” The USCCB goes on to say, “Any politics of human dignity must seriously address issues of racism, poverty, hunger, employment, education, housing, and health care.” As the Racial Justice Initiative here at St. Matthias, we feel it necessary to open a dialogue on racial justice issues as they pertain to politics in America, with a focus on our responsibilities as dictated by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
This dialogue will take place over four weekly sessions, each one-and-one-half hour long, during which we will pray, discuss CST principles, watch informative videos on pertinent topics, reflect, and discuss. The topics will be broken out as per the USCCB Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship:
SESSION 1—HUMAN DIGNITY
- Topics discussed will be voting rights and criminal justice reform.
Human life is sacred. The dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Catholic teaching about the dignity of life calls us
to oppose torture, unjust war, and the indiscriminate use of drones for violent purposes: to prevent genocide and attacks against noncombatants; to oppose
racism; to oppose human trafficking; and to overcome poverty and suffering.
SESSION 2—THE COMMON GOOD
- Topics discussed will be healthcare equity and environmental justice.
Human dignity is respected and the common good is fostered only if human rights are protected and basic responsibilities are met. Every human being has a right to life, the fundamental right that makes all other rights possible, and a right to access those things required for human decency—food and shelter, education and employment, health care and housing, freedom of religion and family life.
SESSION 3—SUBSIDIARITY
- Topics discussed will be education equality and economic justice.
The principle of subsidiarity reminds us that larger institutions in society should not overwhelm or interfere with smaller or local institutions, yet larger institutions have essential responsibilities when the more local institutions cannot adequately protect human dignity, meet human needs, and advance the common good.
SESSION 4—SOLIDARITY
- Topics discussed will be gun violence and Christian Nationalism.
It is important for our society to continue to combat any unjust discrimination, whether based on race, religion, sex, ethnicity, disabling condition, or age, as these are grave injustices and affronts to human dignity. Where the effects of past discrimination persist, society has the obligation to take positive steps to overcome the legacy of injustice, including vigorous action to remove barriers to education, protect voting rights, support good policing in our communities, and ensure equal employment for women and minorities.
**PLEASE NOTE: These sessions will be strictly NON-PARTISAN and focused solely on issues as they pertain to RACIAL JUSTICE.
We hope you will join us as we thoughtfully and prayerfully prepare for the upcoming general election in November. ALL ARE WELCOME.