Voting with Conscience: Catholics and Politics

Social doctrine is an integral part of the Church's ministry of evangelization. Everything that concerns the community of men, situations and problems related to justice, liberation, development, relations between peoples, peace, is not foreign to evangelization; evangelization would not be complete if it did not take into account the mutual connection that is constantly present between the Gospel and the concrete, personal and social life of man. There are deep links between evangelization and human promotion: links of an anthropological order, because the man to be evangelized is not an abstract being, but a being subject to social and economic problems. Links of a theological order, since the plan of creation cannot be dissociated from the plan of Redemption, which reaches very concrete situations of injustice that must be fought, and of justice that must be restored. Bonds of an eminently evangelical order such as that of charity: in fact, how can we proclaim the new commandment of love without promoting, through justice and peace, the true, authentic growth of man? (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, n. 66)

PBRO. FRANCISCO JAVIER

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