{"id":26009,"date":"2012-11-06T08:00:15","date_gmt":"2012-11-06T14:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.austincnm.com\/?p=26009"},"modified":"2012-11-15T15:51:51","modified_gmt":"2012-11-15T21:51:51","slug":"what-does-it-mean-to-vote-catholic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/11\/what-does-it-mean-to-vote-catholic\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does it Mean to “Vote Catholic”?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Well, I know what it doesn’t mean.<\/p>\n

Jesus loved both the elephant and the donkey. He created them both!<\/p>\n

For months (or has it been years?) we’ve been hearing from the two main political candidates running for office as to why they are the “right” choice for America. Today, millions of Americans will go to the polls and practice the greatest privilege there is in a democracy: casting a ballot to indicate their choice through a democratic election.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What a privilege!<\/p>\n

While much of the race has been about the presidential\/vice-presidential election, I daresay our choices here in Central Texas on a local level are equally, if not more, important. There are congressional and senate races, school board members, propositions and judges that are pleading for our votes.<\/p>\n

How have you formed your conscience? Did you invite God into the polling booth with you? I certainly hope so.<\/p>\n

My husband and I both took advantage of early voting. I’m grateful that as I stepped into that booth, I bowed my head, invoked the guidance of the Holy Spirit, relied on my research of candidates and propositions, made the sign of the cross and began making my selections.<\/p>\n

There is no shortage of polls indicating how this candidate or that candidate may swing the vote a percentage point or two. Pundits have already called the race. Talking heads feel they know the pulse of America. However the elections may fall today, both on a national, state and local level, I pray you’ve done one thing and that you’ve done it well.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I pray you’ve put your trust in your Maker. I pray you’re preparing your soul for eternity. I pray you teach your friends and family that we live a privileged life as Americans. I pray you never forget the sacrifices men and women made so you could stand in that polling booth today. After four years, this too shall pass. Policies change, laws are amended and politicians retire, but one thing remains.<\/p>\n

Your faith. Your God.<\/p>\n

Form your conscience. Vote. Love your country. Reach out to others, regardless of political affiliation. And, bring people to Christ through your witness of love. That’s what it means to “Vote Catholic.”<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well, I know what it doesn’t mean. Jesus loved both the elephant and the donkey. He created them both! For months (or has it been years?) we’ve been hearing from the two main political candidates running for office as to why they are the “right” choice for America. Today, millions of Americans will go to… [Read More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[55,1151,50,1150],"class_list":["post-26009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-blog","tag-catholic-2","tag-election","tag-faith","tag-vote","entry","has-post-thumbnail"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":23015,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/09\/you-have-a-choice-this-november\/","url_meta":{"origin":26009,"position":0},"title":"YOU have a choice this November\u2026","author":"Rachel","date":"September 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019m just going to throw this out there \u2013 most people who are talking and writing about Election 2012 seem to have decided already who they will vote for \u2013 and I have not. Not that I haven\u2019t been thinking about it. In fact, I\u2019ve been thinking about it quite\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"http:\/\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/png-300x214.","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":26051,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/11\/on-the-eve-of-the-election\/","url_meta":{"origin":26009,"position":1},"title":"On the Eve of the Election","author":"Elizabeth","date":"November 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This week you are going to be inundated with all things election, if it's not pre-election news it will be an analysis of the results as they return, and then a series of reports as to who was elected and what they'll do in the next four years. And if\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/7197799126_38b04d165d_b-300x196.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":24006,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/10\/moral-voting-in-four-prayerful-steps\/","url_meta":{"origin":26009,"position":2},"title":"Moral Voting in Four Prayerful Steps","author":"Trenton Henrichson","date":"October 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I am arrogant, opinionated, and rude. It has come to my attention, in this election season, that many Catholics have committed the unforgivable sin of expressing opinions that are not my own. I am infuriated that I have to write this. What is wrong with you heathens? The choice this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/3985490626_4ece1bf58a.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":412254,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/congrats-bishop-elect-bill\/","url_meta":{"origin":26009,"position":3},"title":"Congrats Bishop-Elect Bill!","author":"Brandon Kraft","date":"May 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Fr. Bill Wack, CSC, Pastor of St. Ignatius, Martyr, has been named as the sixth bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee.","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bishop-Elect Bill Wack holding Ana & Dorothy Kraft after their baptism.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMG_20170529_055856.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMG_20170529_055856.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMG_20170529_055856.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37312,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2013\/02\/popewatch2013\/","url_meta":{"origin":26009,"position":4},"title":"#popewatch2013","author":"Rita Suva","date":"February 21, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"We are living in a historic time in the Catholic Church. With only two other popes having resigned before Pope Benedict XVI, we\u2019re in relatively uncharted waters concerning what will be happening in the Catholic Church in the coming weeks and months. At this point in history as Catholics, we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"pope","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/pope-108x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":26726,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/12\/why-i-believe-in-gay-equality\/","url_meta":{"origin":26009,"position":5},"title":"Why I Believe in Gay Equality","author":"David Casper","date":"December 15, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"First things first: I apologize for my extended hiatus from posting blogs. Let's just say a lot of very significant and life-changing things happened to me one after another. 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