Priests for Life - Political Responsibility
POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY CENTER
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Welcome to our Election Action Center

"Priests for Life has the most effective political impact of any Catholic apostolate in our country."
– Dr. Deal Hudson

Elections 2012: What happens next

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility -- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, October 2011[PDF format]

The New Introductory Note to ‘Faithful Citizenship’ Should Inspire Catholics in 2012

Sign up for our vote pro-life webcasts

Pro-Lifers Get Busy (Vote Pro-Life Coalition) - The Washington Times, May 23, 2011

How the abortion issue affected the vote 

Watch a video of Abp. Raymond Burke talk about abortion and voting
[4 minute video]  [24 minute video]

Onward to Elections 2012

A message from Fr. Frank Pavone
Fr. Frank Pavone, M.E.V.
Dear Friends,

The 2012 election season has begun. On November 6, 2012, we will elect a President, a Congress and many other public officials. It is our task now to expand the base of people we can influence and to make it clear once again that no issue matters more than life itself.

You can use the form below to indicate your interest in participating in the organized efforts we will conduct in preparation for the elections of 2012.

This year once again we have formed a coalition of organizations, the
"Vote Pro-life Coalition," who are committed to doing all they can to activate their members to be informed and motivated pro-life voters. See more at www.VoteProLifeCoalition.com.

And please keep in touch with me and my team. We love to hear the stories of your battles and your victories. Please use the form below to communicate with us.

God Bless you.

Sincerely,



Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director

Please Join our “Pray to End Abortion” Cause on Facebook!

 


What can I do??

1. Help to register more voters -- Find out the many possible ways how, either through your Church or as a private citizen! Now is the time to register new voters!  

2. Obtain from us the presentations that were given at the 2003 legal symposium we co-sponsored at the Ave Maria Law School on the topic The Church and Politics: Are We as Restricted as We Think? Click here for written presentations and for the ability to listen to the seminar. Share these resources with your pastor or organization leader. You can order the booklet at our online store.

3. Letters to the Editor -- Be sure to get hard-hitting letters into your local daily papers about candidates and issues! You can influence many people! See instructions and sample letters at www.priestsforlife.org/letters

4. Encourage your pastor to use the resources available below for preaching, bulletin inserts, and educational booklets for the Church bookrack or library.

5. Organize small groups to study the US Bishops' document Living the Gospel of Life. Our study guide on this document can be used individually online, or by groups in your Church, organization, or home. 

6. Use the Internet to spread the word about issues, candidates, and political responsibility! Read more about our internet project and our guidelines for using Social Media sites.  Use our banner ads on your website. Make links from your website to ours and to other political sites. Make your own website to help people take part in the elections or to spread information about the candidate of your choice.

7. Use your email list to broadcast helpful election information, such as the material on this site.

8. You may be needed in your community to help distribute voter guides on the weekend prior to the election. An election can be decided based on how many voter guides are given out! If you can help in this effort, fill in the form above and indicate the kind of help you can provide or check with your local or state respect life organizations to see what is planned. And please note that you DO have the right to distribute these fliers in Church parking lots. See this legal letter for information. Moreover, if you are thrown out of the parking lot, you can always move onto the public sidewalk or other public property adjoining the Church, and you should strongly insist on your right to remain there.

9. Make use of early voting, which in many states, can be done without needing a special reason -- you can vote before Election Day, thus decreasing the chances that something unexpected will prevent you from getting to the polls. Promote this idea to others. Also make sure that those who will be out of town on Election Day, or who are homebound, request and send in an absentee ballot.

10. When Election Day approaches, you can increase the number of votes for the right candidates by calling your friends and urging them to go to the polls. On Election Day, take the day off from work and help people get to the polls if they need a ride or someone to watch their children, or some other form of assistance.

11. Contact your local Board of Elections and ask about poll-watching, which is an activity you can take part in whereby citizens are present at the polling places on Election Day to make sure that the elections are conducted fairly and efficiently, and to be on the alert for abuses.

12. Support the candidate of your choice by making a financial contribution and/or working on his or her campaign. (The amount of money you can contribute to a specific candidate is limited by law. Once you have reached the legal limit, contribute to organizations like ours which work to advance particular positions which the candidates of your choice support.) Also, show support for your candidate by means of yard signs, bumper stickers, pins, and envelope stickers!

 


How do I know where the candidates stand?


For the Clergy


Resources for the Parish

 


Legal Guidelines on What to Do in the Parish

Guidance for Churches and Religious Organizations from the IRS
(Requires Acrobat Reader)

Commentary on IRS Guidelines by Jim Bopp, Jr.
(Requires Acrobat Reader)

Guidelines from the James Madison Center for Free Speech - [Long Version] and [Abbreviated Version]

Political Campaign Guidelines for Tax-Exempt Organizations
from the United States Bishops' Office of the General Counsel, 2007

A Legal Symposium: "The Church and Politics: Are We as Restricted as we Think?"

Clarification regarding dioceses and legal advice.

 

Brochures and Booklets That We Have Available for
Distribution in the Parishes, Free of Charge

 

 

For the Media

 

For Pro-Life Organizations

Guidelines for Political Activities of Right to Life Organizations by James Bopp, Jr., General Counsel (February 2010) - PDF
 

Statements of the US Bishops on Political Responsibility

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility -- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, October 2011[PDF format]

US Bishops' Statement: Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics (November 1998) | [tambien en español]

Key short quotes from Living the Gospel of Life

More statements from Bishops about political responsibility

Our page on Magisterium Teachings will refer you to a wider array of documents in which bishops address the topic of abortion and political responsibility.

 


Further Educational information

If you are a "pro-choice" voter or candidate, take a look here to see what you are tolerating.

Priests for Life
PO Box 141172 • Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. 888-735-3448, (718) 980-4400 • Fax 718-980-6515
mail@priestsforlife.org