Work for justice must go beyond Election Day, Cardinal Rigali says

Published: 2004-10-29

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) -- A well-formed conscience should compel Christians to "work for a just society not only on Election Day but in the many circumstances of everyday life," Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia said in a statement published Oct. 28 in his archdiocesan newspaper. The statement in The Catholic Standard & Times touched on such issues as abortion, the death penalty, poverty, same-sex marriage, war, immigration, cloning, global solidarity, stem-cell research, care for the environment, health care and euthanasia. "All these issues should be considered by voters as they form their conscience," Cardinal Rigali said. But, he added, "not all these issues are of equal gravity." "Prudent judgments made by thoughtful Catholics can lead to different legitimate approaches to solving the problems of poverty, immigration, health care and acceptable military force," he said. "Some issues, however, because they lie at the foundation of society and address fundamental aspects of what it means to be human, must be considered first and foremost." Among those issues Cardinal Rigali included abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, cloning and same-sex marriage.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .