Bishops overwhelmingly approve politics document, bulletin insert

Published: 2007-11-14

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- In what several bishops called "a watershed moment" for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the full body of bishops overwhelmingly approved a document intended to help Catholic voters form their consciences on a variety of issues before the 2008 elections. "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility From the Catholic Bishops of the United States" was approved on a 221-4 vote Nov. 14, the last public day of the Nov. 12-15 USCCB fall general assembly in Baltimore. The bishops also endorsed a shorter document, designed as a parish bulletin insert, by a 221-1 vote. Prepared by a task force made up of the chairmen of seven USCCB committees, the document underwent more than a dozen drafts and was still heavily amended during the meeting and immediately before the Nov. 14 vote. The longer document rejects politics based on "powerful interests, partisan attacks, sound bites and media hype" and calls instead for "a different kind of political engagement."

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