2024 Election Checklist: 5 Ways to Keep Politics Out of Catholic Communities

Few parishioners want their parishes to become partisan battlegrounds, but with the Catholic community divided between Republicans (52%) and Democrats (44%), many parishes face that danger. Both campaigns are attractive to Catholic voters because the defection of even a small percentage of Catholics in key swing states like Pennsylvania could determine the outcome of the presidential election.

A recent poll sponsored by the National Catholic Reporter shows former President Donald Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris by 5 percentage points (50% to 45%) among Catholic voters in battleground states.

But unlike previous elections, Republicans this year are not putting their Catholic appeal on abortion because they see it as a negative issue for them. Instead, they attack Democrats on transgender issues. Republicans are also trying to portray Democrats as anti-Catholic.

Meanwhile, Democrats argue about immigration. Instead, they portray Trump as a threat to democracy. Without a Catholic at the top of the ticket this year, Democrats are finding it harder to defend themselves against accusations of anti-Catholicism, although the party’s disagreements over policy often lie more with the bishops than with the bishops lie with the Catholics.

It is good to remember that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has been both critical and supportive of the Trump and Biden administrations on public policy.

A few priests enjoy lecturing about politics from the pulpit, but they are the exception. The natural reaction of a Catholic priest is to hide in the basement of the rectory and wait for the outcome of the election. According to the Pew Research Center, Catholics were less likely to hear about the election in sermons in 2020 than any other denomination.

Besides hiding in the basement, what can pastors do to prevent their congregations from becoming partisan war zones?

First, avoid politics in your sermons.

According to the Pew Research Center, 76% of Catholics don’t want to hear partisan endorsements from the pulpit. Only 53% say they share the views of their clergy when politics are discussed, the lowest of all denominations.

If you want to avoid trouble, never mention the candidates’ names and never mention a political party. It’s appropriate to encourage people to vote and talk about issues, but don’t let your community members know how you’ll vote.

And when you preach on issues, preach on the entire spectrum of Catholic social teaching, not just on a single issue. If you only preach about the death penalty, you signal your support for the Democrats. If you only preach about abortion, you signal your support for Republicans.

Second, keep partisan politics out of the church bulletin and website.

In the run-up to the election, only use material from the U.S. bishops’ conference or your state’s Catholic conference. Provide quotes and links to “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” Laudato Si’, Fratelli Tutti and other official documents, but no material from other groups, no matter how “Catholic” they may be.

The Bishops’ Conference has published six one-page supplements for parishes that are useful at any time, but especially before the election.

Before the election, do not leave space in your bulletin or website for any other organization, not even pro-life or social justice groups.

If it comes from the bishops, you are probably safe, but if it comes from someone else, be careful.

Third, train church ministers to protect the church from partisan material.

Tell ushers to look for pamphlets and other political materials at the back of the church. It’s easy for someone to place a stack of flyers on a table in the back of the church that your parishioners will think are from you or your bishop. Tell the ushers to confiscate any materials that you have not personally approved.

The church building is private property and you have the right to exclude anyone who invades your space using political means.

Fourth, assign people to keep an eye on the parking lot.

Political campaigns specifically target church parking lots by posting flyers on windshields. Here too, the parking lot is private property. Your delegates should tell them to trespass and leave. The brochures should be removed before people go to their cars at the end of the fair.

You can’t stop people from distributing materials on the public sidewalk, but church grounds should be a politics-free zone.

Fifth: Check the “US Bishops”Rules of conduct during election season“to see what is possible and what should be avoided.

It says, for example, that communities:

• Address the moral and human dimensions of public issues.
• Share the Church’s teachings on human life, human rights, and justice and peace.
• Apply Catholic values ​​to legislation and public affairs.
• Conduct a nonpartisan voter registration drive on church grounds.
• Distribute unbiased candidate questionnaires on issues of human life, justice and peace, reviewed and approved by your diocesan attorney.
• Contact your diocesan attorney if you have questions about what is appropriate.

The guidelines warn communities that:

• Support or oppose candidates for political office.
• Distribute partisan campaign literature under church auspices.
• Arrange groups to work for a candidate for public office.
• Invite only select candidates to speak to your church-sponsored group.
• Conduct voter registration in a party-oriented manner.
• Distribute a biased candidate survey.

It is also recommended that the following announcement be included in community bulletins and websites:

We urge all community members to register, learn about important issues and vote. The Church does not support or oppose any candidate, but seeks to draw attention to the moral and human dimensions of the issues. We do not authorize the distribution of partisan political material on parish property.

Most parishioners hope that politics does not enter their communities, but the wise pastor is preparing for the worst. Following this simple checklist will help communities stay out of trouble during the election. If you have a wise pastor, compliment him. If not, complain.