Bishops' Statement on voting in the Federal Election

[helenofbritain]

Hi all,

I recognise most of you don't give two hoots about Australian politics, but I thought you might be interested in what our bishops had to say about what we should consider when voting in our federal election next Saturday.

Here it is:

[FONT=&quot]Make Your Vote Count say Catholic Bishops[/FONT]​

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[FONT=&quot]An election Statement from the Bishops of Australia[/FONT]​

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[FONT=&quot]August 9, 2010[/FONT]​

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[FONT=&quot]“Catholic Bishops do not tell people who to vote for” Archbishop Philip Wilson, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference, said today, speaking on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Australia. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]“Bishops are aware that, at election time, many in the community look to church leaders for advice about relevant issues.” Archbishop Wilson said.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]“We are privileged to live in a democracy such as Australia where voting matters. We urge all people to take their vote seriously. We urge them to think carefully about the issues that are relevant in their local area and nationally. We urge them to think about the issues that are not just important for them but for the whole of Australia”. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“The 2010 Federal Election is of great importance for the future and the welfare of all residents of Australia. Though many Catholics are rightly involved in the political process in all political parties, the Catholic Church in Australia does not take sides in party politics. But the Church proposes that politicians, political parties and political campaigns should all be judged against six essential criteria. Those six essential criteria are:[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]●The right of every person to human dignity;[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]●The right of every person to adequate food, shelter and protection;[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]●The right of every person to equality of access to education, health, employment and basic services;[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]●The right of every person, both present and future generations, to live in a safe, healthy and secure environment;[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]●The right (and the duty) of every person to contribute to society to the extent that they are able;[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]●The right of every person to live according to their own beliefs, to the extent that those beliefs do not impact upon the rights of others.” [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Particular issues that Catholic Church Agencies see as important include: [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Health[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: A Health System that is efficient and accessible for all; properly funded mental health services and an improvement in aged care services.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Social Justice:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Human dignity demands that a wealthy country such as Australia must define its priorities so that those who cannot cope in society are helped through government spending by those who can;[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Migrants and Refugees[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: All those seeking to live in Australia should be treated with dignity and in accordance with international law;[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Overseas Aid[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: Increase Australia’s overseas aid to 0.7% of GNI as a step towards recognising Australia’s plenty in the midst of great need;[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Women[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: To protect their dignity, steps must be taken to protect women from all forms of violence; pay equity should be improved and paid parental leave is an important step forward.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Indigenous Australians[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: Until the most disadvantaged of our Indigenous citizens move beyond 3rd world living conditions, all Australians must feel ashamed and work together to change their conditions. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Disability:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] People with a disability are entitled to a quality of life equivalent to that of other Australians; serious effort must be made to improve access to services for people with disabilities and their carers.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Environment:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] The debate about the environment must shift to consideration of the needs of future generations, not just to avoiding present inconveniences.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Education[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: Schools funding should be available equitably and respect parental choice.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Religious Liberty[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: In a society with a variety of faiths and non-faiths, we need to be respectful of others.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Human Dignity: The value of human life must be respected at every stage.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Catholic Church in Australia seeks to contribute to building the Australian society through schools, universities, hospitals, social services, aged care, international relations and our response to poverty locally and in the developed world. Various Catholic Agencies (such as Catholic Health Australia and Catholic Social Services Australia ) have detailed Election Platforms. Specific details can be provided by contacting:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Fr Brian Lucas, General Secretary[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Australian Catholic Bishops Conference[/FONT]

What do you think about it?

 

[Eucharisted]

I think it's good when Bishops do their duty to teach. They could have taught better - like citing Church documents - but at least they taught.

 

[Fantine]

I think that they are very wholistic in their approach.

 

[Fish and Bread]

I like it. It's an approach that really looks a wide range of different civic issues and how ethics and morality play into them. It comes across as a very balanced document, that covers both issues where the Church might be considered politically liberal and issues where it might be considered politically conservative, and makes a point of respecting the voters' consciences and not telling them who to vote for. I would love to see more of the bishops in this country adopt a similar approach.

 

[Jay217]

I'm sorry for you Mate. Been told By Several Aussies how bad some of the political party leaders are. 2 Bad leaders. Screaming Sexist and other slander.

glad the Church has stood on its Principles and not join the mud bath.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

It is interesting.

 

[helenofbritain]

I think it's good when Bishops do their duty to teach. They could have taught better - like citing Church documents - but at least they taught.

What, you can't just take their word for it? Really?

 

[helenofbritain]

I'm sorry for you Mate. Been told By Several Aussies how bad some of the political party leaders are. 2 Bad leaders. Screaming Sexist and other slander.

glad the Church has stood on its Principles and not join the mud bath.

I'm not sure who you are talking about Jay. One is a practising Catholic and the other is a practising atheist. Neither is sexist and neither has said anything particularly slanderous (considering it's an election campaign...)

 

[helenofbritain]

It is interesting.

What interests you?

 

[helenofbritain]

I like it. It's an approach that really looks a wide range of different civic issues and how ethics and morality play into them. It comes across as a very balanced document, that covers both issues where the Church might be considered politically liberal and issues where it might be considered politically conservative, and makes a point of respecting the voters' consciences and not telling them who to vote for. I would love to see more of the bishops in this country adopt a similar approach.

Hi Fishy!

 

[Eucharisted]

What, you can't just take their word for it? Really?

I think non-Catholics would appreciate it if the teachers of the Catholic Faith cited Church documents, because otherwise they can assume the teachers aren't teaching the Faith but their own opinions.

 

[helenofbritain]

I think non-Catholics would appreciate it if the teachers of the Catholic Faith cited Church documents, because otherwise they can assume the teachers aren't teaching the Faith but their own opinions.

I think non-Catholics don't care what our bishops have to say, generally. Why would this be any different? How would quoting encyclicals or some such magically change that?

 

[Eucharisted]

I think non-Catholics don't care what our bishops have to say, generally. Why would this be any different? How would quoting encyclicals or some such magically change that?

It is the difference between a teacher explaining to his students that the Earth is a planet and a teacher using a textbook as he explains to his students that the Earth is a planet. Better to have authority. It is the arrogant who say on one hand, "Why believe if he speaks without an authoritive source?" and on the other hand, "Why believe if he parrots, without thinking, from a book?"

Non-Catholics fall into the Bishops' classrooms, though neither subject nor second to the Bishops, as living in the jurisdiction of the Bishops, for the Bishops have real executive power and the diocese is their house and everyone within it, citizen or alien, is a son or daughter of the Bishop. Can a father treat his daughter well yet his son poorly and be a good father?

And non-Catholics do care. There are many non-Catholics who have cared and became Catholic - like St. Paul - yet many more who have cared and are of good-will - like Martin Luther King Jr.

 

[Fish and Bread]

I'm sorry for you Mate. Been told By Several Aussies how bad some of the political party leaders are.

Political parties? I'd think that would be the least of Australia's concerns, what with the oil shortage, the motorcycle gangs, everything being so run down, law and order having lost it's hold, and Mel Gibson driving around the country doing battle with people.

Wait, "The Road Warrior" was a documentary right?

 

[Fish and Bread]

Hi Fishy!

Hey, how ya doing?

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Ah, Sexism.....my favourite past-time......

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

Wait, "The Road Warrior" was a documentary right?

The coolest thing about "The Road Warrior":

Black Ford Falcon XB Coupe, 351w interceptor engine, holly 4 barrel, Vortech Dual Impeller Super Charger with the 6psi downdraft ram air scoop.

yeah.....


We didn't get to see enough to that thing in the movie.

 

[EmbattledBunny]

I like it very much.

If I could change one thing, I would include a sentence indicating that abortion is wrong in all circumstances. While some in the last two cycles of American Presidential elections went overboard IMO by implying that abortion is the only issue worth considering, it isn't a non-issue either. It is important and it deserved mention here.