Participate in political life.
In their statement on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic bishops remind Catholics about the call to participate in political life. "In the Catholic tradition," they write, "responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation" (no. 13). Visit  today to read the statement, watch videos, and access other great resources.
Form your conscience.
In their statement on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic bishops urge Catholics to form their consciences through being open to truth, studying Scripture and Church teaching, examining facts and background information, and prayerful reflection (no. 18). Visit  to learn about the steps you can take to form your conscience, watch videos and access other great resources on conscience formation for faithful citizens.
Learn about the issues.
In their statement on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic bishops lift up various issues of different moral weight and urgency. Some issues they mention include: addressing abortion, euthanasia, the use of the death penalty and imprudent resort to war; protecting the fundamental understanding of marriage as the life-long and faithful union of one man and one woman; achieving comprehensive immigration reform; caring for our common home; helping families and children overcome poverty; providing healthcare while respecting human life, human dignity and religious freedom; and establishing and complying with moral limits on the use of military force. Learn more about these issues and others at .
Practice civil dialogue.
In their statement on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic bishops remind Catholics that we are called to engage in charitable, respectful and civil dialogue during election season. In a culture that is dominated by "partisan attacks, sound bites and media hype," the Church calls for "a different kind of political engagement" (no. 14). Visit  to access resources on civil dialogue and on how our faith calls us to engage during election season and beyond.
In their statement on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic bishops remind Catholics, "We are called to bring together our principles and our political choices, our values and our votes, to help build a better world" (no. 14). In Virginia, the voter registration deadline is October 17th. You can register to vote online at .