On Sept. 22, a group of parishioners gathered in a conference room at St. John the Baptist Parish in Silver Spring, Maryland to talk about politics. It is no secret that conversations about politics, especially in the D.C. metro area, are seemingly pervasive in every part of our lives. In an increasingly polarized world, 65 percent of Americans say that they always or often feel exhausted when they think about politics. Fifty-five percent of Americans always or often feel angry when they think about these issues (https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/09/19/americans-dismal-views-of-the-nations-politics/).
Catholics are frequently caught in the middle of these conversations. We face challenging decisions on how to prioritize issues like abortion, the death penalty, child poverty, immigration, and physician-assisted suicide. We also face an even more challenging decision – how much do we share about our political leanings, our voting priorities, and our own personal conflicts and doubts?
The dialogue at St. John the Baptist addressed each of these questions, all in a peaceful and supportive environment. The event began with an overview of Catholic Social Teaching through the lens of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops document on voting, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. This conversation allowed participants to reflect on how the Catholic faith guides and informs their views on politics.
The second part of our conversation included a civil dialogue, led by trained facilitators from the Secretariat for Pastoral Ministries and Social Concerns of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. In small groups, participants reflected on their own personal values and how their faith might align or conflict with their political values. As the group navigated through these complex issues, the conversation shifted toward polarization. Each person reflected on action steps they can take within their own parish community to promote life, dignity and justice. The responses reflected the diversity of the gathering; some attendees reflected on pro-life values, others on peacebuilding. Many discussed the importance of service and civic engagement, and how they can live out their Catholic values in tangible ways – regardless of the election results.
The gathering aimed to foster a sense of unity and purpose, reminding participants that we are called to promote dialogue and understanding not just during the election season, but also throughout our daily lives. Participants also enjoyed fellowship and the opportunity to connect over shared aspirations for our community.
Similar gatherings will continue in areas across the Archdiocese of Washington, both before and after the election. The next Faith and Politics session will be hosted at Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish in Owings, Maryland, on Sunday Nov. 17, 2024 at noon. If you are interested in bringing a Faith and Politics workshop to your own parish, please contact the Office of Life Issues at yanikk@adw.org.
(Kathryn Yanik is the Director of Life Issues for The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.)
