At the foundation of all our Respect Life efforts is the need for prayer and sacrifice. We urge you to pray each day for the respect for life at all its stages from fertilization to natural death. This is a wonderful document calling all Catholics to participate in responsible citizenship. Every believer is called to faithful citizenship, to become an informed, active, and responsible participant in the political process. Every voice matters in the public forum.
Every vote counts.
Every act of responsible citizenship is an exercise of significant individual power. Beyond the responsibilities of every Catholic, the Church as an institution also has a role in the political order. This includes educating its members about Catholic social teaching, highlighting the moral dimensions of public policy, participating in debate on matters affecting the common good, and witnessing to the Gospel through the many services and ministries provided by the Catholic community. Our efforts in this area should not be misconstrued. The Church's participation in public affairs does not undermine but enriches the political process and affirms genuine pluralism.