PART I - Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: The US Bishops’ Reflection on Catholic Teaching and Political Life - How Does the Church Help the Catholic Faithful to Speak About Political and Social Questions? - Making Moral Choices

3939. This calls for a heroic commitment on the part of Catholics who are politicians and other leaders in society. Having been entrusted with special responsibility for the common good, Catholic leaders must commit themselves to the pursuit of the virtues, especially courage, justice, temperance, and prudence. The culmination of these virtues is the strong public promotion of the dignity of every human person as made in the image of God in accord with the teachings of the Church, even when it conflicts with current public opinion. Catholic politicians and legislators must recognize their grave responsibility in society to support laws shaped by these fundamental human values and oppose laws and policies that violate life and dignity at any stage from conception to natural death. This is not to bring a “Catholic interest” to the political sphere, it is to insist that the truth of the dignity of the human person, as discovered by reason and confirmed by revelation, be at the forefront of all political considerations.

PART I - Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: The US Bishops’ Reflection on Catholic Teaching and Political Life - What Does the Church Say About Catholic Social Teaching in the Public Square?—Four Principles of Catholic Social Teaching

The permanent principles of the Church’s social doctrine constitute the very heart of Catholic social teaching. These are the principles of: the dignity of the human person, . . . the common good; subsidiarity; and solidarity. These principles [are] the expression of the whole truth about man known by reason and faith . . .” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, no. 160)