A Time for Discernment

How can we discern during this political season? It certainly has been a roller coaster. But there is a sure way to approach it.

As Catholics, we are allowed to vote for a candidate who represents the least opposition to Catholic doctrines. When looking at the two candidates, even with Trump’s recent IVF statement, Harris is clearly the bigger threat to our faith. Her stand on abortion and so-called gay marriage are two examples. Also, she has routinely in her career found Christians an easy target (think David Daliedan).

But what about her stand on other issues? Perhaps we can get perspective by looking at a few recent events. Keep in mind that she is intrinsically tied to the Biden Administration, parroting and supporting its policies.

In the last few days [and this is tip-of-the-iceberg]:

Columbia U. has anti-Israel protests erupt, resuming their fear-tactic, leftist activities, raising fear among students and creating a dangerous atmosphere. Biden and Harris have made no firm stand against this type of activity.

A young teen girl watching her brother’s little league game in a small, obscure town in Indiana is attacked by an illegal who knocks her off the bleachers and proceeds to stab her multiple times. He led the parents and authorities on a manhunt into the nearby forest, where he is finally caught. [SIDEBAR: when you see his photo, it’s hard to not associate his appearance with pure evil.] There has been no comment from either Biden or Harris condemning this act.

Hamas murders six innocent hostages (including two Americans) in order to prevent an imminent rescue. And the US places blame on Israel, pushing for a cease fire instead of standing with them over yet another outrageous terrorist move by Hamas [SIDEBAR: how would any of us have responded after 9/11 if the world told us to suck it up and stand down? BTW, Israel stood with us…hmmm.] Both Biden and Harris have made it clear that their support for Israel is lip service, and they support a cease fire rather than publicly and consistently standing by Israel and condemning the ones who began this in October 2023.

So my question remains the same as it’s been: how can we as Catholics, knowing full-well that incidents like these have been caused by a weak administration which she is part of, support a candidate who stands behind policies that led to these tragedies?

The current VP should in no way be allowed to be our next president…no matter what platitudes and policy 180°’s she spews. Those new ideas are political posturing. She represents all that has broken down in the last 3.5 years.

Politics is a human creation. Catholics should never allow political ideologies to guide discernment. Instead, we need to first be well-formed and look at how a candidate’s stand lines up with Catholicism. That is how we can be salt and light in this dark world. Then, beyond that, we need to take an intellectually honest look at other issues, such as the three points above (as well as the economy, the dangers of border policies, etc.)

The words Socialism and Communism are nothing to ignore. Our Lady of Fatima warned of this evil that would come from Russia and spread throughout the world. The US has held out thus far, but we are not immune. If we are observant, we can see it creeping in via the modern democratic party over the years. This administration is no exception, and the democratic candidate is up to her ears in the ideology that moves us toward the very thing of which Mary warned.

Catholics, you can make a difference. Set aside complaints against personalities, and instead look carefully at how each candidate lines up with our faith. Make a list and compare the two. Then, look at the peripheral issues that plague our Country.

The power to halt and reverse our society’s ills lies in your hands. Vote wisely, as all Catholics should. We don’t need to go by visceral reactionary methods as others do. Instead, we have doctrine and the Holy Spirit as a guide to our discernment.

Thanks be to God.