Marcin Bogdan: Catholic election Vademecum

The Catholic, like any another citizen, has the right to participate in the elections, and from a moral point of view, it can be said that he has even specified a duty. In this context, it is appropriate to ask what principles a Catholic should follow erstwhile choosing a group or a peculiar candidate to vote for. The Catholic Church frequently referred to this issue, but these were usually general terms of the type: 1 should follow values, 1 should choose according to one's own conscience. In general terms, even those who are allergic to mixing the Church in matters of state did not see anything incorrect in these wordings.

This year, however, there was a kind of breach in practice. The Council of Social Affairs of the Polish Episcopal Conference published on 21 September "The Catholic electoral vademecum". The bishops in a fewer points of the document, referring to the social discipline of the Church, pointed out the basic principles which the Catholic who participated in the elections should follow. The fact that Vademecum was published has already sparked media hype. Liberal-left environments did not even gotta talk on this issue, as in Sukurs came to them different progressive nuns, publishing houses and organizations, specified as the “Congress of Catholics and Catholics”, which Catholicism retained in names, but they follow the thought of the Church totally open. Most interestingly, criticism from these people and organizations boils down to the allegation that the Episcopate in the Vademecum issued clearly indicated the organization to be voted on. The evidence is that the paper does not let Catholics to recognise another forms of intercourse than "monogamous matrimony of other sexes".

If, according to the “progressive Catholics”, the Vademecum's designation of the unacceptable “comparation with the household of another forms of intercourse” is simply a clear indication of the Law, it follows that, according to these “progressive Catholics”, another parties, groups and coalitions in the upcoming parliamentary elections are in favour of a household model based on another forms of coexistence, specified as homosexuality, bisexuality, triolism, group sex, pedophilia, zoophilia or necrophilia. Why, then, are the advocates of the “Open Church” so critical of Vademecum? Do they anticipate the Catholic Church to applaud this kind of deviance and point to voters to vote for parties that let them to call household relationships another than monogamous opposite-sex marriage?

The voice of the Episcopate recalling that there is simply a natural law, a voice recalling that "in matters of non-negotiable values that concern moral order, a Catholic cannot compromise," is in no way the Church's mixing into politics, does not affect the common independency of the state and the Church. These issues are peculiarly delicate to the recently appointed Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś. He firmly states that “the church should not be in politics. He has no right to be there.’ He besides says that "There is no agreement to affect the Church in the election campaign". Like any pastor, including Cardinal Ryś, he has the right to address the faithful in crucial matters, share his visions and thoughts. It would seem that the best place to present the opinion of a Catholic pastor should be Catholic media, Radio Maryja, Our Journal, Sunday, We go or Sunday Guest. But no, Cardinal Ryś directs his word through the anti-Polish and anti-Catholic portal Onet. individual may say that it is written in the Gospel: “Go so and teach all nations ...”. But Cardinal Ryś in Onet does not teach, but is taught, or alternatively taught. The writer asks in a conversation with the emphasis: “Why does the cardinal have no courage to specify this last speech by Kaczyński at Jasna Góra as “scandal”?” Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś answers with a disarming sincerity: “But I said it only in another words. The Gospel does not say to condemn individuals. On the contrary. He says, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged." The point is not to say that individual is simply a full jerk, but that rudeness is something bad.” If, on the threshold of elections, the Cardinal of the Catholic Church gives an interview to a portal that ostentatically supports the full opposition, isn't that the Church's engagement in the election campaign? If in this interview with Onetu Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś allows himself in the context of the individual Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the ruling party, to usage an "completed cham" invector, then isn't this the engagement of the Church in the election campaign? And this entanglement with what a filthy and violent campaign? The vast majority of bishops – unlike Cardinal Rysia – pointed out to Catholic voters the principles that they should follow at the ballot box, while avoiding mentioning the names of organisations and candidates, both worthy and unworthy of support. As Catholics, we received from the Polish Episcopate to consider the "Vademecum of the Catholic electoral". We have the chance to get acquainted with its content and to execute a individual examination of conscience before the elections. As long as we know what a conscience is.

Mr Bogdan