Fool Me Once...Shame On Me.

On Tuesday, January 20, 2009 I watched the 44^th President of the USA take his office.  I remember where I was (in my friend Danny’s basement) and how proud I was to be an American that morning.  I was watching the first African American take the highest office of our county.  I have two unfortunate confessions to make here: first, I did not vote for the President that year and two, if I had voted it would have been for Barak Obama. 

At the time I was pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, pro-helping the poor, and anti-anything republican.  All I needed was a tie dye shirt, bandana, and some illegal drugs to complete my hippie persona.  To complete this horrible picture I have painted for all my good Catholic readers out there I was against the Church on almost everything yet still called myself “Catholic.”

Some may be asking now “how did you get in the seminary?” “do you still believe in these things?” Please allow me to explain.  I went to the seminary because I felt God was calling me to priesthood (and I still do).  It was in the seminary when the TRUTH was FINALLY taught to me!  I learned why the Church is against abortion and the notion of “pro-choice”, I learned the reasons behind Church teaching that marriage is only for one man and one woman, I learned the TRUTH!  So do I still believe today all the evil things I believed in 2009?  Not the evil ones (such as abortion & gay marriage) but I still believe in my good ones (end all unjust wars, help our immigrants, help the poor, affordable health care, etc).  

Now the ultimate question: will I vote this year and for who?

I will be voting this year but NOT for Barak Obama.  NO CATHOLIC IN GOOD CONSCIENCE CAN VOTE FOR PRESIDENT BARAK OBAMA!  I say this for three HUGE reasons. 

1.  Barak Obama is taking away “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty.”  With President Obama in office we will lose our religious freedom.  You don’t even have to be Catholic to, in good conscience, agree with this point…you just have to be religious. 
   
2. Barak Obama is Pro-Death!  By giving away (and forcing others against their conscience to give away) free birth control and giving more funding to Planned Parenthood to assist women in abortions Barak Obama is advocating a pro-death country.
   
3. Barak Obama supports gay marriage.  As Catholics we believe that God created Man and Woman so that together they can co-create out of love with God.  Two men and two women cannot co-create with God.  Catholics cannot be pro-gay marriage. 

These are three reasons why no Catholic can, in good conscience, vote for Barak Obama.  We will lose our religious freedom, millions of people will die, and families will be destroyed. 
 

While Romney is pro-life, pro-natural marriage, and pro-religious freedom he isn’t perfect either.  Romney is not very charitable in his immigration policies along with some other things, however, he is on the side of the Catholic Church on the above three points.  

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) tells us “In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation.” (Faithful Citizenship)  However, it is possible for a Catholic not to vote for anyone if they feel they can’t in good conscience. 

I am not sure who I will be voting for yet, if I feel I can vote at all, but I do know this…I will NOT be voting for Barak Obama.  

Please bring this important decision we will all have to make in November to prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your conscience so that you will be able to vote for the right candidate.  All Catholics, as disciples of the Lord, are called to protect Holy Mother Church.  Let us keep that call in mind as we make these important decisions.