Carl Anderson, head of the Knights of Columbus, released an
e-book of his three recent major speeches on responsibility in the
voting booth, asserting that Catholics can transform politics by
withholding votes from “candidates and propositions that oppose Church
teaching on matters of intrinsic evil.”
“Catholics and other Christians will find in this e-book a
thought-provoking conversation about our political situation today and
how we ought to approach our responsibility in voting,” Anderson said.
He said faith should transcend party affiliation “in every case.”
Religious believers should approach politics “from the point of view of
their Bible and religion,” and not see their religion through the lens
of politics.
Anderson’s e-book “Proclaim Liberty: Notes on the Next Great
Awakening” was released by the Random House imprint Image Books on
Oct. 9.
It contains three speeches Anderson has given in the last year:
his National Catholic Prayer Breakfast speech, his Catholic Press
Association speech, and his speech to the Catholic Association of Latino
Leaders.
The e-book is available from online booksellers for those with
e-book readers or the appropriate computer, tablet or smartphone
software, the Knights of Columbus said.
Anderson said Catholics should withhold their votes from candidates
and ballot measures that support intrinsic evil “in every case, in every
race for political office, regardless of the party of the candidate.”
“Though it is impossible to say which party might benefit most in
the long run, if Catholics take such a stand, we could literally change
the face of our country’s political debates,” Anderson stated.
The speeches in his e-book examine how to vote with a well-formed conscience.
He also discusses the religious freedom controversy surrounding the
Department of Health and Human Services mandate, which forces many
religious institutions and individuals to provide insurance coverage for
abortion-causing drugs, sterilization and contraception against their
conscience.
Anderson said Catholics make up 25 percent of the U.S. population
and are “uniquely suited” to transform the political process.
He urged
Catholics to vote in a manner consistent with their faith on “core
issues” and to bring charity into the political process.
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal charitable organization with over 1.8 million members worldwide.