State Deputy's Message on FL Amendments

Brothers, as you know, the Church’s teachings and the Sacrament of Marriage are under attack.

Proposition 8 seeks to defend the teachings of Christian beliefs.  Please read it carefully and vote it appropriately.  As stated by the Conference of Catholic Bishops, “

We must begin with the commitment never to intentionally kill or collude in the killing, of any innocent human life, no matter how broken, unformed, disabled or desperate that life may seem.

The truth of it is:

As long as the society accepts the commercial destruction of the youngest and weakest, none are safe.  The human family will make little progress dealing with capital punishment, poverty, euthanasia and other attacks on human life and dignity, if we allow the routine destruction of our youngest and most helpless sisters and brothers.

Pope John Paul II reminds us in the Gospel of Life, It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop.”

A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as the direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life.

Proposition 6 seeks to preserve the sacrament of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.  This does not cut off protection for the parties of a civil union, if that is what the legislature desires, but it does seek to take the government out of defining the Church’s sacrament which existed long before the government stepped in to protect the parties to the marriage and the children.

When we register to vote, we willingly accept the task of becoming educated on the issues and candidates and voting with a properly formed conscience.  The bishops do not intend to tell Catholics for whom or against whom to vote.  Their purpose is to help Catholics form their consciences in accordance with God’s truth.  They recognize that the responsibility to make choices in political life rests with each individual in light of a properly formed conscience.

VOTE YOUR CONSCIOUS!  To support our Church and the sacrament of marriage I urge you to consider your vote carefully, exercise your informed conscious and consider voting for both of these propositions.

God bless,

CHRISTOPHER E. KERNAN
State Deputy