Compare the Platforms

Too many citizens vote for one political party or another almost out of habit. Or as one parishioner said to me: "My family have been Democrats for generations, so I'm a Democrat." I suspect many Republican voters would say something similar. 

Such thinking (or lack of it), however, doesn't take into account the changes both parties have undergone in recent decades. These changes are perhaps most obvious when one examines the party platforms and learns exactly what each party believes and what policies it will advance once it has the political power to do so.

Father Frank Pavone, the longtime director of Priests for Life has prepared an excellent document that every citizen should read before voting in November's election. It examines and compares the official platforms of the Republican and Democrat parties. Available as a PDF file, the document is entitled:

A Comparison of the 2016 Republican and Democratic Platforms. A non-partisan guide on issues of concern to the electorate.

Click on the above title to download the document.

And then, with your well-formed conscience, perform your civic duty next month and vote.

Pro-Life Preaching for Deacons on the Ascension

Just an FYI to my brother deacons who might be preaching on the Solemnity of the Ascension (either tomorrow or this Sunday, depending on when their diocese celebrates the feast). Father Frank Pavone, the National Director of Priests for Life, offers some thoughts for deacons on pro-life preaching on the Ascension. His "Deacons for Life" YouTube page can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/deaconsforlife