All of this can easily raise questions in our heart: Why should I vote? Why even get involved in the train wreck that is politics? Especially, as a Catholic, why get involved when it seems like few too many political candidates and political parties fully understand and care about the moral and biblical principles that guide Catholic social teaching?

The simple answer, of course: Jesus Christ. He is the reason why.

Up and Down the Ticket. As we all prepare ourselves for Election Day, one important piece of advice always bears repeating: while it is important to be prepared to vote in major races, like the U.S. Presidency, it is just as important to pay attention to the “down ballot”—to all those races listed after the big ticket races, like the Presidency, U.S. Senate, and U.S House of Representatives.

While battling the Culture of Death and promoting a Culture of Life through policy is critical, advancing the Gospel of Life must be a broader cultural activity that goes beyond the legislative chambers, court rooms, and basements of bureaucratic buildings. Changing minds and hearts on the fundamental issue of human dignity requires concerted efforts within the parish, in the home, on the streets, in our classrooms, through our pregnancy support centers, on our knees, among many other places.