ELECTION 2022

ELECTION 2022

VOTING FOR THE COMMON GOOD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 2022
Dear Friends,

As we enter the third year of trying to “live with Covid” many of us approach the impending federal
election tired, hurt, and anxious. This election will be perhaps like no other. We are not sure if we
can turn up to vote in person, whether the democracy sausage sizzle will meet us when we get
there, and more importantly, in time of such tumult, what guides our vote?

As Australians and as Christians, we are challenged to reflect on the values and issues we want our
country to consider as we face this particular period in our history.

Voting is a very personal choice, nevertheless we come to it as a community that tries to hold true to
Catholic social teaching (CST). So, before the chaos, controversy and drama of the federal election
campaign obscures the path ahead, we wanted to offer you a possible source of reflection.
Attached you will find a series of documents we hope calls us forward to do three things.

FIRST, we have written a short document on the urgency and imperative of CST. SECONDLY, we
have included a number of briefing documents on issues that have real relevance to both CST and
the state of our nation. If you find them useful, we encourage you to share them with your
community, school, friends and family. FINALLY, we are asking each of us to think about, talk about,
pray about, and finally vote on our values in this coming election.

From the fires of 2019 to the women’s march for justice and the enormous battering we have all
taken from Covid-19, the last three years have seen tectonic changes take place in the way we live,
work and pray. The way forward remains unclear, and we are suffering historic low levels of trust in
many institutions, but especially political parties. That’s why we must find true North by returning
to teaching that prioritises the vulnerable, that speaks truth to power, that recognises we are all
made in the image and likeness of our God.

We need our values, our call for justice and equity to be heard around the nation during this election
campaign. Let’s walk this path together and remember we are all always called to community, to
solidarity with the powerless, and to love.

If you believe that it would be helpful, would you kindly distribute this Kit to your communities with
an encouragement that it be distributed to parish, social justice and educational groups, discussed in
community and social justice gatherings, and shared with friends.

To access the Election Kit, please click on one of the links below.

Election Kit 2022 (B&W)

Election Kit 2022 (Canva)