Responsible Citizenship

Every four years since 1976, the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a statement on the responsibilities of Catholics to society. The purpose of the statement is to communicate the Church’s teaching that every Catholic is called to active and faith-filled citizenship, based upon a properly informed conscience, so each disciple of Christ publicly witnesses to the Church’s commitment to human life and dignity with special preference for the poor and the vulnerable.

Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility was approved by the USCCB Administrative Committee in September 2003. Faithful Citizenship includes several resources to help Catholics understand their role in the political process, including a statement from the bishops, a statement from the Vatican, planning ideas for parish staffs and parish councils, and a family guide to faithful citizenship.