New e-book on Catholic voting urges political transformation

New Haven, Conn., Oct 6, 2012 / 05:37 pm (CNA).- Carl Anderson, head of the Knights of Columbus, will release an e-book of his three recent major speeches on responsibility in the voting booth, asserting that Catholics can transform politics by withholding votes from “candidates and propositions that oppose Church teaching on matters of intrinsic evil.”

“Catholics and other Christians will find in this e-book a thought-provoking conversation about our political situation today and how we ought to approach our responsibility in voting,” Anderson said.

He said faith should transcend party affiliation “in every case.” Religious believers should approach politics “from the point of view of their Bible and religion,” and not see their religion through the lens of politics.

Anderson’s e-book “Proclaim Liberty: Notes on the Next Great Awakening” will be released by the Random House imprint Image Books on Oct. 9. It contains three speeches Anderson has given in the last year: his National Catholic Prayer Breakfast speech, his Catholic Press Association speech, and his speech to the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders.

The e-book will be available from online booksellers for those with e-book readers or the appropriate computer, tablet or smartphone software, the Knights of Columbus said.

Anderson said Catholics should withhold their votes from candidates and ballot measures that support intrinsic evil “in every case, in every race for political office, regardless of the party of the candidate.”

“Though it is impossible to say which party might benefit most in the long run, if Catholics take such a stand, we could literally change the face of our country’s political debates,” Anderson stated.

The speeches in his e-book examine how to vote with a well-formed conscience.

He also discusses the religious freedom controversy surrounding the Department of Health and Human Services mandate, which forces many religious institutions and individuals to provide insurance coverage for abortion-causing drugs, sterilization and contraception against their conscience.

Anderson said Catholics make up 25 percent of the U.S. population and are “uniquely suited” to transform the political process. He urged Catholics to vote in a manner consistent with their faith on “core issues” and to bring charity into the political process.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal charitable organization with over 1.8 million members worldwide.