Catholic organisations step up with general election resources

Catholic organisations have been quick to produce resources designed to be useful to parishes, groups and individuals preparing for the general election on 4 July. Without being party political, the resources are intended to prompt engagement with the election process, highlighting issues of importance to the churches.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has produced “information and guidance on key issues of importance to us, as Catholics, to help inform how we vote”, downloadable from the conference website. The bishops urge Catholics to engage with the election process and to vote. Seven key issues identified are criminal justice, domestic poverty, family life and taxation, education, environment, international, human rights and peacebuilding, life issues and migration.

The Catholic Social Action Network launched a campaign, #RegistertoVote, to encourage everyone in the Catholic community who is eligible, to register to vote and to use their vote on 4 July. “In this campaign, parishes, schools, colleges and university chaplaincies will have a particularly important role to play in encouraging their parishioners and students to register and to cast their vote on 4 July,” said Csan.

Cafod and the Society of St Vincent de Paul have worked together to produce joint resources, stating, “We must make 2024 a year of encounter where we use the general election as a special opportunity to speak with those running for election about the key issues that matter to us as people of faith.”

They offer advice on taking part in hustings and engaging with candidates “to draw attention to the issues that matter most to you and your parish”.

With more than five million Catholics in the UK, the next general election is an opportunity to bring attention to the big issues of our time, they say, suggesting that issues to raise with candidates include climate and the cost of living crisis.

The Columban justice, peace and ecology team offers election guidelines in its latest newsletter such as “materials for discernment, engaging with candidates and manifestos, and, ultimately, playing our part in encouraging candidates to be disturbed by injustice and ready to respond lovingly for the common good”, said team coordinator James Trewby. Themes tie in with Cafod and SVP, with a call for candidates to support the Climate and Nature Bill, which would require the UK to achieve climate and nature targets. It is downloadable from the Columban website, but hard copies of the newsletter can be ordered for distribution in parishes and bringing to meetings.

Further General Election resources have been produced by ecumenical groups including the Joint Public Issues Team, a partnership between the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. They say, “We believe that Christians have an important role to play in elections: to love, to pray, and to vote.”

Green Christian and Operation Noah have also produced a general election pack for churches, again urging churches to support the campaign for the Climate and Nature Bill and to bring it to the attention of candidates.

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