American Catholics have a dual heritage, said Ryan Hamilton, government relations associate for the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the state’s Catholic bishops.  

Through baptism, instilled with the light of Christ, Catholics are citizens of the kingdom of heaven, Hamilton said. And as Americans, citizens of a representative democracy, everyone is called to participate in public life and contribute to the common good, he said.  

Ryan Hamilton

“Our system requires active participation by us, the citizens,” Hamilton said. “And so faithful citizenship is the term we use to describe how Catholics are meant to live out that dual heritage and bring the richness of our faith into the public square.” 

Hamilton shared his thoughts during a conversation about the Nov. 8 midterm elections for the “Practicing Catholic” radio show hosted by Patrick Conley. Hamilton referred to something Pope Francis said in 2013 about politics: That good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves, so that leaders can govern.  

MCC staff use the phrase “form, inform and transform” to describe “ways we are called to participate, or the ways to practice faithful citizenship,” Hamilton said. Catholic social teaching helps Catholics form their conscience, he said, and once formed, “we need to inform ourselves about the candidates’ positions.” 

“So making an informed vote requires that we get to know these folks,” he said. “We need to be in relationship with our elected officials,” so the first interaction isn’t after the elections. “Let’s be in a relationship starting now, when they’re candidates,” he said. 

Voting resources available on the MCC website include candidate questionnaires, video interviews with Minnesota House and Senate candidates, information on Catholic social teaching and an election statement from the Minnesota bishops on Catholic social teaching and “reclaiming the word ‘justice,’” Hamilton said, including prenatal justice as a “pre-eminent consideration in …. voting.”  

To hear tips on getting to know candidates and learn points of agreement and disagreement, and to hear the full interview, listen to this episode of the “Practicing Catholic” show at 9 p.m. Oct. 21. The show also repeats 1 p.m. Oct. 22 and 2 p.m. Oct. 23, all on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.  

To read the letter from Catholic bishops and find election resources, including polling locations, visit mncatholic.org/electionresources.  

Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with Kendra Tierney, speaker and expert on liturgical living and owner of the Catholic All Year blog, who describes liturgical living; and Mass Class with Father Tom Margevicius, director of worship for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, who discusses the Communion rite.  

Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at https://anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show.