Faithful Citizenship Minutes

SCRIPTS AND AUDIO FOR RADIO

Aug 28, 2024

These scripts can be helpful for Catholic radio stations as they work to educate their listeners on the Church’s teaching on involvement in public life. These public service announcements are largely based on the USCCB document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship with the introductory note adopted in November 2023. These PSAs (both the scripts and the audio versions) are available for use without permission under a Creative Commons license. Though not required, I would love to know if these are being used on your station (you can click here to email me).

These are scripted and timed to fit inside sixty second radio spots. Due to restrictions in the license, the script may not be changed other than the name of the presenter. Numbers 1-8 are written to be aired prior to an election and number 9 to be aired following an election.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PRE-MADE AUDIO VERSIONS.

Single issue voting

THIS IS A FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP MINUTE. WHEN YOU TALK POLITICS WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY, YOU MAY BE URGED TO NOT BE A SINGLE ISSUE VOTER AND INSTEAD TO THINK ABOUT THE CANDIDATE AS A WHOLE. WHILE THIS CAN MAKE SENSE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT SOME ISSUES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS. THE US BISHOPS WROTE IN FORMING CONSCIENCES FOR FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP THAT PROTECTING HUMAN LIFE AND COMBATING ABORTION IS THE PRE-EMINENT POLITICAL PRIORITY OF AMERICAN CATHOLICS AND PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL. THE BISHOPS WRITE THAT THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON IS THE FOUNDATION OF A MORAL VISION FOR SOCIETY.. IF OUR GOVERNMENT CANNOT GUARANTEE THE RIGHT TO LIFE TO A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE, IT CANNOT GUARANTEE ANY OTHER RIGHTS. REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, REMEMBER TO PRAY, MAKE A PLAN, AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER. I’M insert name here, FOR MORE GO TO PURPLE CATHOLIC DOT COM.

Tone of political debate

THIS IS A FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP MINUTE. WHEN WE OR OUR CANDIDATES DEBATE, IT IS TEMPTING AND INDEED EASY TO TRY AND OWN OR SLAM OUR OPPONENT, RATHER THAN CHALLENGE HIS OR HER POSITIONS. ST JAMES OFFERS US A BETTER WAY TO DIALOGUE. IN HIS EPISTLE, HE WRITES, “WISDOM FROM ABOVE IS FIRST PURE, THEN PEACEABLE, GENTLE, OPEN TO REASON, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS, WITHOUT UNCERTAINTY OR INSINCERITY.” SAINT PAUL WROTE TO THE EPHESIANS, “LET NO EVIL TALK COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS, BUT ONLY SUCH AS GOOD FOR EDIFYING, AS FITS THE OCCASION, THAT IT MAY IMPART GRACE TO THOSE WHO HEAR.” AD HOMINEM ATTACKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON TELEVISION, OR IN PERSON DO NOT FULFILL THESE COMMANDS. REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, REMEMBER TO PRAY, MAKE A PLAN, AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER. I’M insert name here, FOR MORE GO TO PURPLE CATHOLIC DOT COM.

Duty to participate

THIS IS A FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP MINUTE. IT CAN BE TEMPTING TO WANT TO STEP OUTSIDE OF POLITICS AND SIMPLY CHOOSE TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC ACTIVITIES SUCH AS VOTING. BUT AS CATHOLICS LIVING IN A REPUBLIC WITH THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD, WE HAVE A DUTY TO PROMOTE HUMAN DIGNITY, JUSTICE, AND PEACE. AS THE LATE POPE BENEDICT SIXTEENTH WROTE IN DEUS CARITAS EST, THE DIRECT DUTY TO WORK FOR A JUST ORDERING OF SOCIETY IS PROPER TO THE LAY FAITHFUL. THE US BISHOPS ELABORATE ON THIS IN FORMING CONSCIENCES FOR FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP. THEY WRITE THAT ESPECIALLY IN A MOMENT WHEN CATHOLICS MAY FEEL DISENFRANCHISED, IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO APPLY CHURCH TEACHING TO MATTERS OF THE PUBLIC SQUARE. REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, REMEMBER TO PRAY, MAKE A PLAN, AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER. I’M insert name here, FOR MORE GO TO PURPLE CATHOLIC DOT COM.

Life

THIS IS A FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP MINUTE. THE US BISHOPS HAVE TAUGHT THAT PROTECTING HUMAN LIFE IS THE PRE-EMINENT POLITICAL PRIORITY OF AMERICAN CATHOLICS AND ALL PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL, BUT THEY ALSO WARN OF TWO TEMPTATIONS THAT CAN LEAD TO MORE EVIL. FIRSTLY, THEY WARN AGAINST EQUIVOCATING MULTIPLE LIFE ISSUES AS ALL BEING EQUAL. EVEN THOUGH GUN VIOLENCE AND CRIME ARE INJUSTICES AND AFFRONTS TO HUMAN DIGNITY, ABORTION IS A GREATER EVIL DUE TO THE MILLIONS OF LIVES IT TAKES EVERY YEAR. SECONDLY, THE BISHOPS TEACH THAT OTHER INJUSTICES CANNOT BE TOTALLY DISMISSED EITHER. EVEN THOUGH COMBATTING ABORTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POLITICAL PRIORITY, CONFRONTING OTHER INJUSTICES SUCH AS DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT (GOD’S CREATION) AND RACISM MUST BE ADDRESSED AS WELL. REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, REMEMBER TO PRAY, MAKE A PLAN, AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER. I’M insert name here, FOR MORE GO TO PURPLE CATHOLIC DOT COM.

Making decisions

THIS IS A FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP MINUTE. MAKING DECISIONS SUCH AS WHO TO VOTE FOR IS COMPLEX AND REQUIRES A WELL FORMED CONSCIENCE. IN ITS DOCTRINAL NOTE ON SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PARTICIPATION OF CATHOLICS IN POLITICAL LIFE, THE VATICAN’S DICASTERY FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH SAID THAT A WELL FORMED CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE DOES NOT PERMIT ONE TO VOTE FOR A POLITICAL PROGRAM OR INDIVIDUAL LAW WHICH CONTRADICTS THE FUNDAMENTAL CONTENTS OF THE FAITH AND MORALS. THE US BISHOPS SAY IN FORMING CONSCIENCES FOR FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP THAT PRUDENCE MUST BE EXERCISED WHEN TAKING POSITIONS ON ARMED CONFLICT, HOUSING, IMMIGRATION, AND OTHER ISSUES. IT DOESN'T MEAN ALL ISSUES ARE EQUAL, BUT THAT THE CHURCH’S TEACHING MUST BE APPLIED WHEN MAKING POLITICAL DECISIONS. REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, REMEMBER TO PRAY, MAKE A PLAN, AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER. I’M insert name here, FOR MORE GO TO PURPLE CATHOLIC DOT COM.

Common good

THIS IS A FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP MINUTE. YOU MAY HEAR CANDIDATES SAY THAT THEIR POLICIES SUPPORT THE COMMON GOOD. WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS A DEFINITION OF THE COMMON GOOD. THE VATICAN TWO CONSTITUTION GAUDIUM ET SPES SAYS THAT THE COMMON GOOD IS THE “SUM TOTAL OF SOCIAL CONDITIONS WHICH ALLOW PEOPLE, EITHER AS GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS, TO REACH THEIR FULFILLMENT MORE FULLY AND MORE EASILY.” THE US BISHOPS TEACH THAT THIS MEANS PROTECTING HUMAN DIGNITY AND MAKING AVAILABLE THE THINGS NEEDED FOR HUMAN DECENCY, SUCH AS SHELTER, FOOD, HEALTHCARE, EDUCTION, AND FREEDOM OF RELIGION. SO WHEN A CANDIDATE SAYS THEIR POLICIES PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD, THINK ABOUT HOW THEY MAY AFFECT HUMAN DIGNITY AND WHETHER THEY PROMOTE HUMAN FLOURISHING. REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, REMEMBER TO PRAY, MAKE A PLAN, AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER. I’M insert name here, FOR MORE GO TO PURPLE CATHOLIC DOT COM.

The economy

THIS IS A FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP MINUTE. WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING, CANDIDATES OFTEN TOUT DIFFERENT ECONOMIC POLICIES. IN FORMING CONSCIENCES FOR FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP, THE US BISHOPS TEACH THAT THE ECONOMY MUST SERVE THE PEOPLE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. POPE FRANCIS WRITES IN EVANGELII GAUDIUM, THAT THE ECONOMY MUST HAVE MECHANISMS AND PROCESSES SPECIFICALLY GEARED TO A BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME, THE CREATION OF SOURCES OF EMPLOYMENT, AND AN INTEGRAL PROMOTION OF THE POOR WHICH GOES BEYOND A SIMPLE WELFARE MENTALITY. WORK IS MORE THAN A SOURCE OF INCOME, IT IS A WAY TO PARTICIPATE IN GOD’S CREATION. CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING IS CLEAR: ECONOMIC POLICY MUST PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS AND PROMOTE HUMAN DIGNITY. REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, REMEMBER TO PRAY, MAKE A PLAN, AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER. I’M insert name here, FOR MORE GO TO PURPLE CATHOLIC DOT COM.

The church’s role

THIS IS A FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP MINUTE. SOMETIMES WE MAY GET FRUSTRATED THAT IT SEEMS THAT THE LEADERSHIP IN OUR CHURCH DOESN’T SPEAK LOUDLY ENOUGH FOR OR AGAINST POLITICAL CANDIDATES. IN FORMING CONSCIENCES FOR FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP, THE BISHOPS MAKE CLEAR THAT THE CHURCH IS NOT PARTISAN; IT CANNOT ENDORSE A CANDIDATE OR PARTY. AS SAINT JOHN PAUL THE SECOND WROTE IN Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, THE CHURCH’S SOCIAL DOCTRINE IS NOT AN IDEOLOGY, BUT RATHER THE FORMULATION OF THE REALITIES HUMAN EXISTENCE IN THE LIGHT OF THE CHURCH’S TRADITION. THE US BISHOPS TEACH THAT DIALOGUE WITH LEADERS IS IMPORTANT AND THAT IT CAN WORK TO PERSUADE PUBLIC OFFICIALS, BUT THAT PHOTO OPS ARE WORTHLESS. REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, REMEMBER TO PRAY, MAKE A PLAN, AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER. I’M insert name here, FOR MORE GO TO PURPLE CATHOLIC DOT COM.

Conclusion

THIS IS A FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP MINUTE. AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN THE VOTES ARE TALLIED, WE MAY BE JOYFUL OR SADDENED DEPENDING ON THE RESULT. EVEN IF OUR PREFERRED CANDIDATE OR POLICY DIDN’T WIN ITS PARTICULAR RACE, WE MUSTN’T BE DISCOURAGED AND CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE. AS THE US BISHOPS WRITE IN FORMING CONSCIENCES FOR FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT BUILDING A WORLD OF RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE AND DIGNITY, WHERE JUSTICE AND PEACE PREVAIL REQUIRES MORE THAN JUST A POLITICAL COMMITMENT. ST JAMES WROTE IN HIS EPISTLE, THE HARVEST OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SOWN IN PEACE AND BY THOSE WHO MAKE PEACE. THIS MEANS THAT EVERY DAY WE MUST SAY YES TO JESUS AND HIS COMMANDS: NAMELY TO LOVE GOD AND LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR, AND IF WE OBEY THESE TWO COMMANDS, OUR QUEST FOR JUSTICE AND HUMAN DIGNITY WILL PREVAIL. I’M insert name here, REMINDING YOU TO PRAY FOR YOUR LEADERS TODAY. FOR MORE GO TO PURPLE CATHOLIC DOT COM.