Dear Editor,

For Catholics, responsible citizenship, including voting, is important. However, a critical issue hasn’t been explained very well to Catholic voters: a political candidate’s position on just one issue disqualifies that candidate from receiving votes from faithful Catholics.

A “disqualifying issue” pertains to actions of intrinsic moral evil: actions which can never at any time or under any circumstances be promoted, committed, or enabled.

A disqualifying issue is so grave and important that it is non-negotiable, making a candidate completely unacceptable for public office at the national, state, and local level.

For example, candidates supporting abortion are immediately disqualified as persons a Catholic may vote for.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops states that Catholics must always oppose policies that violate human life or weaken its protection.

Human life is sacred; attacks on innocent life are never morally acceptable.

Therefore, the intrinsic evil of abortion must be vigorously opposed.

A political candidate who supports abortion disqualifies him/herself as a person Catholics may vote for.

Neither of the presidential candidates is perfectly aligned with Catholic teaching on every issue.

What if, for example, neither candidate is completely pro-life?

Then Catholics must attempt to limit the evil aspects of abortion, by determining which candidate would cause the less damage.

It follows from Saint John Paul’s encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” if neither candidate is completely pro-life, then the vote must be cast for the candidate who will most likely limit the evil of abortion.

Clearly, that candidate is Donald Trump.

Linda MacMonagle

Fairview, Pennsylvania