Equally Sacred Issues Checklist
How can we know we are voting for candidates who promote the common good?
Pope Francis makes it clear: Catholics and all people of good will are called to be multi-issue voters, not single-issue voters in the 2024 elections and in our continued participation in public life. This resource can support you in educating yourself as a faithful voter on the issues and concerns that are "equally sacred." The Checklist does not reflect every policy or issue that Catholics should care about. Rather, it focuses on six broad categories of issues--health care, economic justice, climate justice, community harm (violence), democracy, and immigration--which have been part of NETWORK’s policy platform for over 50 years. They reflect the current challenges that people struggle with in their everyday lives and are also the foundation of our current Build Anew public policy agenda.
Freedom to be healthy
The Catholic Church affirms that food and health care are not privileges reserved for the wealthy, but universal rights.
Freedom to live on a healthy planet
Care for our common home is a requirement of the Catholic faith.
Freedom to participate in a vibrant democracy
Catholic teaching affirms that people have a right and a responsibility to participate in our shared political processes.
Freedom to care for ourselves and our families
Catholic teaching promotes the dignity of work, the rights of workers, and an economy that places people over profit.
Freedom from harm
The Catholic Church insists upon every person’s intrinsic worth, dignity, and right to live in safety—with no exceptions.
Freedom to live in a welcoming country that values dignity and human rights
The Catholic Church affirms that we all have a right to migrate to seek a safe and good life for ourselves and our families.