Letters: Bishop went too far on the election

As a practicing Catholic and a voter, I was angered to find out at Mass on Sunday that Bishop William Murphy had instructed the priests in the Diocese of Rockville Centre to read a letter that amounted to electioneering [“Murphy gives voting counsel,” News, Oct. 31].

The bishop insults the intelligence of Catholics when he states that he was not making a political endorsement. By his strong suggestion, we know who he’s endorsing in this election. There are only two presidential candidates from the major political parties.

The so-called pro-life candidate didn’t hold this position before his candidacy. The candidate the bishop appears to support is a reckless individual who has never played by any rules but his own.

Murphy should stick to scripture instead of meddling in the secular affairs of government and elections.

Nicholas Leone, Plainview

Bishop William Murphy and a handful of other Catholic leaders have opted for the single issue of abortion as the litmus test for Catholics when casting their ballots in this presidential election. Their implied endorsement misrepresents the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ election guidelines.

“Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” spells out a different scenario than that espoused by Murphy. It reads, “The Christian faith is an integral unity, and thus it is incoherent to isolate some particular element to the detriment of the whole of Catholic doctrine. A political commitment to a single isolated aspect of the church’s social doctrine does not exhaust one’s responsibility toward the common good.”

In considering my vote, I will look to the candidates themselves, each flawed in his or her own way. When all is said and done, there is one option: Vote your conscience, but vote!

Joseph Volker, Point Lookout

Editor’s note: The writer is founder and coordinator of the Long Beach Island chapter of Pax Christi, a national Catholic peace and justice membership organization.