Christians, Politics and Controversy

by Michael J. McMonagle
President
Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania
January 9, 2026

Please consider that Jesus' Disciples have an obligation to participate in "politics" for several temporal and spiritual reasons in fulfillment of an extensive amount of Church teaching based on our Lord's Gospel.

1.    Tyranny is the opposite of politics.

"Politics" in America is the means by which citizens elect some of their civil officials and peacefully influence the decisions of all civil officials.

Thus, Christians and all citizens should have gratitude for the opportunity - and fulfill their responsibility - to participate in "politics."

2.    The Great Commission's Command "to make disciples..." includes those involved in "politics."  Politics also provides excellent opportunities to fulfill the Great Commission.

3.    "Politics" provides an opportunity to, at least partially, fulfill our Lord's Command/Promise of Matthew 25:40 to care for the "least of these."

Politics in America has ended, or at least mitigated, numerous abuses of vulnerable human beings, such as slavery, child labor, denial of suffrage to women, human trafficking, and others.

4.    On the other hand..., the forces of the Culture of Death regularly and successfully use "politics" to dehumanize and attack the right to life of children in the womb, the disabled, the elderly and the terminally ill.  The abandonment of "politics" by Christians will only accelerate and enlarge the deadly gains by the forces of the Culture of Death.

By the way..., the continual efforts by the forces of the Culture of Death in "politics" include a legal ban on praying near abortion chambers, such as in the United Kingdom.

5.    Extensive Church teachings exist that emphasize the obligation of Christians to engage in "politics."  They include Living the Gospel of Life and Faithful Citizenship.

I summarize these teachings in the following 2008 quote from the Pa. Bishops.

"We wish to reiterate that the intentional destruction of innocent human life, as in abortion and euthanasia, is not just one issue among many.  Catholic teaching does not treat all issues as morally equivalent.  The protection of human life from conception until natural death is the preeminent obligation of a truly just society."

The Catholic Bishops of Pa. - October 16, 2008

Regarding the December 17, 2025 vote in the Pa. House, both the Pa. Catholic Conference and the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Office for Life and Family issued a call to "engage in politics" by urging Pa. House Members to oppose the creation of a "right to abortion" in the Pa. Constitution.

6.    I readily acknowledge that the obligation for Christians to engage in "politics" is mostly for the laity.  I also acknowledge that, overall, we lay Catholics, particularly in Southeast Pa., have failed to meet that obligation.

Nevertheless, that failure does not excuse our local clergy from fulfilling their leadership obligation, particularly by boldly proclaiming the teaching of the Pa. Catholic Bishops that I previously quoted.

For example, a brief three-minute message from a priest at Sunday Masses would likely have more positive influence on a Pa. House Member than hundreds of hours of efforts by local laymen and laywomen.

Controversy

I also readily admit that a Catholic clergyman who publicly admonishes a legislator for his or her pro-abortion votes is likely to generate controversy.  However, in advancing our Lord's Gospel, His Disciples should not only expect, but welcome, such controversy.

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I have not come to bring peace, but a sword..."   Matthew 10:34

Offer of Additional Information

For anyone interested, I would gladly provide you with copies of any of the documents and/or further explanations of the teachings to which I refer.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael J. McMonagle