The role of GKK and parish in elections

Can a GKK or parish endorse a candidate for election? Can a GKK leader or parish priest campaign for a particular party or candidate?

It is important that the GKK and the parish promote communion and collaboration. Election period should not become an opportunity of division and enmity among members in the Church. That is why, “the clergy can teach moral doctrines covering politics but cannot actively involve themselves in partisan politics. In practice, religious men and women are also included in this prohibition” (PCP II 340).

The Church must always be an instrument of true Christian brotherhood/sisterhood and not an instrument of contempt and mistrust. So pastors must “enunciate moral principles regarding the political order and action while it is the laity’s to act in direct political action according to those principles” (PCP II 341).

Led and brought together by our parish priests, GKK’s must serve as the light and guidance of the constituents. “Pastors, besides having a teaching function, are also the foci of unity in Church communities of all levels and for them to take active part in partisan politics, in the wheeling and dealing that it entails, would tend to weaken their teaching authority and destroy the unity they represent and protect” PCP 343).

Only when our GKKs are properly enlightened and educated can we truly have clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful elections.