My dear brothers and sisters in Christ: 

Recently Pope Francis completed the longest journey of his pontificate so far, a 12-day Apostolic Journey in Asia and Oceania, visiting Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore. As is his custom, the Holy Father answered questions from reporters on the flight back to Rome. Often such questions involve complex matters that do not lend themselves to easy sound bites or in-depth analysis, thus perhaps raising more questions that require further discussion and nuance.

Such was the case with the Holy Father’s answer to the question from CBS News reporter Anna Matranga, who asked, “With the U.S. elections coming up, what advice would you give a Catholic voter faced with a candidate who supports ending a pregnancy and another who wants to deport 11 million migrants?” In response, the Pope said, “Both are against life: the one that throws out migrants and the one that kills children. Both are against life. I can’t decide; I’m not American and won’t go to vote there. But let it be clear: denying migrants the ability to work and receive hospitality is a sin, a grave sin.” With regard to abortion, he said, “Having an abortion is killing a human being. Whether you like the word or not, it’s murder.”

The reporter then asked, “In your opinion, Your Holiness, are there circumstances in which it is morally permissible to vote for a candidate who is in favor of abortion?” 

Pope Francis answered, “In political morality, it is generally said that not voting is ugly, it’s not good. One must vote. And one must choose the lesser evil. Which is the lesser evil? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know; each person must think and decide according to their own conscience.”

Before delving into those remarks, it is always important to distinguish the authoritative weight of papal pronouncements. Impromptu remarks offered by a weary traveler after a grueling trip do not have the same precision of expression or authoritative weight as a carefully crafted encyclical or a dogmatic statement issued as an infallible teaching.

That said, it would be good to examine more closely what the Catholic Church officially teaches about the matters referenced in the remarks of Pope Francis.

In terms of comparing the moral implications of abortion and deportation, Pope Francis clearly said in the quote mentioned earlier that abortion is “murder.” This is consistent with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states, “Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law . . . Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes” (n. 2271).

Pope Benedict XVI said in 2005 that “everyone must be helped to become aware of the intrinsic evil of the crime of abortion.” In the Introductory Note to Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the Catholic Bishops of the United States affirmed in November 2023 that the “threat of abortion remains our pre-eminent priority because it directly attacks our most vulnerable and voiceless brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country alone.”

With regard to immigration, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says in paragraph 2241, “The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.” The qualifier phrase, “to the extent that they are able,” indicates that the obligation to help migrants is not absolute. In fact the Catechism goes on to say, “Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.” 

Thus, deportation is not per se illegal or immoral. People are deported for a variety of reasons under both Democratic and Republican administrations. There are also legal safeguards in federal law for refugees to apply for asylum if they would face political or religious persecution if they were to be deported back to their home country. 

The principle of choosing the lesser of two evils has a long tradition in the Catholic Church, going back to St. Thomas Aquinas, who wrote in the Summa Theologiae that the object of the will’s choice is the possible good, not the impossible good (ST I-II q.13, a.5). Consistent with this principle, Pope St. John Paul II taught in Evangelium Vitae (n. 73) that, “when it is not possible to overturn or completely abrogate a pro-abortion law, an elected official, whose absolute personal opposition to procured abortion was well known, could licitly support proposals aimed at limiting the harm done by such a law and at lessening its negative consequences at the level of general opinion and public morality. This does not in fact represent an illicit cooperation with an unjust law, but rather a legitimate and proper attempt to limit its evil aspects.”

When Pope Francis says, “One must vote. And one must choose the lesser evil,” it should be noted that Pope Francis himself pointed out that he is not a American citizen. As such, he may not be aware that there are more than two choices that can be made when voting in an election in the United States. While there are two major political parties, voters in a state such as Illinois may write in the name of a candidate. For example, Peter Sonski and Lauren Onak are running as write-in candidates for President and Vice-President on the ticket of the pro-life American Solidarity Party, which “is committed to the betterment of our nation and world through prudent policies guided by Christian Democratic values.” Please note that I am not endorsing these candidates. The Church will not tell you for whom to vote. I am simply providing information about options of which some voters may be unaware.

In order for voters to decide responsibly “according to their own conscience” for whom to vote, they must see to it that their consciences are properly formed. For Catholics, a properly formed conscience means to make decisions about right and wrong that are consistent with the moral teachings of the Catholic Church. How can you properly form your conscience? You can find a guide at the USCCB’s website entitled, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. Finally, please pray for our country. Mary is the patroness of our country and our diocese. Turning to her intercession as our country faces this important election is something we should all do. 

May God give us this grace. Amen