2008 Press Releases

September 25th, 2008
To: National Officers, State Presidents,
County Presidents, Division Presidents
From: Matt Nelligan, AOH, National Pro-Life Chair

Re: Upcoming elections and the Culture of Life

Dear Brothers:
With elections fast approaching and having received a number of calls and e-mails from Brothers across the country, I felt it necessary to send this communication to you to reiterate the position of our Order and of our Church when it comes to how we should weigh issues and judge candidates for election.

As all of you are aware, it is prohibited by our National Constitution for either the AOH as an organization or for any brother in our name to endorse a candidate or a party in any election. That being said, each of us does and should lobby our elected officials and make judgments about who should be elected based upon the issues and principles that we hold dear as Hibernians. Foremost among these issues is the right to life and specifically opposition to abortion.

In their 2008 election pamphlet Conscience and the Catholic Voter, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is clear in their conviction that abortion is “An intrinsically evil action, that must always be rejected and opposed and must never be supported or condoned.” Since the 1973 Roe V Wade decision 49 million lives have been lost, and more are in jeopardy with each passing day. Furthermore the Bishops tell us “A Catholic may never vote for candidates precisely because they advocate and advance intrinsic moral evils like abortion, to do so is to cooperate formally (intentionally) with a grave evil.”

What this pamphlet tells us is that we have a moral obligation as practicing Catholics to fully examine the record of all candidates for public office, and cast our votes for those that are Pro-Life. The obvious follow up question is “What should I do, if both candidates for office are pro-abortion?” In these cases the Catholic Conference says that some may choose to not vote at all and others may “vote for the candidate less likely to pursue a morally flawed position and more likely to advance other authentic human goods.” 

I urge you to carefully consider the positions of all candidates for office this November before casting your ballots. But, also to remember that as Catholics we do not place all issues on the same moral plain. The protection of the innocent unborn is the most important Human Rights issue of our day. We should support those running for public office that understand and support this simple truth. This is not about party or personality it is about right and wrong.

Yours in our motto,

Matt Nelligan
National Pro-Life Chairman
Ancient Order of Hibernians