EDITORIAL

Lessons learned from Campaign 2016

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What lessons did we learn from this year’s presidential election? Surely, this one will be deliberated for decades to come and for the faithful it had special consequences. At stake were the conceivable ramifications of a nation for generations, with vacancies on the Supreme Court and federal courts across our land to be filled. The preeminent issues included the protection human life and God’s natural law.

Unfortunately, what should have been a campaign on issues and policies became a battle of insults and vulgarity, immorality and debauchery. It will take a team of sociologists to predict what effects this spectacle has had on our society, especially our younger citizens and first-time voters. It was by all accounts a deplorable disgrace.

Many watched these displays from the comfort of their couches. They may have complained about the choices, perhaps maybe they even supported the candidates that least represented the teachings of the Church, but did they do enough to bring a sense of decency into the debate?

The greatest lesson men and women of faith should take from the last two years is the need to be more vocal in our political system. With compassion and truth, our nation yearns to return to God-centered values.

Pope Francis reminds the flock that Catholics must get involved in politics no matter how dirty the political process may be. The challenge is to enter in to the world of politics and be the ones that keep it clean — to witness the hope they preach. The growing throwaway culture of America was played out across the nation and watched around the world. Was this really the best we had to offer?