BALTIMORE — U.S. Roman Catholic bishops issued an election-year guide stressing a moral imperative to evaluate candidates according to their position on marriage and abortion. The decision Tuesday followed a brief debate at their national assembly over whether the document reflected the priorities of Pope Francis.
The guide, called "Faithful Citizenship," addresses a broad range of issues in Catholic social teaching, including protecting immigrants and the environment, fighting racism and poverty, and opposing the death penalty. However, the bishops said they consider opposition to gay marriage and abortion rights paramount in this presidential election season and beyond.
