There seems to be a stereotype that all Christians are Republicans and that the only Democrats are either atheist, agnostic, or are not a part of any organized religion. This is probably due to the fact that America is currently facing a political crisis where there seems to be a huge division between its people. One side is all for the Republican party, while the other will only agree with Democratic viewpoints.

Xavier Theology teacher Dr. Michael Lueken believes that “faith commitments cannot but help to shape how the voting goes” and points out that most Arizona Catholics tend to “vote Republican.” However, Dr. Lueken states that “no Catholic should be at home in either of the major parties.” An important thing to remember is that no political party is better than the other, and as Catholics, we should strive to vote for what is in the best interest of the Catholic Church.

This outlook on politics can be difficult for many people as most American voters say that they identify as a Democrat, Republican, or anything in-between. The idea of putting labels on one’s political beliefs is comforting, most likely because it provides a way for people to explain why they voted for something or someone.

In reality, we should be voting for what we personally think is best for our country and faith instead of simply sticking with what our favorite political party says we should do.