Can Catholics Vote For McCain?

The question is arising everywhere all over the Catholic blogosphere: Is it morally acceptable for a Catholic to vote for a candidate who supports that which is intrinsically evil?

David L. Alexander from Man With Black Hat wrote an email to us recently suggesting that these questions needed an airing. Many questions have arisen out there including issues like torture, birth control, and abortion. If I had been blessed with a few more IQ points, I would like to think I would’ve written what Red Cardigan wrote on this topic:

What kind of reasons could be morally grave enough to allow a Catholic to vote for a candidate who expresses at least some level of support for some intrinsic evil?

I think the candidate would have to be seen as being capable of and committed to the elimination of some other intrinsic evil, or of preventing further harm from taking place. So if a candidate were credibly thought to be more likely to appoint SCOTUS nominees who might eventually limit or even overturn Roe v. Wade, that would be a “morally grave reason” that would not make the candidate’s support of, say, ESCR or the federal funding of abortifacient contraception, a situation that would mandate not voting for that person.

Of course, now we get to the point where we’re talking about prudential concerns. Will McCain, for instance, appoint SCOTUS judges who are strict constructionist and likely to support the right to life?

Read the rest here. It’s well worth it.