One of the questions that often weighs on a Catholic’s conscience when elections approach is how to decide which candidate to vote for.
Father Duberley Salazar has developed the “Discern” method, which is presented through short videos available on the “Clínica del Alma” Instagram account. Salazar explained to ACI Prensa that the videos serve “as a practical tool to guide and form one’s conscience in making responsible political decisions.”
“We live in complex times: times of moral confusion, social polarization, and political decisions that profoundly shape the destiny of individuals, families, and peoples. In this context, a decisive question arises: How should a Christian discern when faced with concrete political choices?” the Colombian priest states in the introductory video.
He also points out that Christianity possesses “an inescapable social and political dimension”; consequently, the method is grounded in that “which seeks the common good and which the Gospel illuminates, purifies, and elevates” and seeks to enlighten believers who “experience a disconnect between the faith they profess and the decisions they make in public life.”
“They believe, but they don’t always discern. They vote, but not always from a formed conscience. From this dissonance is born a weak, disembodied faith incapable of transforming history,” he notes.
The videos are based on the “principles of sacred Scripture, the social doctrine of the Church, moral theology, philosophy, political science, bioethics, and psychology, uniting faith and reason, spirituality and social responsibility.”
The program “is neither an ideological manual nor a partisan guide. It is an ethical and spiritual compass, designed to inform the conscience without imposing decisions,” the priest explains.
For example, the first video, titled “God First,” invites viewers to pray and place their vote in God’s hands before making a decision, because “it’s not about choosing what suits me best but rather what glorifies God and promotes the common good.”
The second video, titled “Get Informed,” urges viewers not to vote “blindly” but rather to inform themselves about the situation in their country, each candidate, their platforms, and “their respect for the rule of law, the constitution, and democratic norms.” “Faith does not exclude reason; on the contrary, it enlightens and purifies it,” the video notes.
The method proceeds reflecting on service, consistency with Christian values, listening to that voice within, responsibility, the need to be exemplary in virtue, inspiration that edifies, and resilience.
What to Do When There Is No Ideal Candidate
Salazar explains that if, after evaluating the candidates, none fully meet the criteria, one may “apply the moral principle of the ‘lesser evil’ or the ‘choosing the possible good.’”
“This principle teaches that, in situations where no option is ideal, it is licit to choose the least harmful one or the one that offers greater consistency with Christian values, thereby avoiding contribution to a greater evil or to the deterioration of society,” he states.
The priest points out that “the intention is not to seek human perfection, which no one possesses, but rather to act with responsibility, prudence, and faithful obedience to the Gospel.”
He also noted that St. Thomas Aquinas referred to this moral principle when he said: “Do not do evil so that good may come of it; always do whatever good you can, and avoid whatever evil is possible.”
If one determines that no candidate respects fundamental values, “the option of casting a blank ballot exists in some electoral systems as a way to express your dissatisfaction.” Salazar notes that this option may be legitimate, but it is important “to discern whether this gesture responsibly expresses your will or if it could indirectly favor an option contrary to those values.”
