As long as we’re focusing on citizenship this week (and this election thing is coming up pretty soon), here’s a little something for you grown-ups.

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship is a short document from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that gives guidance on all sorts of issues that are relevant these days.

This statement represents our guidance for Catholics in the exercise of their rights and duties as participants in our democracy. We urge our pastors, lay and religious faithful, and all people of good will to use this statement to help form their consciences; to teach those entrusted to their care; to contribute to civil and respectful public dialogue; and to shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching. The statement lifts up our dual heritage as both faithful Catholics and American citizens with rights and duties as participants in the civil order.

No matter where you stand on this election, we think you’ll agree that “civil and respectful dialogue” would be helpful, and we all have the continued responsibility to continue to form our consciences.  You can read the whole document (under 40 pages) or just use the detailed table of contents to find the parts that are of most interest to you.

Besides the document, you can find a video and other relevant resources on the USCCB’s site.