Cardinal Joseph Tobin had reminded US Catholics of their duty to actively participate in the political process no matter how off putting the inflamed political rhetoric may be and regardless whether either major party’s candidate represents Church teaching on important issues.

Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, made the comments in a recent letter to US Catholics, in which he urged voters not to lose faith in the US democratic system, no matter how stress-tested it may seem, and to keep their sights set on the common good for the country.