Bishop David Zubik wrote to members of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh about people asking him to endorse candidates.

This year's contentious presidential election has gained the attention of Bishop David Zubik, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.

The diocese contains 628,006 Catholics in six counties: Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence and Washington.

In a letter released this week, Zubik notes an increasing number of Catholics want him to endorse one or the other presidential candidate.

“While I urge all the faithful of our diocese, both the laity and the clergy, to help build a better society by exercising their right to vote, it is not my role nor can it ever be for me to tell anyone for whom to vote. As a church, we must be about addressing issues grounded on our faith and tradition,” Zubik wrote.

Jennifer Antkowiak, executive director of communications and community relations for the diocese, said the bishop was spurred to announce his position.

“People are telling him to speak out for one candidate or the other,” Antkowiak said. “One side or the other is asking the bishop to speak out and endorse 'our guy.'”

“It is not the bishop's role to tell anybody who to vote for,” she said. “The church has always dealt with issues, not candidates.”

To assist Catholics in deciding on the issues, Bishop Zubik has written his letter to the faithful to share Catholic teachings.

The letter, a video from the bishop, guidelines for political activity at parishes and schools in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and other resources on voting and on civility can be found on the diocesan website https://diopitt.org/catholic-voter-guide.

In his letter, Zubik also warns everyone to beware of campaign materials that use the word “Catholic.”

“The only political resources approved by the diocese are located on the diocesan website,” Zubik wrote.

The letter warned not all material from other organizations claiming to be Catholic reflects the fullness of Catholic teaching.

“I have already received many angry complaints from our priests and parishioners that such materials are being distributed. I want to remind everyone that it is diocesan policy that no political materials may be distributed on church or parish property,” Zubik wrote.

Antkowiak said, “As the campaign heats up, the efforts to target Catholic voters increase. People have come out of church to find material jammed under their windshield wipers.”

“Parish properties are not the places for this. It's challenging enough to come out to pray during the pandemic, but to find materials on their cars afterward?” she said.

Antkowiak added the bishop is urging all to understand different options and to treat each other with love, respect and kindness.

“He's afraid if we don't the negative fallout from this could last long after any election,” she said.