When I was growing up, my father advised me to never sign petitions. He felt that they tied you too much to a group and could at some point be used against you. I admit that this advice stuck with me and sometimes I react negatively to petitions. At the very least, I always read them carefully and never sign unless I am 100% behind the cause.

That being said, I just signed the Manhattan Declaration ^[1]. Even though it was endorsed by many outstanding Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical leaders, I didn’t want to sign it until I read it myself. Now that I have read it (download it here ^[2]), I can say that it is a powerful document defending our pro-life and pro-marriage beliefs, as well as our liberty to hold to and live out those beliefs. I also note that my own ordinary, Archbishop Wuerl, signed the Declaration.

I recommend that you read the Declaration as well and urge you to consider signing it. Even if my father would recommend against it.