[Campion]

That kind of stuff would be viewed as directly taking sides in the political life of a nation, and the usual suspects would set up the usual hue and cry that the Vatican is a sovereign country interfering in American affairs, that Catholics aren't real Americans because we have divided loyalties, etc.

(Some of those usual suspects are right here on this website, and consider themselves to be conservatives.)

What that means is that the Church would never do that unless and until Catholics are being actively persecuted for their faith, and maybe not even then (because of fear of stirring the pot and causing more harm than good).

If you want to know how this policy developed, read up on the history of late 16th Century England and the Papal Bull Regnans in excelsis.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I disagree, for the reason you gave, that Catholics are being persecuted directly, and worse, not the strong and healthy who can resist, but the unbaptized infants and the elderly. It goes to the very spiritual heart of the church to defend life against death.

Be it Elizabeth, or later Napoleon, or even Hitler, there was little that the church could do to stop tyrants, but in this one election, they might halt the rise of another champion of death. No doubt others would criticize Catholics for doing this, but to fear their criticism is worthless, they would and do despise Catholics in any event.