Ivan Grixti, Lecturer In Financial Accounting, At The University Of Malta
A change in the presidency of the United States has just taken place with Barack Obama giving way to Donald Trump. In a book written over eight years ago, discussing the improbable quest that Obama makes it to the White House, the outgoing US president advised secularists they are “wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door after entering into the public square”. As I discerned whether or not to contest the MEP election in 2014, I too had raised the question: do you leave God waiting at the door when you enter into public life?
The answer I got from learned friends was a straight no. Even Pope Francis dealt with this issue in 2013: “A good Catholic meddles in politics, offering the best of himself – so that those who govern can govern.”
Any member of the electorate cannot shy away from his right to vote, to select whom he deems fit and proper to represent him in parliament. Any practising Catholic who feels he can make a difference should consider actively engaging in politics and, indeed, not retreat from entering public life. Major political parties are not excluding Catholic politicians, indeed, Catholics should offer the best of themselves to assist ‘those who govern’.
Politics, according to the social doctrine of the Church, is one of the highest forms of charity because it serves the common good. The electorate expect their representatives to promote unity, not hatred, and to be good stewards of all the public assets entrusted to them.
In the process of behaving ethically, governments can provide improved educational facilities, quality health services and better social benefits as has been occurring under a Labour government.
Possibly, there could be a bone of contention when discussing and having to make decisions about certain sensitive issues. It can get rather thorny but I believe maturity and common sense should prevail. Different voices, including religious expression, are more than welcome within the moral discussions that take place from time to time.
It is simply acknowledging the power of faith in the lives of Maltese people and joining a serious debate about how to reconcile faith with our modern, pluralistic democracy.
It is in this context that the argument of a secular State makes sense. The separation between the State and the Church must be based on mutual respect. It should not be misinterpreted as anti-clericalism but, rather, having Catholicism as a fundamental part of the Maltese people while legislating for the whole of society in its widest sense.
The Prime Minister has struck such a balance. He was at the forefront of the introduction of divorce in 2011 and of civil unions in 2014, laws that have been delivered respectfully, making a difference to many families. Does this mean the administration has ignored the religious basis ingrained in many people’s lives? Not at all.
Pope Francis himself recently asked priests to discern the situation of persons living in a union that is not considered to be in accordance with the doctrine of the Church on marriage and stressed the obligation to care for these people and integrate them.
Likewise, he expressed deep thoughts about how gay people were treated in the past and recommended that Christians apologise to gay people for marginalising them.
There are other instances, as is the case with abortion and euthanasia, which are indeed a matter of life and death. There are already pro-choice and pro-life movements stirring debate on both issues.
I believe the time is ripe for good Catholics to meddle in Maltese politics and bring to the debate valid argumentation on why the nation should cherish the gift of life.
Edwin Vassallo, Nationalist Mp
A Christian’s duty is to open up closed doors so all may pass through, even if they are of a different belief.
The Christian person is bound to be witness to the logic of the gospel and to the social teachings of the Church within the political scenario. While political parties must do everything in their power to win elections, they also have to make strategic choices within a society made up of various minority groups. This is no easy task, yet, it is fair politics – ‘respectable politics’ – when decisions are made by the party to appeal to most of society.
In this reality, being a Christian and trying to live your faith renders one part of a minority in society. Notwithstanding our Constitution, though the country is culturally Christian, choices are not always faithful to the social teachings of the Church and the logic of the gospel. Relativism has taken hold of our country too.
Any Catholic should feel comfortable living with people of different values, faith and ideas.
The two main political parties are very different from each other. The Nationalist Party is open to different ideas and to people with different perspectives. However, it advocates a political view based on human values, which are Christian values too.
On the contrary, the Labour Party, led by Joseph Muscat, seems to be a totalitarian party that does not allow different views or ideas to flourish unless they are in accordance with the leader’s beliefs. Quite different to Simon Busuttil’s leadership values of inclusivity. The Nationalist Party advocates inclusivity, which translates into freedom, a Christian value and a human right.
One can therefore understand why Busuttil is comfortable leading a party that has values in line with Archbishop Charles Scicluna’s ideas, as expressed in his homily on Independence Day when he spoke of “...the basic aspirations of humanity as a criterion of good governance”. Human values benefit the common good.
Busuttil is a clear example of how a Christian politician’s views are shared without being dogmatic while being based on values that respect human dignity.
The Archbishop said the following on human and Catholic values:
“State government should first and foremost be based on the quest for national unity… In other words the fight against unjust discrimination is a fight for national unity…
“The second transcendental value is ‘goodness’ as an expression of the ‘good’… When the common good is sacrificed to the selfish interests of the few to a pseudo – ethos based on the relentless quest for material gain at all costs, then we can say the State is sick…
“…It is not difficult to connect truthfulness to other values of fairness, right judgement and justice… Governance based on spin, on obscure dealings and on a constant reticence to allow public scrutiny, irrespective of the myriad laws and the solemn promises, is definitely not good governance. Government based on the Orwellian disregard of the truth will one day implode. Whereas transparency and accountability are the values that will make us Maltese truly and rightly proud of our government…
“A government that continues to restore and protect our heritage, that will energetically defend the pristine cleanliness of our seas, that will only allow sustainable development: that is a government that takes beauty to heart, that expresses the nations’ wisdom of the heart.”
I believe that the Christian in politics is the one that will do one’s best to enter political life with the aim of enlightening politics and improve on it. Even if one sees closed doors, one must remain resilient to do one’s best and be an influence to open doors and let in all those of goodwill, even those with a different opinion, thus working together to ensure the common good.