"They are meddlers and pseudo-politicians." My friend was quite upset. He was talking to me about the Jesuits' repeated stand on illegal migration. It is true that this accusation has been often levelled the Jesuits. Remember The Mission? They paid dearly for their defence of human dignity and for their solidarity with the poor. Remember the Jesuit martyrs in San Salvador?
My friend was not impressed when I told him that I totally agree with their stand. I continued: "And I think that the Archbishop should make a symbolic gesture to show our love for illegal immigrants. He should choose 12 and wash their feet in the appointed ceremony next time. He should also direct parish priests to do the same."
My friend's reply is unprintable in a newspaper accessible to children.
He is a good Catholic, and a member of one of the modern lay movements. He goes to Mass regularly, prays and sings holy hymns in between uttering expletives about the Jesuits and their social apostolate. He has a privatised view of Catholicism. Due to his social background and private wealth, he is more imbibed with the spirit of neo-liberalism than the spirit of the Church's social teaching.
He is one of the many Catholics who knows next to nothing about the Church's social teaching, how it is centred on the dignity of the human person and his/her rights from conception, the defence of the vulnerable, the poor, and the family based on marriage, the principle of solidarity and subsidiarity actuated in politics and economics.
Church social teaching has come a long way since Leo XIII, the father of its modern incarnation. It has evolved and continues to creatively adapt centuries-old principles to the contemporary realities of a pluralistic society.
This social doctrine is not an attempt to build a modern version of Christendom. Nor does it try to herd Catholics into one political party. It throws the light of the Word of God on human experience. It aims to guide Catholics who are active in politics, the economy and trade unions. It enlightens leaders and voters.
It gives them the tools which they should use creatively and intelligently while designing political programmes, economic strategies, and social welfare systems. It enlightens Catholics while voting, working, investing, employing people, being citizens and family members.
It is not a one-size-fits all attitude to reality. It respects the pluralistic manifestations of involvement by Catholics in politics and the economy. But it also reminds Catholics that they should be 24/7 Catholics.
Unfortunately, this is a very well-kept secret. Many Catholics know very little about it.
What about the Jesuits?
They never tire of meddling and they want others to do the same. To further this aim, they are organising a systematic course in the Church's social doctrine in conjunction with the Church's Pastoral Formation Institute. The well-kept secret will be unravelled during this course. If you are interested in discovering the secret, call 2167 7841 or e-mail cfj@jesuit.org.mt.