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Antonio J. Ledesma
February 26, 2019
Inq7
“Politics, though often denigrated, remains a lofty vocation and one of the
highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it seeks the common good,” said Pope
Francis.
It is in this light that the bishops have pointed out three challenges for the
Catholic laity to be actively involved during the election campaign period.
The first call is to form circles of discernment. This may be actualized
through Basic Ecclesial Communities, clusters of household heads among
religious lay organizations, or any grouping of concerned citizens. Group
discernment should be more enriching and enlightening instead of relying on
one’s solitary perceptions.
A second directive from the bishops runs counter to the traditional view that
the Church should stay neutral in politics because of the separation of
Church and State. Instead, the institutional leaders of the Church have
counseled the lay faithful to engage in principled partisan politics —
“principled” in the sense that Christians should be guided by moral values
and first principles, “partisan” in the sense that, ultimately, every voter has
to choose a particular candidate representing a particular party, and
“politics” in the sense that the winner in a political contest is given the
legitimacy and power of decision-making for the community. Hence, the
entire community is a stakeholder in the choice of its leaders.
The third call for Catholics is the reminder that it is their right and their duty
to vote for candidates who work for the common good. Hence, candidates
should be elected not on the basis of personal favors given to the voter, but
on their record of public service and commitment to work for the common
good.
What, then, are the criteria for choosing candidates for public office? Among
circles of discernment, a candidate’s qualifications can be summarized as the
five Cs.
Compassion. Concern for the poor and marginalized should be the hallmark
of a public official. Working for social justice in addressing inequality and the
root causes of mass poverty is the sign of genuine compassion. Protecting
the rights of minorities and working for the empowerment of the poor are
likewise attributes of a compassionate leader.
These are the five Cs or key criteria for choosing candidates vying for public
office. Through circles of discernment, may every concerned voter engage in
principled partisan politics for the common good of our nation.