Dear Brothers and Sisters in
Jesus Christ,
The Gospel is
radical and challenging. It is the saving message of Jesus Christ. It is a way
of life. It teaches us to value each person: the vulnerable child inside the
womb; the parent struggling with the pressures of family life; the person
striving to combat poverty; the teacher inspiring students to seek the truth;
the stranger fleeing violence and persecution in their homeland; the prisoner
in his cell in search of redemption; the child in a distant land claiming the
right to a future; and the frail elderly person needing care and facing the
frontier of death.
As
Catholics, we are called to work for a world shaped by the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. The Gospel proclaims the mercy of God and invites us steadfastly to
love God and our neighbour. Our relationship with God leads to the desire to
build a world in which respect, dignity, equality, justice, and peace are our
primary concerns.
Pope Francis
tells us that we are ‘missionary disciples’ who witness to the mercy of Christ
through the faithfulness of our lives and the world we wish to build. In the
light of the Gospel we can be messengers of hope as we challenge the political
candidates about the policies they wish to implement and the reasons why.
At
this General Election we are asked to think about the kind of society we want
here at home and abroad. Whom you vote for is a matter for you alone. Our aim
is to suggest how you might approach this important question in May 2015 and to
suggest some key issues for your reflection as you make your own decision.
Voting
in a general election should seldom, if ever, be based on a single issue.
Elections involve a whole range of issues, some without doubt more central than
others, particularly those concerned with the dignity and value of human life
and human flourishing. In this letter, we highlight some important issues – but
not the only ones. In each case we suggest a question which you may wish to
bear in mind.
Respecting life
Human
beings are created in the image and likeness of God. Each person matters and
the foundation of Catholic teaching is the respect for human life from
conception to natural death. We support policies that protect the fundamental
right to human life. The unborn child is vulnerable and defenceless and,
tragically, in our society often the innocent victim of abortion. We oppose
calls to introduce assisted suicide or euthanasia. We urge better support for
carers and more high quality palliative care and a robust National Health
Service on which we can all rely. The House of Lords has been considering a
Bill to legalise assisted suicide, and it is likely that there will be renewed
efforts by some in the next Parliament to pass such legislation. Where do the
candidates in your constituency stand on assisted suicide, euthanasia, abortion
and other life issues?
Supporting marriage and family life; alleviating poverty
The
Christian understanding of marriage, founded on a loving and faithful
relationship between a man and a woman, is the basic building block of society.
It provides stability for the nurturing and education of children. Today,
families are more diverse and fragile than they were and there are many
families of all kinds where love and commitment are found. Society needs good
and strong families which are dedicated to the well-being of their children. A
commitment to support the family should be at the heart of social and political
life. Do your candidates have a commitment to support marriage and family life?
There
are many families in our communities who are financially vulnerable and
struggle to make ends meet; housing and living costs are high. Many people do
not have a living wage to support them and their families. Too many have to
turn to the state for additional income and to external voluntary support such
as food banks. Government policies should be assessed on the ways in which they
impact those most in need, including those who are homeless or hungry, and how
they support and strengthen the family and its capacity to flourish. Where do
your candidates stand on directly helping the poorest and most vulnerable
people in the UK and also helping them to transform their lives?
Educating for the good of all
The
provision of good education is fundamental to the future of society. We want
outstanding schools where success is not just narrowly based on league tables
but on how the full potential of every child is developed. Catholic schools and
colleges seek to develop to their full potential the God-given gifts of every
child. This includes the spiritual dimension of life in which we live as
friends of Jesus Christ. Catholic schools serve over 845,000 children in
England and Wales and are generally more ethnically diverse than many other
schools. They make a positive contribution to society as they help pupils to
become good citizens with clear moral principles to guide their lives and
thereby help build up the network of relationships in society. Future government
policy should ensure that the poorest have access to high quality education and
that Catholic parents have true choice for educating their children in Catholic
schools. How will candidates in your constituency ensure the best outcomes for
the poorest children? Will they support parental choice for faith-based
education?
Building communities
As
human beings we share a common humanity and are members of a single human
family. We rightly have ties to our own families and communities, but are
always called by the Gospel to a wider solidarity with others and to help build
a society based on love and justice, where decisions are made at the most
appropriate level (whether local, national or international). The principles of
solidarity and subsidiarity assist us in how to think about the future of
Europe. Where do your candidates stand in protecting these values in the debate
about European institutions?
For
some communities many factors make life more difficult, including rising
inequality, increased loneliness for many older people, job insecurity and
overstretched community services. Building communities is something that can
only be done by active citizens. It cannot only be left just to politicians or
government. Where do your candidates stand on the role of the voluntary sector
and how its work can be enhanced?
The
private sector also has a vital role. Business should see itself at the service
of society, solving problems and meeting needs. The market economy exists to
serve humanity. People are not merely economic units to be exploited. The
dignity of work should always be respected. Do your candidates support a living
wage and a thriving private sector committed to fair pay and the dignity of
human work?
Violence
and conflict have led to the massive displacement of people, many of whom seek
asylum or refuge. There are also workers and students from overseas who
contribute much to the common good of our country. Indeed, most people who
settle in this country find work in order to bring up their families and
contribute to society’s well-being. Immigration is a highly emotive issue and
every country needs a policy to control immigration, as well as a positive
commitment to policies that facilitate the integration of migrants into the
mainstream of society. There is a great danger of blaming immigrants for the
ills of society. We support policies which fairly regulate immigration and
uphold the human rights of all, recognising the rights, dignity and protection
of refugees and migrants. Where do your candidates stand on issues of asylum
and immigration?
In
recent years we have witnessed a dramatic increase both in violent extremism
and in the persecution of people on the basis of their religious beliefs. Many
have suffered appalling violence. The recognition and respect given to
religious belief is now a crucial issue in many societies including our own.
Catholics seek to recognise the signs of God’s goodness everywhere, promote
mutual understanding, defend the fundamental rights and freedoms of all,
including the right to practice their religion, both in private and in public,
and the duty to strive to contribute to the common good of all. Where do your
candidates stand on these issues of religious freedom, mutual respect and the
role of faith in God in contemporary Britain, and in defending fundamental
human rights and promoting religious freedom overseas?
Caring for the world
God
has given us a good world in which to live and an abundance of gifts of which
we are the stewards. Such gifts are distributed unevenly across the world.
There is a great gulf between the rich and the poor. We are not the owners of
these goods but the custodians of them and they should be for the benefit of
all people. As members of one human family, the richer nations such as ours have
a duty to help the development of the poorer nations. What are the views of
your candidates about overseas aid and development?
We
know that caring for the planet involves concern for the environment and
protecting the livelihood of the poorest people in the world. What are the
views of your candidates on tackling climate change and supporting sustainable
development?
Conclusion
As
followers of Christ, we work with him to renew the face of the earth. This
begins with our daily personal encounter with him through prayer and the
sacraments. We are called to live out his teaching through active love of
neighbour wherever that may be; in our homes, in our work places, in our
parishes and in the wider communities of which we form a part. As his
disciples, we search for mercy, compassion and justice in all we say and do,
and challenge where these are absent in our world. Together with the state and
politicians, we are responsible for the kind of society we build. That is why
our actions are more important than our opinions.
Politics
is a vital and necessary vocation. It carries important responsibilities not
only for policy decisions but also for shaping the hopes and aspirations of
people. Political leaders can choose to appeal to our sense of hope or of fear,
to our desires to care for others or for ourselves, and to our sense of
solidarity or to our selfishness.
We
expect politicians to be committed to the common good. We also each have a
responsibility to be involved in the democratic process. It is important that
we vote. It is a duty which springs from the privilege of living in a
democratic society. In deciding how we vote the question for each one of us is
then: How, in the light of the Gospel, can my vote best serve the common good?
Prior
to casting your vote, you may wish to use the following prayer: “Lord, grant us
wisdom that we may walk with integrity, guarding the path of justice and
knowing the protection of your loving care for all”.
With
our very best wishes
Cardinal
Vincent Nichols, President
Archbishop
Peter Smith, Vice President
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