PANAJI
Appealing to all eligible Catholic voters in Goa to exercise their franchise at the Lok Sabha polls on May 7 and vote for candidates with secular credentials who will uphold values enshrined in the Constitution, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão has also requested Catholics to prioritise voting on May 7 over holiday plans or pilgrimages.
In a Circular Letter ‘Vote…You Must’ sent out to the clergy, the religious and the faithful in Goa and to people of good will on Monday, Cardinal Ferrão also asked parish priests, chaplains and superiors of religious houses in Goa to organise special prayer services on May 3 and/or May 5 for the genuine success of the elections.
“It is universally recognised, especially in a democracy, that the responsibility to make choices in political life rests with each individual, guided by a properly formed conscience,” he said.
Cardinal Ferrão saw it as his bounden duty as the Head of the Church in Goa to call the attention of Church members to the fact that, in the Catholic Tradition, “responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation”, a quotation he attributed to Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation ‘The Joy of the Gospel’ (November 2023).
DUTY TO VOTE
Cardinal Ferrão appealed to every eligible voter to participate in the democratic process by casting the vote, not only as a right, but chiefly as a duty towards the nation.
“We have to collectively recognise that our vote is our irreplaceable personal contribution to the good of our country,” stated Cardinal Ferrão.
Quoting ‘Gaudium et Spes’, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Second Vatican Council), the cardinal stated: “Every citizen ought to be mindful of his right and his duty to promote the common good by using his vote.”
SECULAR CREDENTIALS
Cardinal Ferrão said the growth of a nation is dependent on its citizens’ active participation and responsible behaviour.
“The Church’s obligation to participate in nation-building and in shaping the moral character of the society is a requirement of our faith; it is an all-important part of the mission we have received from Jesus Christ.”
“It is in this spirit that all eligible Catholic voters need to exercise their franchise on May 7, casting their vote for persons with secular credentials, who are truly committed to work for the good of all the people and to uphold the values enshrined in our Constitution.”
DONT MISS ELECTION DAY
PANAJI: In the light of teachings of the Church, Cardinal Ferrão said “it is clear that Catholics moving out with family and friends on a holiday or even going on a pilgrimage on election day, thereby abstaining from the responsibility of participating in the voting process on May 7, would be not only doing a disservice to the nation, but failing seriously in their important civic responsibility.”
Referring to a regular train from Goa to Vailankanni every Monday, leaving Margao Station at 9.35 am, Cardinal Ferrão earnestly appealed to Catholics to refrain from taking that train journey on Monday, May 6, and, instead, to book their trip for any other Monday.
“In case a booking has already been made, it is certainly worth losing some money by way of cancellation charges for the sake of the greater good and the sacred duty of exercising one’s franchise on Election Day and thus being positively responsible towards the greater good of the nation,” he said.
PRAYERS FOR ELECTIONS
As a Church, Cardinal Ferrão said Catholics also have a bounden duty to pray for the country, which is being done on every Sunday at Mass.
“The forthcoming Parliamentary Elections call for special organised prayers. I request our Parish Priests, Chaplains and Superiors of Religious Houses in Goa to organise special prayer services on May 3 and/or May 5, for the genuine success of the elections,” he added.
