By Matters India Reporter
Panaji, April 17, 2024: Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, archbishop of Goa-Daman, has urged his people to refrain from undertaking a pilgrimage to the Marian shrine at Velankanni in Tamil Nadu a day before the general elections in Goa.
“It is universally recognized, especially in a democracy, that the responsibility to make choices in political life rests with each individual, guided by a properly formed conscience,” the cardinal said in the circular addressed to the clergy, religious and faithful in Goa.
The cardinal’s April 15 message comes against the backdrop of several people expressing concern on social media that many Catholics may end up missing out on the opportunity to vote due to the election schedule.
Goa, which elects two Lok Sabha members, is scheduled to vote on May 7.
The South Western Railway on March 7, 2022, introduced the weekly train between Goa’s Vasco Da Gama and Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam, near Vailankanni. The train, No. 17315 “Velankanni Express,” leaves at 9 am on Mondays and arrives Vailankanni the following afternoon.
In the return direction, the train leaves Nagapattinam at 12:20 am on Wednesdays and reach Vasco Da Gama at 3:25 am on Thursdays,.
In his circular, the prelate reminds Catholics and “people of good will” to fulfill their civic responsibility by exercising their vote.
“In this connection, I see it as my bounden duty, as the head of the Church in Goa, to call the attention of our Church members to the fact that, in the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation’,” he said quoting “The Joy of the Gospel”, apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis in November 2023.
This obligation, the cardinal said, is rooted in “our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do.”
“In this context, I appeal 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 recognize that our vote is our irreplaceable personal contribution to the good of our country,” he added.
“Every citizen ought to be mindful of his right and his duty to promote the common good by using his vote,” he quoted from Gaudiuim et Spes, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Second Vatican Council no 75.
“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 the May 7, 2024, would be not only doing a disservice to the nation, but failing seriously in their important civic responsibility,” the archbishop went on to say.
Cardinal Ferrao advised those who had already booked the train ticket for May 6, Monday, that “it is certainly worth losing some money” by cancelling the trip “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 invited “eligible Catholic voters” to exercise their franchise for candidates with secular credentials committed to working for the good of all people and upholding the constitutional values.
He also reminded the faithful “about their duty to pray for our country which we do on every Sunday at Mass.”
He has requested parish priests, chaplains and superiors of religious houses in Goa to organize special prayer services on May 3, the first Friday of the month, or on May 5, for the success of the elections.
A few word of caution:
1) Are the Catholic prelates sure that the EVMs cannot be manipulated or hacked?
2) Can the prelates give a guarantee that the duly elected candidates will not defect and fool the voters as done in the past?
3) What will be the concrete action of the prelates if defection takes place?
4) Have the prelates cautioned their flock about the abundant distribution of freebies prior to the election and in this process their votes are purchased?
5) Have the prelates sensitized their flock to challenge the candidates courageously about not honoring their election promises?
Prelates! it is okay to make the people to be meek, humble and prayerful. But… please encourage them to “imitate the angry and courageous Jesus” who chased the traders from the temple and always challenged the rulers and pharisees.
The million dollar question is why are our prelates veering into the political arena and reminding Laity of their electoral responsibilities? Are the Laity so naive? They are fed up with Goan politicians (church-going or not) most of whom have sold their souls for much more than 30 silver coins!
I quote the Cardinal’s statement: “In this connection, I see it as my bounden duty, as the head of the Church in Goa, to call the attention of our Church members to the fact that, in the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation.” His appeal is appreciated.
However, the Cardinal must understand that it is also his bounden duty to ensure the stoppage of “defection and horse-trading”. Defection and horse-trading are “sheer mockery of electoral democracy”. The Catholic church and the Christian communities have been just “passive and helpless observers” all these years, especially whenever defections have taken place in Goa. So, it is high time that the Catholic church springs into action in this regard.