Panaji: Appealing every catholic in Goa to vote for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao has appealed them to cast their vote for a person 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.
In a circular issued on Tuesday, the Archbishop has exhorted every Catholic and people of good will to fulfill their civic responsibility, as the citizens of India, by exercising their vote during upcoming elections. His Eminence also requests Parish Priests, Chaplains and Superiors of Religious Houses in Goa to organise special prayer services on May 3, 2024 (First Friday) and/or May 5, 2024, for the genuine success of the Elections.
“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, 2024, 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,” the Archbishop has said.
He said that 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.
“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. This obligation is rooted in our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do,” the Archbishop said.
He said that in the light of this teaching of the Church, 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, 2024, would be not only doing a disservice to the nation, but failing seriously in their important civic responsibility.
The Archbishop has said that 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 the 7th of May, 2024, 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,” he added.
