Youth and politics

To a Christian who wants to get involved in politics, I think the Council, in Gaudium et Spes, has given always valid directives. It seems to me, however, that two fundamental qualities are required: complete honesty and adequate competence.
All of this must be animated by a sincere spirit of solidarity, of love: the politician like the Christian, like every man on the other hand, practices what Jesus presents as his new commandment, the commandment of love.

Since politics too must have structures and tools, these should not be rejected, the important thing is that they do not become an end in themselves and therefore an impediment to achieving the real ends that politics must have: therefore no compromises, no games of power, no affected allotments… I know how difficult this is. I think painfully of young people who would like to get involved in politics and who can't make their way if they don't tie themselves to a cart: certainly this shouldn't happen. But, on the other hand, thinking of some people who work in politics, and who I know, I know that it is possible to work by approaching honest and honest men who can help a young person enter this field, bringing their own contribution.

I don't feel competent to judge closely the behavior of the political class: I don't know anything else, except what I learn from the common means of information, sometimes from the confidences of friends. I think, however, that a positive job must be done: to encourage those who have greater responsibility in political life to renounce all that may be personal or group selfishness, and the parcelling out of power that is a manifestation of it.

I make a confession: perhaps in our task as bishops, we have not sufficiently felt our responsibility towards the world of politics, we have not committed ourselves to the extent that would have been necessary to help politicians to live their task in a humane and Christian way.

excerpts from “Progetto” (now “NP”), 1982, n. 6
 

By the editorial team
NP February 2023