In view of the approaching general elections, to be held on 12 April, Archbishop Joseph Mercieca of Malta and Archbishop Nicholas J. Cauchi of Gozo have addressed a pastoral letter to the faithful, with the title: “Our duty to our nation”. “The Church write the bishops has the task of educating and forming the conscience of its members, by indicating to Christians how they should conduct themselves, in some situations linked to everyday life”. The Church, continues the letter, “does not offer detailed answers, but a series of principles and values that help Christians responsibly to take the right decision whenever they are called to act”. In the case of the elections, “the citizen has the duty to vote in a mature and responsible manner to elect a just and good government, in the interest of the whole nation”. For this reason say the bishops “citizens must carefully assess the candidates for whom they intend to vote, to evaluate whether they are honest politicians devoted to the common good and able to translate their service in politics into just actions to the benefit of the human person in his totality and hence committed to the safeguard and promotion of the evangelical values”. Catholic citizens, therefore, are invited, “before giving their own vote, to verify whether the programme of the party they intend to support is in line with the teaching of the Church”. “We encourage each elector the letter concludes to respond to the call of our country and to vote in a responsible manner. We invite everyone to show calm, wisdom and irreproachable behaviour before, during and after the vote. We recall that whatever the choice of the people, we remain brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the same nation”.
