Call for Catholic voice in politics

The Bishop of Portsmouth has called on Catholics to participate “vociferously” in politics in order to bridge the gap between contemporary culture and the ideals of Catholic Social Teaching, writes Liz Dodd.

In a pastoral letter issued last weekend, Bishop Philip Egan warned there was a danger Britain would slide towards “ever greater state control” – a phenomenon he blamed on advances in technology and the eclipsing of traditional Christian values.

“This is why as Catholics we have a critical duty to participate vociferously in the democratic process, contributing our distinct­ive, saving message,” he said.

Part of this message was enshrined in Catholic Social Teaching, which he said was linked to solidarity and the common good. He also encouraged people in his diocese to consider ways to live more simply, so that they were free to serve the poor.

Politics, he added, was about “more than economics and ­statistics”.

He wrote: “Sometimes people envisage British values as ‘decency’, the NHS, red pillar boxes or warm beer. No! What makes Britain great is fidelity to our Christian patrimony, a concern for justice, freedom and the rule of law, values derived from love of God and neighbour, fused with our native genius,” he explained.
In his letter, he also called for every parish in the Diocese of Portsmouth to establish a Justice, Peace and Social Responsibility team and to study Benedict XVI’s 2009 encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, alongside Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment.