SA Bishops Message & Prayer for the Upcoming Elections

by Admin · October 19, 2021

By SACBC – A message to all Catholics from the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference regarding the upcoming elections

POLITICS INFLUENCED BY NARROW INTERESTS

“Decades into constitutional democracy, that which we consider normal in South African politics is clearly failing the poor and the interests of the common good. This is because our politics is not yet firmly rooted in ethical values.”

A CALL TO MORAL RENEWAL IN SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICS

“politics without an ethical soul loses its capacity to hear the cries of the poor and to effectively address the economic challenges, like unemployment, inequalities, and poverty, which the current pandemic has exposed and aggravated”

LET US NOT RESORT TO VIOLENCE AND THE BOYCOTTING OF THE ELECTIONS

“As the nation prepares for municipal elections, we, therefore, make a strong appeal to all eligible voters to participate in the elections, and not boycott them as a sign of protest and disillusionment against the state of our politics.”

A CALL TO FOLLOW AN INFORMED CONSCIENCE WHEN VOTING

Should I vote according to my conscience or in accordance with my loyalty to a particular politician or a particular political party?

VOTING AS A MOMENT OF MAKING A MORAL CHOICE

If we want a kind of politics where leaders are held to account when implicated of corruption and incompetence, if accountability and integrity in leadership are valuable to us, it must be shown in our votes.

A CALL FOR A FAIR AND VIOLENCE-FREE ELECTION

While the responsibility for peaceful and fair elections falls heavily on the political parties and the media, it is also the responsibility of each one of us.

A CALL TO PRAYER

On our own, it will be impossible to change and transform what we consider normal in our politics. The nation should rely on the strength of God’s grace as we seek the integration of Gospel values into the circumstances of our politics.

Fr Phuti Makgabo
SACBC Communication Office
https://sacbc.org.za/