Beyond the ballot box

As I write on the feast of Saint Thomas More, patron saint of statesmen and politicians, I reflect on Malta’s opening of a new legislature a few days ago, marked, as tradition dictates, by the mass of the Holy Spirit at St John’s Co-Cathedral.

For some, such a ceremony sits uneasily with the principle of the separation of Church and State. Yet, the Church does not gather to confer political legitimacy or exercise political power. Rather, the occasion reminds both Church and State that, within their distinct spheres, they share a responsibility to promote the common good and uphold the dignity of the human person.

In his homily, Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi reminded parliamentarians that political authority, however important, must be guided by wisdom, truth and a sincere concern for the good of all. He urged Malta’s leaders to build the nation upon rock rather than sand, grounding public life in principles that endure beyond the shifting currents of politics.

In Malta, where Catholicism has profoundly shaped the nation’s history and culture, the relationship between Church and State has, at times, been marked by tension. Yet, the Church’s vision remains clear: while distinct in mission, Church and State are not rivals but partners in promoting authentic human flourishing.

This vision was articulated with particular clarity by Pope Benedict XVI during his historic address at Westminster Hall in 2010. The setting of Westminster Hall was itself deeply symbolic. Speaking in the very place where Saint Thomas More, the scholar, statesman and martyr who refused to sacrifice conscience for political convenience, had been tried and condemned, Benedict reflected on the proper relationship between faith and public life. He rejected both theocracy and militant secularism. The question, he said, is not whether religion should have a voice in public affairs but how faith and reason can work together in the pursuit of truth and justice.

Benedict warned against the marginalisation of religion from public discourse. He defended the legitimate role of faith in the public square, arguing that religion helps purify reason by reminding society of moral truths that cannot simply be determined by majority vote or political expediency. The Church does not provide technical solutions to political problems but she does insist that politics cannot be separated from ethics.

More reminds us that conscience is not a matter of personal preference. It is the place where human beings encounter moral truth and accept responsibility for their actions. His witness remains profoundly relevant in democratic societies, where there is often pressure to reduce ethical questions to matters of public opinion or electoral advantage.

The Church’s tradition offers many examples of leadership shaped by moral conviction and redeemed by grace. On the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the Church honours two leaders of the nascent Christian community who ultimately sealed their witness with martyrdom. Strong-willed and confident, both learned that authentic authority is forged through humility and sacrifice. Their leadership emerged through conversion and fidelity to the truth, even unto death.

Political office cannot absolve a leader from the demands of conscience- Alessandra Dee Crespo

Perhaps one of the most compelling modern illustrations of this tension between political authority and moral responsibility comes not from theology or history but from television. In the acclaimed series The West Wing, President Josiah Bartlet is confronted with the decision of whether to allow the execution of a convicted murderer to proceed.

In the episode Take This Sabbath Day, Bartlet spends the entire day wrestling with his conscience. He consults judges, advisers, clergy and friends. He searches for certainty but finds none. The law permits the execution. The courts have spoken. Public opinion largely supports it. Yet, Bartlet remains haunted by a deeper question: not whether he can allow it but whether he should.

He is reminded that the burden of leadership is not merely to exercise power but to exercise it morally. Political office cannot absolve a leader from the demands of conscience. Nor can legality alone answer every moral question. The episode resonates because it captures a truth that every statesman, judge and legislator eventually confronts: some decisions require more than political calculation. They require moral wisdom.

This was precisely Bishop Galea-Curmi’s message to Malta’s parliamentarians. He reminded them that certain truths transcend political divisions and cannot be made dependent upon the consensus of a particular moment. Human dignity does not derive from public approval, economic utility or electoral convenience but from the inherent worth of every individual.

For this reason, the Church’s role is one of moral witness. She seeks not to govern but to form consciences, not to impose but to propose. Yet, she cannot remain silent when fundamental human values are at stake. Her task is to remind society that power finds its legitimacy only when exercised in the service of truth, justice and the common good.

Technical expertise and political skills remain essential but they are not enough. As Bishop Galea-Curmi reminded legislators, what is needed above all is wisdom, moral courage and a profound respect for the dignity of every human person. The vision offered by the Church is neither nostalgic nor partisan. It is a call to recover the moral foundations upon which democratic life depends.

It is the vision embodied by Thomas More, articulated by Benedict XVI at Westminster Hall, reflected  in President Bartlet’s agonising struggle of conscience and echoed today by Malta’s bishops. It is the conviction that political authority is strongest not when it claims absolute power but when it recognises the moral truths that stand above it.

For, without conscience, politics becomes merely the pursuit of power. With conscience, it becomes a genuine service to the common good.

Beyond the ballot box lies the harder task: governing with integrity, guided not only by popular mandate but also by moral conviction.

Alessandra Dee Crespo is the Chancellor of the Church Court of Appeals.