Bishops on duty to vote in EU referendum

The Maltese Bishops have made a strong appeal to the Maltese to vote in the referendum on EU membership to be held in the coming months, stressing that it was their duty to do so, and that the Maltese cannot leave this responsibility in other people's hands.

They also appealed to members of the clergy not to express their personal political beliefs, but gave no indication on how people should vote, drawing a distinction between matters of an economic and political nature, and those which touched on faith or morals.

In a strong message on the referendum in Malta and the EU issue, Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, Gozo Bishop Nicholas J. Cauchi and Auxiliary Bishop Annetto Depasquale yesterday stressed voters' duty: "On the referendum day, we should vote for that which, according to our well-formed conscience, is in the best interest of the highest common good.

"This issues from our duty of love and responsibility, as citizens, to give our contribution for the benefit of our country, according to our best knowledge and capability. We cannot leave this responsibility in other people's hands."

The leaders of the Maltese Church said that the basis of the choice that "we have to make as to whether Malta should or should not join the European Union, has to be correct and fully informed. Voters must inform themselves fully. Every voter also has to be careful to choose and build on facts and truth.

"No one should allow themselves to be influenced by partisan propaganda which presents facts according to what best suits the party's agenda."

In their message, "A responsible and mature choice", which is being read out in churches during Mass this weekend, the bishops said that after years of debate and controversy on whether Malta should become a full member of the EU, the time was approaching for the Maltese to make their choice.

"The upcoming referendum on whether we agree or not that Malta should join the EU in the enlargement scheduled for May 1, 2004, burdens each and every one of us with two clear and specific duties.

"The first is to ensure, in the remaining period before the crucial day of our choice, that we strive to inform ourselves fully on what EU membership means for our country, according to the package that has been negotiated. We need to do this so that our decision would be a responsible and mature one, built on the sound basis of correct and full information."

The second duty, the bishops maintained, was to vote in the referendum.

The bishops stressed the proper formation of conscience: "We have spoken of a well-formed conscience. What is a well-formed conscience?

"A well-formed conscience is that which would have sincerely searched and found the truth according to reason and, for the Christian, would have done so in the light of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church regarding faith and morality.

"As regards the life of a nation, a well-formed conscience would be able to leave aside any ties of personal or party interests so that, after weighing everything, it is able to choose responsibly that which is in the best interest of the common good.

"A well-formed conscience knows that, in the choice regarding things that are of paramount importance for the future of all the people, one cannot just look at oneself, one's relatives, one's friends or one's favourite political party, but has to act in the best interest of the people as a whole.

"We are not just responsible for ourselves. Each and every one of us also has a responsibility towards others and towards everybody. We have to shoulder this responsibility ourselves after considering everything."

The bishops stressed that when the country calls us to make some choice of an economic or political nature, the Church does not tell us which solution we should choose, or how to vote, except if some choice, solution or proposal is contrary to faith or morals.

"God has left the choices of an economic or political nature to the free, and therefore responsible judgment of each person.

"What the Church does is to encourage us to express our choice, and to do so responsibly according to what our well-formed conscience says is in the best interest of the common good. The common good is the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more easily.

"Therefore, the voter has to make a decision not according to what is suggested to him by somebody on one side or the other of the controversy, but according to what his well-formed conscience points out to him as best for the people as a whole."

The bishops also urged the clergy not to express their personal political beliefs: "We would like to remind our brothers in the priesthood that God has entrusted us with the ministry of unity in the Church, and so in the community which we serve.

"Accordingly, we have to take care that in our ministry, as well as in public, we communicate only the teaching of the Church. In our ministry and in public we must never express our personal political beliefs, which we have a right to like any other citizen, or allow ourselves to be led by these beliefs. We should also pray and work, enthusiastically and prudently, for unity and respect towards one another in families, associations, communities and among all our people.

"Our appeal also goes to all those, including lay people, who in one way or another have a share in the running of Church institutions or associations, or other pastoral services, for them also to act in the same spirit."

The bishops said that in this period of preparation before the day of our choice "we would like to invite and encourage all our people to seek above all the help of God, with the intercession of Mary, Our Mother.

"The history of our nation shows us that each time our people was faced with a very important moment in its life, our people always made sure, with full humility, to seek God's enlightenment and guidance.

"The Lord of Creation, through whom only good can come, who loved man so much that He sent His Only Son to save man from the bondage of sin, will surely help us."