Political musings by non-politicians

Right-wing Catholics in the United States have long expressed a strong dislike for Pope Francis. Some labelled him a “Communist” and portrayed him as a politician of the worst kind. With Pope Leo, matters deteriorated further for the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

Their reaction was immediate and explosive. President Donald Trump claimed that Pope Leo was “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy,” even suggesting he deserved credit for Leo’s election. Vice-President JD Vance insisted that the pope should be “careful when he talks about matters of theology” and should “stick to matters of morality.”

Francis and Leo are not the first popes to be accused of acting like politicians rather than pastors. Even in Malta, trolls, whether paid or not, often echo the rhetoric of the MAGA crowd, attacking Church leaders while promoting, as did Vance, a narrow and distorted understanding of morality and politics.

In the 2023 book El Pastor, Francis is unequivocal. He says he engages in politics “because everyone must engage in politics… the Gospel has a political dimension” that directs the social mindset of the people toward the common good.

During a press conference on his return from Equatorial Guinea, Pope Leo criticised the reduction of morality to sexual issues alone: “I believe there are much greater, more important issues, such as justice, equality, freedom of men and women, freedom of religion, which would all take priority.”

Morality and politics are inseparable when assessing the issues Leo highlighted – as well as matters such as the economy, social justice, good governance, the care of vulnerable persons and the elimination of corruption. The Church must therefore guide citizens on the moral dimensions of political life and Catholics cannot ignore the Church’s social teaching. This responsibility becomes even more urgent when exercising the privilege and duty of voting, a call Malta faces on May 30.

Like Francis, Pope Leo emphasised that politics is not about winning power, partisan gain or private interest but about serving the common good. In an April 2026 address to members of the European People’s Party, he linked the common good to a political vision that looks beyond immediate advantage and embraces a broad, future oriented horizon. This stands in stark contrast to politics driven by short term gains, where loyalty is secured through a culture of pjaċiri (granting favours, generally undeservedly), including jobs. Such a culture produces serfs, not citizens. The ancient Roman strategy of “bread and circuses” – distracting people from injustice or poor governance by satisfying individual desires – is alive and well today, albeit in more sophisticated forms. These tactics may yield short term victories but they do not serve the common good or the long-term needs of the people.

Will the eradication of corruption form part of the electoral manifesto of any party?- Fr Joe Borg

In Equatorial Guinea, Pope Leo condemned political life driven by “the pursuit of unjust wealth and the illusion of dominion.” Quoting Francis, he added that the economy must serve all: “We also have to say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills.”

Is ours an economy of exclusion or inclusion? On the one hand, Malta enjoys a thriving economy. On the other, government statistics show that more than 108,000 people are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. One in four Maltese children, and almost 30% of those over 65, face this risk. Is this morally acceptable?

Church teaching is unequivocal: the poor and the vulnerable must be at the centre of economic planning. As Pope Leo puts it: “On the wounded faces of the poor, we see the suffering of the innocent and… of Christ himself.”

Society is judged by how it treats the poor and the vulnerable. Will there be politicians courageous enough to commit to eradicating poverty? Will any party pledge to change the law so that no homeless person is ever imprisoned simply for being homeless?

Openness to life is another important tenet of Church teaching. Low fertility rates in Europe prompted Francis to remark that Europe risks becoming “a grandmother more than a mother”. What would he say about Malta’s own low fertility rate? Consumerism plays a part but the main culprit is the soaring cost of housing and the enormous bank loans required to secure it. Many couples say they would like to have more children but feel they cannot afford to have more while servicing such debt.

Will our political parties make concrete and credible proposals to address both the cultural pressures of consumerism and the economic barriers that discourage family growth?

Another challenge confronting society is the idolatry of money. As Pope Francis wrote: “Once greed for money presides over the entire socioeconomic system, it ruins society.”

He continued: “Once capital becomes an idol and guides people’s decisions… it condemns and enslaves men and women, destroys human fraternity, sets people against one another and even puts at risk our common home.”

Will political parties propose concrete solutions and strategies both on the cultural and the structural/economic level?

Society is also undermined by corruption. In Angola, Pope Leo spoke of corruption as a scourge and proposed “a new culture of justice and sharing” to combat it. During his visit to Malta Pope Francis appealed for the eradication of corruption.

Will the eradication of corruption form part of the electoral manifesto of any party?

But do the Maltese care about the social teaching of the Church on matters that should guide them while voting?

And will the Church in Malta, in season and out of season, as happens in many other countries, enlighten and exhort voters with its rich social doctrine?