ASIA/INDIA - “Politics, the highest form of charity”: Catholics in Mumbai work to increase awareness and commitment in view of municipal elections

Monday, 15 January 2007

Mumbai (Agenzia Fides) - Educate Catholics to take a more active part in politics as an area of witness to which men and women can bring Christian values is the goal of an awareness building campaign launched by the Sabha Association in Mumbai in view of administrative elections in that city in February. Mumbai (formerly Bombay) has a population of 18 million and is the capital city of the south western Indian state of Maharashtra which has a population of about 100 million.
Sabha is a lay Catholic association with branches all over India. The chairman of the Mumbai section, Dolphy D’Souza, said Sabha decided to launch a series of initiatives highlighting Christian values to help candidates and citizens prepare for the elections.
The awareness building campaign will seek to involve other associations Christian and non to foster greater civil commitment. Meetings and debates will be held in Catholic parishes, in social centres and public places, theatres and city squares based on the principle expressed by Pope Paul VI “politics is the highest form of charity”.
The first objective is to encourage people, especially middle class, to take a more active part in politics.
The second is to indicate the Christian values and correct criteria for discernment when choosing candidates to vote: respect for human dignity and inalienable rights, promotion of life and the family, concern for the poor and those at the margins of society.
The third goal is to increase social awareness and encourage the virtuous circle of good government and common good recalling that the same values are valid for state and federal elections. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 15/1/2007 righe 27 parole 272)


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