In preparation for the election campaign in Australia that will take place next September, the Bishops address a Pastoral Letter to the Catholic citizens, who comprise nearly one-fourth of the voting population, drawing their attention to the values of the «rich tradition of social teaching and upon the Church’s long experience of serving all people», as a guide for a “Vote for the Common Good,” which «crosses the boundaries of political parties». «We encourage Catholics to look beyond their own individual needs to apply a different test at the ballot box—the test of what we call the common good. The good of the individual and the good of society as a whole must be brought together in harmony». And, in the Catholic tradition, the basis of the common good is «the promotion of human dignity» and, implicitly, «serving the poor, the marginalised, the sick and the forgotten».
What then are, for the Australian Bishops, the fundamental values and objectives that should be considered when evaluating policy proposals in the light of the common good? First of all, the «responsibility for the poor and the vulnerable». Then, the defense of marriage between a man and a woman and the family as «the basic unit of society»; «the legal recognition of the unique nature of marriage between a man and a woman, and proper protection for the rights of children to relate to their natural mother and father». The Church acknowledges that there are many situations in which it is impossible for both parents to be present in children’s lives, and that single parents should be supported in their responsibilities, but «children should not intentionally be deprived of their parents unless there is concern for the children’s safety». The protection of minors is, indeed, one of the primary political commitments with regard to the common good, and the Church is actively working «to eradicate the circumstances that enable abuse to occur, and to seek to provide pastoral care and support for victims». The Church has «a long history of defending the dignity of women» and defending human life, which is another undeniable value in the quest for the common good. «All human life is to be respected, particularly the most vulnerable, including the unborn, the sick and elderly, people living with disability, and communities affected by poverty, abuse, famine or war». Politicians must protect indigenous Australians and, in “a vibrant, prosperous democracy», give hospitality to «millions of our sisters and brothers, who are forced to flee their homeland for fear of persecution or through displacement because of war or famine». The political commitment to the common good, then, promotes education and instruction, health care, peace and development, as well as ecology and sustainability.
In this pastoral statement, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference recalls the “Ten principles of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church”: the dignity of every human being, created in the image of God; respect for life at every stage of its development, from conception to natural death; valuing of associations and social institutions such as the family; and the participation of all in building the common good; the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable; solidarity of the members of «one human family»; caring for creation; the principle of subsidiarity, which includes that of “closeness;” the equality of all people before God and the rejection of all forms of discrimination.
