Good Politics is at the Service of Peace

Called to Care: New resource for educators #YahadMT

In Yahad, the Justice and Peace Commission reflects on the wounds of our society, before proposing a number of tools from Catholic Social Teaching which can help us build a more just and reconciled society.

In order to bring this reflection to different groups of people, a number of resources based on ‘Yahad’ are being prepared. ‘Called to care: Why politics is not just someone else’s problem’ is the first Yahad resource which is being made available… Read more »

‘Yahad’ presented to President George Vella

The Justice and Peace Commission, within the Archdiocese of Malta, presented the document ‘Yahad’ to George Vella, President of Malta.

During a courtesy call which took place on Tuesday 1st February at San Anton Palace, Daniel Darmanin, president of the Commission, explained that the Church wishes to offer its contribution to the process of national unity and reconciliation that the President himself is promoting in various ways… Read more »

‘Yahad’ presented to the Speaker of the House of Representatives

Daniel Darmanin (President of the Justice and Peace Commission), accompanied by Mark Cachia (Executive Official), presented the booklet ‘Yahad’ to Anġlu Farrugia, Speaker of the House of Representatives. During this courtesy call which took place on Friday 28th January at the Speaker’s parliamentary office in Valletta, the main points of this project were presented. The most urgent challenges in the political and social fields were also discussed… Read more »

Towards unity in society

The Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Malta, launched a discussion document to encourage Maltese citizens to reflect on how, as a country, we can work to build peace, promote the common good in society and improve the well-being of people, especially that of the most vulnerable.

This document entitled ‘Yahad’ — a Hebrew term which refers to the concepts of togetherness and community — is divided into three sections… Read more »

Common good and participation

The common good is described in Catholic teaching as the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more easily.

The Christian understanding of the common good emphasises the fact that the fundamental rights of all people must be protected and promoted, while at the same time acknowledging that we are part of a social whole… Read more »

Desmond Tutu: A prophet of reconciliation

A few days ago, Desmond Tutu, the former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, who rallied the world behind the anti-apartheid struggle in a way that made him a prophet of reconciliation of our times, died at the age of 90.

Tributes flowed in from all over the world to recognize the many qualities of a man who never stopped practicing the forgiveness he preached… Read more »

Youth involvement greater at the community level than in politics

A survey showed that youth have a greater probability of involving themselves at the community level than in politics. Their interest in politics decreases as they grow older. The survey also showed that female youth look at community engagement in a more positive light and participate more than male youth in community initiatives and activities.

This research study, conducted among 498 youth aged between 16 and 25 years, is the first phase of a project being implemented by Discern – the institute for research on the signs of the times, the Malta Catholic Youth Network (MCYN) and the Justice and Peace Commission, to understand better the attitudes of young people in society… Read more »

Justice and Faith

André P. DeBattista

One of Pope John Paul II’s most impressive speeches  was in Agrigento, Sicily when on May 9, 1993 he categorically condemned the mafia and all associations related to the mafia. He described the Sicilians as a people who love and cherish life and who, therefore, cannot live in the shadow of an organization that promotes the culture of death… Read more »

The Future of Europe

A call for dialogue as a key to just transitions

“Life, for all its confrontations, is the art of encounter”

Fratelli Tutti, 215

1) Context: Over the coming years, European Union citizens are called to contribute to the Conference on the Future of Europe. This initiative, a joint project of the European

Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union (EU), 

will open a wide-ranging debate on the coming decade for the EU and beyond… Read more »

A Christian Vision for the European Parliament

When we speak about a Christian vision for European politics, for many, the first thought which springs to mind is  the Church’s objection to abortion.  Undoubtedly, the murder of the innocent is a very important consideration, but, a political vision built on just one aspect, is a myopic vision.

The Christian is called to participate actively in the various aspects of  political life.  The Second Vatican Council, through the document Gaudium et Spes, reminds us in the words of Saint Augustine, which describe the Catholic as a citizen of two cities, that is a heavenly city and the earthly one.  This document encourages the Catholic “to fulfil justly their duty here on earth, guided by the spirit of the Gospel”, and it emphasises that “those Christians whom do not fulfil their responsibilities within our society, they would be lacking from their duties towards their neighbours, and moreover towards God Himself…”[1] It’s the same faith that obliges every Christian to participate in political life, everyone depending on his call… Read more »