On January 1, 2019, Pope Francis marked the annual Word Day of Peace with a message titled “Good Politics is at the Service of Peace.” The message compels us to be engaged in the work of advocating for and with those whose voices are marginalized.
Pope Francis states that “Politics is an essential means of building human communities and institutions, but when political life is not seen as a form of service to society as a whole, it becomes a means of oppression, marginalization and even destruction.”
The challenge of those holding political office is to make every effort in the service of others to create the conditions for a worthy and just future based on compassion and human virtues. Pope Francis also warns of political vices that detract from the credibility of political life, including corruption, racism, lack of concern for the natural environment and xenophobia to name a few.
In conclusion he says “peace is the fruit of a great political project grounded in the mutual responsibility and interdependence of human beings.”
