Bishops: Politics in Democracy is a Sacrament

In a pastoral letter released on March 1, East Timor bishop advises shunning sentimentality in a democratic setting and compares politics to a sacrament aiming for the safety of people.

Bishop Norberto do Amaral, the president of the Conference of Bishops of Timor Leste (CET), sent out a pastoral letter to all Catholics in East Timor about the Repùblica Democrática Timor Leste (RDTL) presidential election to be held on March 19, 2022.

Along with Do Amaral,  the pastoral letter is signed by Archbishop  Virgilio Do Carmo da Silva of Dili and Father Alipio Pinto Gusmao, Administrator of Baucau diocese.

Do Amaral said that politics is a "sacrament" that aims for the safety of many people.

“All Christians involved in politics should live a political ethos based on the teachings of the Church about how to be a good person in the world and that faith in God should be used to measure politics,” the prelate noted.

Do Amaral asserts that Jesus himself chose to side with the poor and sinners. So it can be said that God's politics and democracy are surrendering themselves to the salvation of many people.

“Therefore, politics is a sacrament, meaning a sign that brings people to true salvation. Because God is merciful and not chosen,” Do Amaral says.

Do Amaral focused on three main things in the pastoral letter: the challenge of democracy, understanding the Republic and Democracy; and giving East Timorese people information about how these two things work together in political life.

According to Do Amaral, people who want to live in a democratic country, as many people do in the modern world, need to be more respectful when they use their political freedom.

Because the Constitution is the foundation of the RDTL State, Do Amaral said, the democracy that was chosen is a constitutional democracy.

Do Amaral says that there are signs that people like and don't like RDTL democracy when they fall into sentimentality that doesn't let them think logically.

Do Amaral invites all East Timorese to understand that true democracy is not based on sentimentalism but on the principle that "democracy uses rationality to seek, decide, and convey the truth to avoid sentimentalism, which is tied to ethnicity, race, culture, and history."

“When people focus more on sentimentalism,” Do Amaral added, “people easily fall into immoral actions that harm the spirit of unity, brotherhood, kinship, and friendship in social interactions.”

Quoting Pope Francis, Do Amaral reminds East Timorese that it is necessary to give space to love in politics. This can happen through "social-political charity," which means love can give birth to strong institutions, fair rules, and solid structures.

"Pope Francis calls on us to become political people who have a heart and a responsibility for the good of many people," said Do Amaral.

To all East Timorese Catholics, he advised:

"Politics with a conscience is the identity of the believer. They must be good Christians and good politicians, and they must be active and aware participants in the lives of the country and the state in RDTL,” he said.