By Nadine Bushell, Corporate Secretary Catholic Commission for Social Justice
Patriotism is a virtue. Each of us is required to fulfil his/her duty as a citizen. Romans 13 verse 6:8 says “you must pay taxes, since all government officials are God’s officers. They serve by collecting taxes. Pay every government official what he has a right to ask – whether it be direct tax or indirect, fear or honour.” The only thing you should owe to anyone is love for one another, for to love the other person is to fulfil the law.
We must have an appropriate love for Trinidad and Tobago, we must want to see our nation excel. We are obligated to take an interest in and understand our history. We want to see the common good pursued and obtained and the common good is the sum total of all the conditions necessary for each and every member of the society to flourish as a human person. We should be pursuing the common good as the community of Trinidad and Tobago. Our goal should always be to achieve the common good as best we can for our people. The true common good includes things that will build the society: education for all, health care for all, environmental sustainability, cultural expression of all. It is not only about obeying laws, which is a main duty. A patriotic Trinbagonian will contribute to bringing about the common good. He/she will understand his/her role in the society and how he/she needs to or can work with others to propel the nation forward. This should be linked to their vocation whether a doctor, a teacher, a bank worker, a security guard or a caregiver. The Catholic Church’s vision of patriotism and the virtue of patriotism is a group of people, in which each individual of that group understands what the true common good is for their nation and attempting together to achieve that with whatever means available to them and their vocation.
Too few of us have thought about what is the common good for Trinidad and Tobago. The different political parties in their recent campaigns put forward manifestos, which represented their plans for Trinidad and Tobago. How many of us truly reviewed these with a view to informing the best choice for the common good of Trinidad and Tobago.
Now that we have a new government, an ideal opportunity is presented to us as citizens to shape, participate and guide the government in the direction we would like. We must first begin by understanding the government’s plan for the country. For those who have not yet done so, reading the ruling party’s manifesto is the ideal starting point. We must listen to the post-Cabinet press conferences. We are not voiceless – write letters to the editor in the newspapers, lobby your Members of Parliament, write letters to them as well. We must play our role as citizens by giving fair work for fair pay, keeping our environment tidy and being responsible parents. Those of us in civil society organisations must also ensure that our political leadership supports the efforts of volunteer organisations and other cooperative endeavours which make significant contributions to the common good in the society, through promoting respect and dignity for the human person, ensuring that citizens’ basic needs are met. We must support our leaders.
The family, the Church and the political leadership must work hand in hand. Focusing on the relationship between the Church and political leadership’s, as Catholics we should encourage and promote mutual respect and cooperation. We must ensure that the Church keeps its space to carry out its mission of proclaiming the Gospel while respecting the legitimate autonomy of the political order. Our role as Catholic citizens is to ensure that the State safeguards the dignity of the person, since the State has an indispensable role in this regard.
Send feedback to: ccsjfeedback@gmail.com. To purchase: The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Take a Bite social justice programme on DVD, and the Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching, contact CCSJ at 622-2691 or 290-1635.
