Exerting educative pressure

24. If citizens abdicate their responsibility for general welfare soon after elections, the nation takes the downward path. It is one thing being conscientious about casting your vote to keep the wrong people out and exclude unwanted ideologies and interests, and bringing your favourites to power. It is quite another to place conscientious people into positions of responsibility (both as political leaders and government officials), and follow them up diligently with educative pressure.

25. It is impossible to make this type of contribution to society’s welfare if citizens do not remain knowledgeable. That is why it has become imperative even for religious persons to keep informed of events, social processes, political and economic trends, prevalent ideologies, differing views and their respective merits: conoscere le leggi fondamentali che regolano la politica, l’ambiente, il mercato (SL 51; also 31, 82, 99-100). The news-hour (TV) should not be a brief interval for entertainment, but a moment of self-education, reflection and prayer. The entire world comes into our prayer, and we become globe-trotters.

26. If abortion and euthanasia find encouragement, environment is being ravaged (SL 36), globalization injures local economy (SL 31), a religious community can make a great contribution by taking a stand on the problem. There are times when you may even want to take out an educative protest-march on the streets (SL 56). Your students can take it further. As educators we offer the youth a critical understanding of society and their role in it (SL 101); we support their initiatives : the SL refers to : le politiche giovanili” (SL 39).

27. We can never measure the impact we make on society through the influence we have on our neighbourhood, our students and their families and those whom they influence in turn, our collaborators; and even our opponents and enemies. For, if we take a balanced view, and  remain strong and consistent, our enemy may make a quick-turnaround and support our idea, though he may try to present it in a new form. The range of influence we can exert on society is unbelievable: to one we may have given only an idea, to another a small financial assistance she fell short of for a successful programme, to another the space required to conduct a strategic meeting, to another still the direct support of our close collaborators…. We assist each person according her need, and we witness wonders.

28. In addition to general information, a religious community needs to have a close understanding of local issues through intelligent interaction with the neighbourhood. All that we said earlier about becoming a part of the neighbourhood-society from the cultural point of view, would be equally valid from the general civic point of view as well. If the road must be repaired, if the local health centre is not working well, if the problem of illiteracy or of school drop-outs is pressing, or if slum situation is deteriorating, if there is break-down of catechetical effort, a creative religious community can mobilize local resources and energies for the solution of the problem (SL 40).

29. It may be important to build up public opinion in favour of a course of remedial action, through articles in the local journals, letters to the editor, or discussions with discerning leaders: you speak of intervenire per creare opinione publica (SL 56). Public pressure through signature campaigns and other similar efforts may prove very helpful. Parents of our school-children, past pupils, clubs, associations, societies and other civic bodies can be invited to join in the common effort.

30. We do a hundred things that one may work; we meet a hundred people that one may help; we sow a hundred ideas that one may grow. So often, it is sufficient to point the way, and you get a whole process moving. In everything, however, let us keep moderation; all forms of exaggerations and fanaticisms should be avoided. Championing the cause of the weak should not lead us to another form of ‘idolatry’: e.g., romanticizing the poor, minorities, or indigenous people. It may not actually help their cause. 

31. In addressing national and global problems, a similar course of action is possible, joining hands with other religious communities and the rest of civil society.  The whole world of the media, including the internet is available to us through which we can address problems and exert a salutary influence even on distant dictators.

32. Interpreting events and processes is more important than we usually think (SL 85, 109).  We are, so often, good at reporting and even embellishing an event, not at interpreting it. When a tragedy takes place in one of our communities or neighbourhood, if our contribution is to grow agitated and to spread anxiety everywhere, or to rush to the press with an inadequate understanding of the situation, we do more harm than good. A perceptive analysis of the entire matter and a serene and confident approach to the root causes of the problem will yield better results. Half the problem is solved when one is able to interpret events with intelligence, and not intervene with emotional explosions. Reaching out with a sympathetic and reconciling attitude will do the rest of the task.

G.K.Chesterton used to warn us against the “noble temptation to see too much into everything”.

33. Not rarely,  Providence sends us a problem to rescue us from another bigger problem. We wake up to the fact that something is going wrong and get an opportunity to remedy it. A careful handling of the situation today may serve as an educative process and prepare us for greater difficulties tomorrow. After all, our entire mission is realized through the on-going confronting of problems as they arise. Solutions to problems themselves lead to other problems, and trying to solve them again we live our out life and fulfil our mission.