Pope Francisc urges Christians to become active in Politics

Last month's papal audience in the Paul IV Hall with students, teachers and staff of the Jesuit gradeschools and high schools on Friday, turned out to be a friendly dialogue between the 76-year-old pontiff and the young people.

In a style that seems to have become almost signature of the current pontificate, Pope Francis stepped out of yet another scripted session to engage in a spontaneous question-and-answer period with hundreds of children and teens. The Vatican radio made a report about this special meeting, which you find here

When a teacher asked him about the role of Catholics in politics, Pope Francisc shared his important vision on why and how a Christian should become involved in politics. He said that participation in politics is a Christian obligation

“We, Christians, cannot ‘play Pilate’ and wash our hands. We cannot,” he said. “We must participate in politics because politics is one of the highest forms of charity because it seeks the common good. And Christian lay people must work in politics.”

“It is not easy; politics has become too tainted. But I ask myself: Why has it become tainted? Because Christians have not participated in politics with an evangelical spirit? … To work for the common good is a Christian duty, and many times the way in which to work towards it is through politics.”

(Source Vatican Radio)

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