The 7 political works of mercy Catholics should practice in a democracy
(iStock/imdm)In a talk in Boston in 1979, Marie Augusta Neal, S.N.D.deN., said that the whole of Catholic social teaching can be summed up in a quote from St. John the Baptist: “Whoever has two tunics should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise” (Lk 3:11).
The corporal works of mercy have long guided Christians in their dealings with those suffering from poverty and oppression. These works of mercy come straight out of Scripture: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me” (Mt 25:35-36). They are personal. The beneficiary of the work of mercy is an individual in need.
Issues that affect the common good are being debated. Catholics cannot be absent.
But the church has never limited the idea of works of mercy to such an individual dynamic. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church clearly identifies a social dimension to the works of mercy:
Social and political charity is not exhausted in relationships between individuals but spreads into the network formed by these relationships, which is precisely the social and political community; it intervenes in this context seeking the greatest good for the community in its entirety. [No. 208]
The fraught political climate in the United States may cause many to withdraw from any political involvement. But the church’s understanding of the duties of citizenship precludes that option for Catholics. Love of neighbor must include supporting and improving the institutions that affect people’s lives, and in a democracy the working of those institutions depends on the political process. In both national and local politics, issues that affect the common good are being debated. Catholics cannot be absent.
“Fratelli Tutti,” Pope Francis’ encyclical on fraternity and social friendship, has a section titled “Political Love” that is key to understanding our obligations to one another:
There is also a “commanded” love, expressed in those acts of charity that spur people to create more sound institutions, more just regulations, more supportive structures.... It is an act of charity to assist someone suffering, but it is also an act of charity, even if we do not know that person, to work to change the social conditions that caused his or her suffering. [No. 186]
Encouraged by the pope’s words, I propose a list of political works of mercy, in no particular order. I have limited the list to the traditional number seven, but I make no claim that the list is exhaustive or definitive. Others will certainly have different takes on these issues.
1. Seek common ground. Pope Francis speaks of fostering encounter and seeking “convergence on at least some issues” (“Fratelli Tutti,” No. 190). Making alliances with people one disagrees with on other issues is not necessarily a compromise of one’s principles. People who disagree on just war theory can nonetheless come together to care for refugees. Those divided by economic policy can work to craft just asylum regulations.
2. Respect your opponent. In a body politic as polarized as ours, it is easy to give in to partisanship and identity politics. But it is only in respectful dialogue that trust can be established and problems solved. Politics should not be about winning or losing, but about serving the common good. As the pope writes, we must be committed to “the priority of the dignity of every human being over his or her ideas, opinions, practices and even sins” (“Fratelli Tutti,” No. 191).
It is easy to give in to partisanship and identity politics. But it is only in respectful dialogue that trust can be established and problems solved.
3. Cast an informed ballot. The act of voting is the essence of democratic participation. But the right to vote carries the essential obligation to know the issues at stake. Even in our era of great misinformation, it is still possible to find out the positions of candidates on issues if one puts in the effort. This is particularly important in local elections, which can have much more immediate impact on people’s lives, especially people on the margins of society.
4. Volunteer for political campaigns. Volunteering to work for candidates or referendum efforts, especially in local elections, can provide a sense of ownership of the political process. As a result, you may become more vigilant about ensuring that the electoral process plays out fairly. It is also a way to assure friends and neighbors of the transparency of the process.
5. Participate in local government. Running for local office is one way to improve the life of the body politic. County boards, school boards and zoning boards have an immediate effect on the real lives of people, especially those at the margins. But simply attending zoning board and school board meetings is also a way to ensure that the desires of the electorate are properly represented.
6. Pay your taxes. The purpose of government is to give appropriate support to the institutions that can most effectively promote the common good. But in our democracy, tax collection depends significantly on voluntary compliance. Federal and local tax agencies do not have the resources to enforce tax laws rigorously; by exploiting technicalities, a citizen can often legally pay less than justice requires. It is incumbent on all to pay their fair share so that the government can supply those goods without which society, and particularly the least well off, cannot function.
7. Protect the environment.Quoting “Laudato Sí’,” Pope Francis said in his message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in 2016, “As a corporal work of mercy, care for our common home requires ‘simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness’ and ‘makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world.’”
But more is required. He goes on to put the responsibility for changes in environmental policy on citizen political advocacy (No. 4). And in his recent apostolic exhortation “Laudate Deum,” he says that “[T]he most effective solutions will not come from individual efforts alone, but above all from major political decisions on the national and international level” (No. 69).
Politics can be a holy activity. Pope Francis has described it as “a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it seeks the common good” (“Fratelli Tutti,” No. 180). Political works of mercy, such as the ones I have offered above, provide concrete ways for Christians to participate in that holiness by supporting the institutions of society that promote human flourishing and defend the poor and marginalized.
[Read next: “How to prepare for next year’s elections? Here are 3 tips to keep you spiritually sane.”]
T. Michael McNulty, S.J., is a scholar in residence at the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking. Previously, he taught philosophy at Marquette and served as justice and peace director for the Conference of Major Superiors of Men.
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