This experience can teach us how a perception of lack whether real or imaginary can trigger us to think, feel and even act in ways we may not understand rationally. Any kind of perception or an intense sense of lack draws a Psychodynamic response. A sense of lack brings us to a heighten awareness of loss which in its turn produces a response that seeks to recover that which is lost. The reigning BJP with many of its U-turns and anti-minority policies have not only produced a sense of unease among majority of our Goans. It has fired up a sense of loss which doubles up into a kind of loss of faith in the ruling dispensation. The denial of permission to Church governed educational institutions to open infrastructure for our under privileged children of Goa has rub salt on already bruised wounds. Most Catholics have begun to feel a void induced by a sense of betrayal by the reigning leadership of the BJP. But, to construe that this sense of loss will push the Church to congress is like looking for the chicks before they are hatched. Such a thought that the Church will directly orchestrate movement that will only settle for Congress is a wishful thinking. It suggests that Catholics are mindless dummies or puppets whose stings are pulled by the Church to become a king maker in the political scenario of Goa. Hence, this suggestion itself adds insult to the injury and seems to oversimplify the role of the Church in the political arena.
One cannot deny the role of the Church in providing guidelines for the catholic electorate during several elections. They were mere guide lines and never had any compelling power. Recent discourse that seem to suggest that the Church will support Congress emerges from the easy feeling triggered by a lack produced by the ruling BJP. The ruling BJP appears wanting (and therefore lacking) on several fronts. But to suggest that to fill this void, the Catholics would necessary tilt to the congress it preposterous and do not seem to respect the freedom and political acumen of the Catholics of Goa. The electoral behaviour of the Catholics cannot be so easily predicted. Moreover, the Church does not make decisions to support a definite Party. It only draws broad outlines based on the common good for Goan and Goans. The electoral guidelines have always proposed to the people to reflect and vote freely and consciously to bring about a collective good of the people of Goa. The promotion of common good has been the backbone of Catholic social teachings for a long time. Feeling the ethical imperative to guide the formation of good conscience among the people, the church has always raised questions on communal, corrupt leaders and their parties. But have never issued directives to vote any specific party into power.
The official Church has the right and duty to guide its flock so that they can make a free and enlightened decision when it comes to the exercise of their voting rights. The Church has the duty to bring the light of the gospel on the political scenario but has never done anything arbitrary to suit the powers that be. The suggestion that Church will support congress even before the congress has tabled its candidates and declared its manifesto is certainly naive and only provide the corrupt to feel they can table any kind of candidates and the Church having no option for the communal BJP will blindly embrace them. Catholics do not vote blindly without any consideration about the party, its past history, candidates and manifesto. Who can tell that Congress will not field the same old faces based on what is called the winibility factor and even choose to brazen it out once again by opening its doors to family Raj. Hence, this suggestion that the Church even while playing its role as a conscience keeper will automatically move to support the Congress party because it has to choose the devil and the deep sea only empowers the politics of status quo and in no way reflects the way of Church in guiding her flock. For sake of Goa and its entire people, it is right that Church continues its ongoing reflection without placing any of its cards on the table.
The principle of common good is the one that will be the guiding light for the Church to issue lamp posts for the people of Goa when the opportune time comes. The principle of common good being the integral part of the Catholic social teaching will help her to discern what will promote the Good of Goa and Goans. Besides, a continues and alert awakening to the realities of the people and the assessment of the political scenario and the so called programmes of development based on sound developmental indices, the Church waits to considers the kind of candidates that would be presented to people as well the party manifesto of all parties in the fray.
(Fr Victor Ferrao is the Dean at Rachol Seminary)
