Church focuses on election

THE Catholic Church in Chimbu’s Kundiawa diocese has urged Christians to observe their faith during the general election.
Bishop Paul Sundu made the call when launching the Caritas PNG’s voter’s education awareness programme in Kundiawa recently.
The voter’s education awareness was a Caritas PNG programme endorsed by the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of PNG and the Solomon Islands and was blended into the pastoral programme of the 19 dioceses in PNG.
“Your presence can make a difference in the election,” Sundu said.
“I will be taking the pastoral approach on the election which the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and the Solomon Islands is concerned about relating to the election.”
Sundu also launched the Catholic Bishops Conference national pastoral plan in Kundiawa for parishes to draw up their plans based on the national pastoral plan theme of “Salt and light: Catholic church and society”.
He said under the church and society, three programmes would be delivered over time to focus on the election as the voter’s education awareness programme was based on economy and social wellbeing of a person.
He said issues surrounding the “culture of death” that were being practiced by communities could be noted and rearranged to promote the “culture of life” to the people.
Sundu said the cultures of death included breakdown in marriages, teenage pregnancy, child abuse, time wastages, promotion of political cult, tribal fights, resource wastages, unrealistic promises, vote buying, bribery, controlled voting, promotion of tribalism, among others.
According to the church, the “Salt and light” was based on the Gospel of St Matthew 5:13 which challenged Christians to stand and apply Christian values, sacraments, attitudes, and way of life in everyday conduct to influence the culture of life.
The church said with the general election coming up, certain practices could destroy society on its Christian life.
These practices included the setting up of campaign houses by candidates and their supporters, mass gatherings and movements of people, double voting, controlled voting, vote buying, and alcohol and substance abuse that could lead to a breakdown in Catholic Christian values and practices.