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Let us work for the common good, let us save our nation
Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference
January 14, 2011

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As we begin the New Year 2011 we, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference, address this pastoral letter to Catholics and to all people of good will. We invite you in this new year to work for the Common Good and to save our nation. The theme of this pastoral letter arises from recent and current experiences within our country. We continue to hope for a time when we can genuinely make the song of the heavenly host our own, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!" (Lk. 2:14). However, the evolving trends in our country are worrying and, if not corrected, can lead to our loss of nationhood, the disintegration of our society and to the forming of degenerate militias with opposing loyalties. The Social Teaching of the Catholic Church urges us to 'Work for the Common Good'. Indeed, "How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1)

The social teaching of the Church

"The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ" (Vatican II, The Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et spes, no. 1). To this end the Catholic Church has over the years developed ten principles that form the pillars of its social teaching. The ten principles provide criteria for judgment and directives for action in matters of justice, integrity, truth and social well being. They are, the Dignity of the human person; the Common good; Option for the poor; Human rights and responsibilities; Participation; Subsidiarity; Solidarity; Economic justice; Stewardship of God's creation; and Promotion of peace.

It is clear that all the ten principles are relevant to our situation but for the present we have chosen to dwell on the second principle as we invite you to work for the Common Good and save our Nation

The common good

Everyone has a responsibility to contribute to the Common Good of all members of society. A better society is not for the benefit of an elite but for all. The way in which we organize our society directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow together in community and contribute to the Common Good.

The Common Good is the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily. The Common Good concerns the life of all and consists of three essential elements: respect for the person; the Social Well Being and Development of the Group; and Peace, which gives stability and is the source of security for a just order

Signs of hope in our Nation

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we, your Shepherds, congratulate you for your patience over the many years of suffering and hardship. You have proved to be very innovative in overcoming or at least alleviating economic hardships and working for the survival of your families, dependents, the Church and our country. To fight misery and to struggle against injustice is to promote the human and spiritual progress of all people and, therefore, the Page 3 Common Good of Humanity. Peace is something that is built up day by day, in the pursuit of an order intended by God, which implies a more perfect form of justice among men (Paul VI, Populorum Progressio, On the Development of Peoples, no. 76).

The signing of the Global Political Agreement in September 2008 and the forming of the Government of National Unity in February 2009 bore signs of hope for the restoration of our nation, notwithstanding the worrying and tragic circumstances which gave rise to those developments. These were positive steps whose value have been eroded by lack of collective commitment and political will.

Our concerns

We are concerned that not all the tenets of the Global Political Agreement have been implemented, leading to the continued isolation of the country by most of the international community and the postponement of national healing, recovery, restoration and the enjoyment of fundamental human rights by all.

Given our situation it is important that we express openly and strongly our concern that every political party should engage in serious discussion about the Common Good. Without this sincere engagement we will continue to be dogged by violence, political intolerance, hate language in the public media, injustice, rigging of elections, fear, deception, etc. It is disheartening that State media never really went out of its way to promote COPAC and its quest for a people-driven constitution. So too, national healing, reconciliation and integration, which are so vital for national well-being, never seem to be given much serious media coverage.

We are concerned about incidences of politically motivated violence in some provinces. The liberation of Zimbabwe was achieved through the efforts of those who were inside the country (both armed and unarmed), outside the country and by the international community. The claim to have monopoly in the liberation struggle by any single sector or party, is therefore, false and may be the misconception solely responsible for the abuse of human rights and the erosion of the sovereignty of the citizens in Zimbabwe.

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