Attendees of the Faith and Politics Workshop 2024 in Milan. Photo: Jesuit European Social Centre
An event held in Venice from August 18 to 25, organised by the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice (JCFJ) in Ireland, along with the Jesuit European Social Centre in Brussels and Aggiornamenti Sociali in Milan, emphasised the potential contributions of religious individuals to public life. The Faith and Politics Workshop brought together young people from across Europe to explore how faith can inform political engagement.
The JCFJ, in a statement following the event, pointed that “advocating for more religious people in politics does not mean endorsing theocracy or the imposition of religious laws on a secular society. Rather, it is about recognising that religious individuals have a valuable role to play in the democratic process.”
The workshop focussed on dialogue, attentive listening and service, addressing concerns that religious involvement in politics could lead to dogmatism. Organisers noted the importance of viewing politics as a way to serve others, a perspective rooted in the teachings of St Ignatius of Loyola. Through activities like meditation, prayer and contemplation, participants were “encouraged to approach politics not as a power struggle but as an opportunity for love and service,” noted the JCFJ.