Dear Editor,

When peoples and nations are faced with life and death events the Church, guided by the commandments of God, must address such matters. The Church cannot be preoccupied only with spiritual concerns to the neglect of temporal and earthly dangers.

Therefore, when society faces complex realities that elicit conflicting opinions, the Church must appeal to the hearts of men and women, especially Christians, individuals of goodwill, and to those in authority in a way that reaches their innermost heart and conscience to awaken a sense of moral duty to self and to the common good.

Indeed, the true worth and nobility of men and women reside in their moral choices that move each individual to live for another and for the common good. For Christians, the imperative to love God, means to love our neighbour — the men, women and children living in our communities. In certain circumstances, this love requires courage and sacrifice. This is particularly so when disaster disrupts our social existence, as by the pandemic. Every citizen is required to make a decision as to the part they can play to get us through the attendant difficulties.

If, indeed, there is now a ready and universally proven solution to the novel coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc, with families losing loved ones, pressuring the health-care system, curtailing our children’s academic and socio-cultural education, especially the urban and rural poor, depressing the environment for economic and commercial activity, loss of sustainable income, restricting religious activities, then decisive action is needed from every citizen with intentional directives from our Government.

Having made provisions for vaccines and guidelines for social order under the circumstance of the pandemic, our Government must now be more decisive in restoring socio-economic normalcy and safeguarding the citizens of our land.

The welfare and well-being of the citizens of our nation, through effective leadership, is the primary reason for the existence of a Government. Therefore, when the general interest of the people and nation is threatened, as currently exists, the Government must be decisive in acting for the common good.

Indeed, it is the duty of our Government to ensure that claims of individual rights cannot be the pretext to undermine the principle of justice and the precedence of the common good. The only exception is for people with medical conditions.

Therefore, anyone declaring the right to refuse to take the vaccine must not be allowed to endanger the health of another person who has a right to be free from the threat of being infected by such a person. He/She must also not be allowed to pose a hindrance that not only delays but will prolong the threat to “the right” of free movement and socio-cultural interaction necessary for educating our children, economic and commercial activities and worship. Special arrangement must thus be imposed for the greater good.

As the Government is called to act for the common good, let each citizen place common good above self.

Kenneth D Richards

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kingston

chancery@kingstonarchdiocese.org