Political parties are not religious, yet CHEGA claims to be. Despite sharing proximity with some of the Church’s positions on key issues, there are also policies that directly clash with it. Above all, the party’s aggressive and arrogant attitude is inconsistent with a Catholic presence in society, which calls for dialogue, negotiation, and moderation.
“Is CHEGA Catholic?” This question is, without a doubt, a strange one. Indeed, it is not for a political party to have a religion. It is its leaders, members, and voters who make choices of faith, not the group itself. Naturally, when defining its ideology, the association confronts the moral implications, of various religious traditions, requiring dialogue and confrontation. Nevertheless, no matter how much certain simplistic approaches attempt it, this is never sufficient to classify the party as confessional.
Moreover, long historical experience shows that great care is needed in the relationship between temporal and spiritual powers. Whenever civil authorities and religious structures became too closely aligned, whether amicably or antagonistically, both sides suffered serious harm. Portuguese history is particularly instructive in this regard, with long periods in which rulers sought either to tactically subjugate or fiercely persecute clergy and the faithful. One could even argue that the current Third Republic represents one of the best periods ever, with the Church hierarchy removed from political affairs and national leaders generally respectful of believers.
On this matter, Catholic teaching is quite clear. Paragraph 319 of DOCAT, the manual of the Church’s Social Doctrine that Pope Francis presented to young people at World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow, states: “Parties develop programs that, to be approved, require a majority. Because a Christian program is often linked to uncomfortable positions, there is no party in which Christian doctrine is fully represented. That is why it is very important for Catholics to participate to strengthen their positions and make them capable of achieving a majority.”
Does this mean that a Christian can be involved in any party? The text explains: “A prerequisite for responsible engagement is a fundamental commitment by the party to the inviolable dignity of the human person, to human rights, to personality and the defense of life, as well as to the legal status of the Church in our society, as enshrined in various national constitutions. In parties in which violence is extolled or in which social hatred, demagoguery, or the struggle between races and classes form part of the program, Catholics should neither participate nor collaborate.”
This last point already lends some relevance to the question posed above. Is CHEGA a party where the conditions exist for Catholics to engage? The question becomes even more relevant because several of the party’s statements explicitly reference the Church. In its Founding Political Manifesto of April 2019, it is stated: “CHEGA considers as indisputable inheritances (…) the inheritance of our Christian roots (…) respecting the decisive role played by the Catholic Church not only in shaping European civilization but also throughout the history of Portugal.” More significantly, the founder, on his 40th birthday (15 January 2023), published on social media a photograph of himself praying in a church and thanking “the privilege that God granted him to be able to fight for the country.” It is therefore undeniable that this party uses religious orientation as an electoral argument. Is such use legitimate?
It is impossible to ignore the strong affinities between the party’s positions and Church doctrine in crucial areas, particularly the defense of life and family, education, and culture. These are the arguments for a positive answer to the question posed. However, there are also strong divergences that, according to the teaching cited above, may indeed constitute grounds for Catholics to refrain from participation.
The most evident divergence concerns the treatment of immigrants and minorities, of prisoners and unions, where many of the party’s well-known proposals directly contradict the guidance of the Pope and the Portuguese bishops. The party’s general tone of aggressiveness and insult is also entirely incompatible with the religion of love of neighbor, including love for one’s enemies. For example, fighting corruption, a central banner of the party, is indeed highly commendable. But corruption must be fought in specific cases, not through sweeping generic accusations. To claim that all politicians and all parties are corrupt is false and amounts to a gratuitous and irresponsible insult, which in fact undermines the true fight against corruption.
The worst element, however, is the flagrant arrogance of those who consider themselves the only enlightened ones among the ignorant. One might say that arrogance is not lacking in political debate, but even in this impoverished environment CHEGA has descended several degrees into ignominy. It is an anti-system group that considers all others not merely mistaken but criminal and often treats them as such.
This is not, in any way, the Catholic social attitude, which chooses dialogue, negotiation, and moderation: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Mt 11:29). Some might argue that it is precisely this attitude that has led us to the current situation and that CHEGA brings the necessary change. But that is not true. Not only has this Catholic method rarely been genuinely applied, but the belligerent and petulant
attitude only worsens problems. The party resembles the disciples who asked Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” But He turned and rebuked them (Lk 9:54b–55).
To be Catholic it is not enough to proclaim it. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 7:21).
João César das Neves, Professor at CATÓLICA-LISBON