Earlier this year Churches Together in Merseyside published a Manifesto for Hope for our City Region. The Manifesto sought to enkindle once more the spirit of the Faith in the City Report from 40 years ago. This was a watershed moment that gave the church and faith communities a more prominent voice for the values of justice and truth, and seeded thousands of local projects.

We continue to be inspired by the words of Jesus who said, ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these you did to me... whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do to me.’ (Matthew 25:40,45).

Today we want to offer again a message of hope to our people but know that structural poverty remains entrenched, inequality remains high, and in some respects, has worsened for those at the bottom relative to the median.

As religious and civic leaders each of us has our own responsibilities and spheres of influence, but we hold together that we commit ourselves to the common good of all the people in our region. We desire from the bottom of our hearts that they flourish as individuals, families and in their local communities.

Flourishing is an interesting word that goes back to Aristotle and Greek Philosophy. Flourishing means that every individual, family and organisation, has the opportunities for life, health, education, housing, family and work. When so enabled and empowered, people can then contribute to the good of society and build relationships which contribute to the common good for all.

At a recent meeting at the Town Hall, some church leaders met with councillors and leaders from many voluntary organisations that serve the poorest. We agreed that working together in partnerships can achieve this common aim more effectively. We need to continue to build the relationships between all of us gathered today in the Cathedral.

The Manifesto calls for the renewed vision of human society. We write, ‘Against a culture of divisiveness and fear – we affirm a bigger vision of one, respectful society where all are equally valued and equally safe. Every religion upholds the values of showing compassion, upholding justice; all stand for the dignity of every person... There is a growing concern over negative attitudes to people who are “not like us”. ‘Fear of the stranger’ is breeding untruths and division. We are one humanity. We can work together for the common good irrespective of any party-political or other allegiances.’

This is our desire – working together in the pursuit of truth, justice, respect for the other person of whatever colour or creed, and a commitment to the weakest and poorest in our midst. This is common to people of all faiths and none. It is the foundation for the rebuilding of trust in our society; a trust that gives hope and is built on courageous honesty so that no one feels alone.

As I visit the archdiocese, I hear of partnerships with educational projects for those with special needs, foodbanks, schemes to teach people to cook using slow-cookers, the provision of warm spaces, welcome centres to counter loneliness, the work of Nugent, the St Vincent de Paul Society, CAFOD and so much more but yet there is so much more to do that all people may flourish.

In this archdiocese, in a vision strengthened by the Synod, we recognise all the gifts and talents of the lay faithful. I encourage you to take responsibility for promoting a just political order as you know the ‘local ground’ and can use your gifts in the service of the common good locally and nationally.

I am very pleased so many of our local civic leaders are present today. There are many young people here today; we want you to play your part in our society and make the world a better place where we live! In November, I listened a fascinating debate in a High School where students played out COP30 and made their decisions for the future. You have energy, passion and commitment for protecting God’s creation, our environment - we need to listen to you.

The Church’s main role in promoting a just political order is to proclaim the truth and dignity of the human person, ensure the formation of the conscience in the light of Catholic Social Teaching and speak the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The gospel we have just heard comes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon is a charter for the baptised. It is the way we are called to live as Christians. A key to its interpretation is found in the line, ‘Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven’.

Jesus contrasts ‘keeping the Jewish Law’ with a call to fulfil the commandments with love. The Christian is called to go beyond the basic minimum of justice and truth and go the extra mile with love; a love that recognises the equal worth of the other person and desires that they flourish as God wishes for them. Today we know that flourishing requires a commitment to protect the good of creation, care for the limited resources of the earth and the building of peace.

Pope Leo XIV in first Apostolic Letter On Love for the Poor articulates this. He reminds us that ‘Love for the Lord, then, is one with love for the poor... contact with those who are lowly and powerless is a fundamental way of encountering the Lord of history’ [DT 5].

Love (caritas) is who we are as Church: ‘Love for the poor – whatever the form of their poverty may take – is the evangelical hallmark of a Church faithful to the heart of God’ [DT 103].

Our call is to be present with those who are poor. There are many forms of poverty, ‘the poverty of those who lack material means of subsistence, the poverty of those who are socially marginalized and lack the means to give voice to their dignity and abilities, moral and spiritual poverty, cultural poverty, the poverty of those who find themselves in a condition of personal or social weakness or fragility, the poverty of those who have no rights, no space, no freedom.’

The Pope articulates a challenge for us today and to which we are invited to recommit ourselves today - to work and pray, each of us, for the common good of our city and region, inspired by the words and example of Jesus Christ.