Thursday, June 30, 2005
B16 on Church and State
When Church and state occupy their own proper spheres, the Holy Father continued, political leaders will not shy away from "those ethical references whose ultimate foundations are to be found in religion." It is not a threat to secularism in politics, he stressed, when public discussions take into account "an integral vision of man and of his eternal destiny."
Today, the Pope said, the Italian people should "not deny the Christian heritage that makes up part of their history, but guard it jealously and bring it once again to produce fruits worthy of the past." He voiced his hope that Italy will lead Europe as a whole to "rediscover those Christian roots that enabled it to be great in the past, and that still today can favor the profound unity of the continent."
The Church also takes a legitimate interest in some important current political discussions in Italy, Pope Bendict said. He mentioned specifically "the issue of safeguarding the family based on matrimony, as recognized by the Italian Constitution; the issue of the defense of human life, and the issue of education." In a particular reference to the last issue, the Pope said: "While fully respecting the authority of the state to dictate general norms for education, I cannot but express the hope that the right of parents to a free educational choice be respected, without their having to support the additional weight of further burdens."
Today, the Pope said, the Italian people should "not deny the Christian heritage that makes up part of their history, but guard it jealously and bring it once again to produce fruits worthy of the past." He voiced his hope that Italy will lead Europe as a whole to "rediscover those Christian roots that enabled it to be great in the past, and that still today can favor the profound unity of the continent."
The Church also takes a legitimate interest in some important current political discussions in Italy, Pope Bendict said. He mentioned specifically "the issue of safeguarding the family based on matrimony, as recognized by the Italian Constitution; the issue of the defense of human life, and the issue of education." In a particular reference to the last issue, the Pope said: "While fully respecting the authority of the state to dictate general norms for education, I cannot but express the hope that the right of parents to a free educational choice be respected, without their having to support the additional weight of further burdens."
