Catholic Website: Al-Azhar Dispute Will Blow Over

This article comes from AsiaNews.
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Al-Azhar against the Vatican: politics and pettiness  

By Bernardo Cervellera


Rome (AsiaNews) - The decision to freeze dialogue with the Vatican by the Islamic University of Al-Azhar, seems to many a bolt from the blue, which threatens to cause a clash between Christians and Muslims worldwide. The dialogue – heretofore always friendly - between the Holy See and the world’s highest institution of Sunni Islam, dates back to the '90s. Its positive progress was undoubtedly thanks to the personality of the imam of the time, Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, who died last March 10, 2010. As of March 19 of the same year, his successor became Imam Mohamed Ahmed al-Tayyeb (see photo). He, January 1st last, criticized Benedict XVI for expressing solidarity with Coptic Christians, accusing him of "interference" in the internal affairs of Egypt. 

In fact, the tension with Al-Azhar dates to January 1. In the run up to a meeting that should have taken place in the coming weeks, the Islamic University had requested that the Vatican remove one person in particular from its delegation: Fr. Khaled Akasheh, from Jordan, an expert on Islam, a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, who to date had been in charge of relations with the Islamic University.

Msgr. Akasheh is among the most qualified people in dialogue with Islam. He was in the Catholic-Muslim Forum in 2008, following the famous letter of 138 Muslim scholars to the Pope, and engaged in dialogue with Tehran’s Organizations of Islamic Culture.

The Vatican pointed out that in prior arrangements for dialogue, it is written that each delegation has the right freely to choose its members. But Al-Azhar had insisted that if his name  is not removed, it would interrupt dialogue.

However, this friction - and threats to freeze dialogue - have far deeper roots. Al-Azhar’s reasons for not wanting Fr. Akasheh are unclear. It is probable that they do not want someone who understands Arabic, who is an Arab, who understands Islam (Mgr Akasheh knows the Koran in depth), in order to feel free, not to be judged (or held to account).

The criticism of the pope, his expression of solidarity for the Coptic community judged as "interference in internal affairs" of Egypt, are thus only instrumental, a way to ostensibly cover up, the most petty of reasons.

But there is another element to consider: the link between Al-Azhar and its traditional support for the Egyptian political power. Hosni Mubarak, is a moderate Islamic leader, eager to advance the country towards secularism – also a demand of Coptic Christians, continually discriminated against in terms of legislation and social development. To this end, Mubarak is pushing ahead in his attempt to exclude fundamentalists from the political framework, especially the Muslim Brotherhood. In an attempt to determine the next presidential election in his favour, Mubarak is trying not to upset the Muslim world. Critics of the Vatican have this aim: lay the blame on the Christian and Western Pope, thus stroking the frustrations of the Muslims towards the (so called) Christian West. Al-Azhar has simply latched on to this trend.

How much weight will this decision carry? Will the rest of the Muslim world follow the line of the "splendid" Sunni university? In our opinion it is not likely. Al Azhar, which is funded almost entirely by Saudi Arabia, is representative of a very traditional Islam and is seen by many Islamic institutions as "too dusty and outdated”. While Tunisia and the Arab world grapple with the struggle and suffering for the future of Middle Eastern society, tackling the problems of human rights, democracy, despotism, poverty and the economy, Al-Azhar has limited itself to merely stating that Islam is against suicide, in some way condemning all those unfortunates who have set themselves on fire out of a despair caused by poverty and injustice. And yet, the sacrifice of these people has fuelled the revolt that led to the fall of Ben Ali and is shaking the Middle East.

Egyptian MPs Criticize Pope, EU Over Copt Remarks

This article comes from Al-Ahram.
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EU and Vatican criticised

 

The People's Assembly launched a scathing attack against the European Parliament accusing it of disseminating false reports about the "repression of Christians" in Egypt, reports Gamal Essam El-Din

 

Egyptian MPs, belonging to the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and opposition, opened fire on the Brussels-based European Parliament, accusing it of interfering in Egypt's internal affairs. Speaker of the People's Assembly Fathi Sorour told MPs in a session on Monday morning that he condemned the way in which the European Parliament had "tried to exploit the attack which hit the Two Saints Church on the New Year's Eve in order to imply that there is a systematic policy of repression against Coptic Christians in Egypt". Sorour said that in a meeting with a delegation from the Bundestag (German parliament) yesterday, he had stressed that "the terrorist attack against the Alexandrian church targeted Muslims and Christians alike and the European Parliament's statements about repression of Christians in Egypt are entirely unfounded".

Supporting Sorour, senior NDP MPs accused the European Parliament of propagating lies about Egypt. Abdel-Ahad Gamaleddin, NDP spokesman in the People's Assembly, insisted that "the European Parliament's statement claiming that Coptic Christians face persecution shows how most European institutions are completely ignorant of the situation in Egypt."

Chairman of the assembly's National Security and Defence Committee Amin Radi urged the European Parliament to exercise restraint before publishing false statements about religious conditions in Egypt.

"The European Parliament should fully understand that the bomb attack against the church was aimed at sowing discord between Christians and Muslims in Egypt," Radi said.

The Ghad Party's Ragab Hilal Hemeida accused the European Parliament of offering money to its clients in Egypt to spread lies and instill a kind of "creative chaos in the country".

MPs also attacked Pope Benedict XVI for issuing a statement that reflected "the spirit of the Crusades".

"Please, Pope of the Vatican," pleaded independent Coptic MP Gamal Assad Abdel-Malak, "stop recalling the spirit of the Crusades. Copts in Egypt do not face repression and are not in need of the protection of the Christian West."

"Since Napoleon Bonaparte's French Expedition and until the Zionist colonialist campaigns of today the West has been trying to exploit what it calls the Coptic issue and other religious minorities to interfere with the internal affairs of Egypt. Yes, there are some discriminatory policies against the Copts but these are nowhere near a systematic policy of persecution."

Abdel-Malak urged the government "not to dig its head into the sand like an ostrich and assume everything is OK with Egypt's Copts". He asked the ruling NDP to enter into "open discussion" of Coptic grievances "so as to close the door to foreign meddling".

Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, was also singled out by MPs for attack. Saad Al-Gammal, chairman of the assembly's Arab Affairs Committee, charged that both "the Mossad and the extremist Islamist organisation Al-Qaeda are seeking to inflame sectarian strife in countries like Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen."

"Mossad now serves the interests of Al-Qaeda and vice-versa. Neither will be able to break the national unity of Egypt."

Raafat Seif, spokesman of the leftist Tagammu Party, refused to join the anti-European Parliament tirade, saving his criticism for the proliferation of policies that allowed the growth of the kind of intolerance that culminated in the Alexandria bombing.

"Such policies include the growth of extremist education in private and government schools, the use of television and print media and mosques to spread hate against others, including Copts, describing them as infidels," said Seif.

NDP MPs tried to stop Seif from continuing until Sorour intervened. He went on to denounce "the extremist ideology of Wahabi Islam which had imposed itself on Egypt at the expense of the moderate and centrist ideology of Al-Azhar, which calls for tolerance, freedom of religion and inter-faith dialogue".

In response, Sorour urged MPs not to link Coptic grievances with the Alexandria bomb attack. "In so doing," he argued, "MPs are repeating foreign allegations that the bomb attack is somehow linked to Coptic grievances and the repression of Christians in Egypt."

Minister of State for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Moufid Shehab reiterated the argument that the bombing was an attempt to sow divisions among Egyptians. He warned MPs against confusing issues "by connecting the crime to Coptic grievances".

NDP MPs also criticised coverage of the attack on television channels. "Coverage of the bombing was at odds with the national interest," said Abdel-Ahad. "Channels which refuse to toe the national line should be closed."

Zakaria Azmi, chief of the presidential staff and a heavyweight NDP MP, accused daily newspapers of being so desperate to obtain a scoop that they had published conflicting reports about the results of the investigation into the Alexandria attack.

"Such irresponsibility could force citizens to lose confidence in the investigating authorities," he said. Newspapers should remember that the penal code criminalises all forms of intervention in ongoing investigations," said Azmi.

Vatican-Egypt Ties Strained

This article comes from Zenit.
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Recalled Egypt Envoy Meets 1st With Vatican Official

Holy See Affirms Appreciation for Nation's Efforts to Stop Religiously-Motivated Conflict

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 12, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Egypt has recalled to Cairo its ambassador to the Holy See in a show of displeasure at the Pope's defense of the country's Copts. Before leaving the Vatican, she met with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations with states.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi informed of Tuesday's meeting between the archbishop and Lamia Aly Hamada Mekhemar.

"During the meeting the ambassador, who is to return to Cairo for consultations with the Egyptian foreign ministry, described the concerns of her government at this present difficult time," a Vatican communiqué explained. "She was also able to receive information and gather the elements necessary in order to report adequately on the Holy Father's recent remarks concerning, in particular, religious freedom and the protection of Christians in the Middle East."

On Jan. 1, a suicide bomber killed 21 Copts as they were leaving the Divine Liturgy at Saints Church in Alexandria, Egypt. Benedict XVI has affirmed his solidarity with the Orthodox Copts, most recently last Sunday during the Angelus address, and Monday during his New Year's discourse to the diplomatic corp.

On Sunday, his comment came in the context of his greeting to a group of Italian Parliamentarians who had attended the midday Angelus address as a show of solidarity with the Egyptian Copts. His Monday statement noted the persecution of Christians in Iraq, after which he noted: "In Egypt too, in Alexandria, terrorism brutally struck Christians as they prayed in church. This succession of attacks is yet another sign of the urgent need for the governments of the region to adopt, in spite of difficulties and dangers, effective measures for the protection of religious minorities."

According to the Vatican communiqué, the ambassador's meeting with Archbishop Mamberti gave the prelate a chance to affirm "how the Holy See shares the emotions of all the people of Egypt, struck by the attack in Alexandria."

He also "gave assurances that it also fully shares the Egyptian government's concern 'to avoid the escalation of religiously motivated conflict and tensions,' and appreciates the efforts being made to that end."

According to a statement from the Egyptian foreign ministry, the call for the ambassador to return to Cairo is because "new statements from the Vatican […] are considered by Egypt as unacceptable interference in its internal affairs," the AFP reported.

The ambassador told Rome Reports that "we do not share the view that Christians are persecuted in our part of the world."

Papal Address to the Diplomatic Corps

This speech comes from the official Vatican website.

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ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS

Regia Hall
Monday, 10 January 2011

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to welcome you, the distinguished representatives of so many countries, to this meeting which each year assembles you around the Successor of Peter. It is a deeply significant meeting, since it is a sign and illustration of the place of the Church and of the Holy See in the international community. I offer my greetings and cordial good wishes to each of you, and particularly to those who have come for the first time. I am grateful to you for the commitment and interest with which, in the exercise of your demanding responsibilities, you follow my activities, those of the Roman Curia and thus, in some sense, the life of the Catholic Church throughout the world. Your Dean, Ambassador Alejandro Valladares Lanza, has interpreted your sentiments and I thank him for the good wishes which he has expressed to me in the name of all. Knowing how close-knit your community is, I am certain that today you are also thinking of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Baroness van Lynden-Leijten, who several weeks ago returned to the house of the Father. I prayerfully share your sentiments.

As a new year begins, our own hearts and the entire world continue to echo the joyful message proclaimed twenty centuries ago in the night of Bethlehem, a night which symbolizes humanity’s deep need for light, love and peace. To the men and women of that time, as to those of our own day, the heavenly hosts brought the good news of the coming of the Saviour: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined” (Is 9:1). The mystery of the Son of God who became the son of man truly surpasses all human expectations. In its absolute gratuitousness this saving event is the authentic and full response to the deep desire of every heart. The truth, goodness, happiness and abundant life which each man and woman consciously or unconsciously seeks are given to us by God. In longing for these gifts, each person is seeking his Creator, for “God alone responds to the yearning present in the heart of every man and woman” (Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini, 23). Humanity throughout history, in its beliefs and rituals, demonstrates a constant search for God and “these forms of religious expression are so universal that one may well call man a religious being” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 28). The religious dimension is an undeniable and irrepressible feature of man’s being and acting, the measure of the fulfilment of his destiny and of the building up of the community to which he belongs. Consequently, when the individual himself or those around him neglect or deny this fundamental dimension, imbalances and conflicts arise at all levels, both personal and interpersonal.

This primary and basic truth is the reason why, in this year’s Message for World Day of Peace, I identified religious freedom as the fundamental path to peace. Peace is built and preserved only when human beings can freely seek and serve God in their hearts, in their lives and in their relationships with others.

Ladies and Gentlemen, your presence on this solemn occasion is an invitation to survey the countries which you represent and the entire world. In this panorama do we not find numerous situations in which, sadly, the right to religious freedom is violated or denied? It is indeed the first of human rights, not only because it was historically the first to be recognized but also because it touches the constitutive dimension of man, his relation with his Creator. Yet is this fundamental human right not all too often called into question or violated? It seems to me that society, its leaders and public opinion are becoming more and more aware, even if not always in a clear way, of this grave attack on the dignity and freedom of homo religiosus, which I have sought on numerous occasions to draw to the attention of all.

I did so during the past year in my Apostolic Journeys to Malta, Portugal, Cyprus, the United Kingdom and Spain. Above and beyond the diversity of those countries, I recall with gratitude their warm welcome. The Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, which took place in the Vatican in October, was a moment of prayer and reflection in which our thoughts turned insistently to the Christian communities in that part of the world which suffer greatly because of their fidelity to Christ and the Church.

Looking to the East, the attacks which brought death, grief and dismay among the Christians of Iraq, even to the point of inducing them to leave the land where their families have lived for centuries, has troubled us deeply. To the authorities of that country and to the Muslim religious leaders I renew my heartfelt appeal that their Christian fellow-citizens be able to live in security, continuing to contribute to the society in which they are fully members. In Egypt too, in Alexandria, terrorism brutally struck Christians as they prayed in church. This succession of attacks is yet another sign of the urgent need for the governments of the region to adopt, in spite of difficulties and dangers, effective measures for the protection of religious minorities. Need we repeat it? In the Middle East, Christians are original and authentic citizens who are loyal to their fatherland and assume their duties toward their country. It is natural that they should enjoy all the rights of citizenship, freedom of conscience, freedom of worship and freedom in education, teaching and the use of the mass media” (Message to the People of God of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, 10). I appreciate the concern for the rights of the most vulnerable and the political farsightedness which some countries in Europe have demonstrated in recent days by their call for a concerted response on the part of the European Union for the defence of Christians in the Middle East. Finally, I would like to state once again that the right to religious freedom is not fully respected when only freedom of worship is guaranteed, and that with restrictions. Furthermore, I encourage the accompaniment of the full safeguarding of religious freedom and other humans rights by programmes which, beginning in primary school and within the context of religious instruction, will educate everyone to respect their brothers and sisters in humanity. Regarding the states of the Arabian Peninsula, where numerous Christian immigrant workers live, I hope that the Catholic Church will be able to establish suitable pastoral structures.

Among the norms prejudicing the right of persons to religious freedom, particular mention must be made of the law against blasphemy in Pakistan: I once more encourage the leaders of that country to take the necessary steps to abrogate that law, all the more so because it is clear that it serves as a pretext for acts of injustice and violence against religious minorities. The tragic murder of the governor of Punjab shows the urgent need to make progress in this direction: the worship of God furthers fraternity and love, not hatred and division. Other troubling situations, at times accompanied by acts of violence, can be mentioned in south and south-east Asia, in countries which for that matter have a tradition of peaceful social relations. The particular influence of a given religion in a nation ought never to mean that citizens of another religion can be subject to discrimination in social life or, even worse, that violence against them can be tolerated. In this regard, it is important for interreligious dialogue to favour a common commitment to recognizing and promoting the religious freedom of each person and community. And, as I remarked earlier, violence against Christians does not spare Africa. Attacks on places of worship in Nigeria during the very celebrations marking the birth of Christ are another sad proof of this.

In a number of countries, on the other hand, a constitutionally recognized right to religious freedom exists, yet the life of religious communities is in fact made difficult and at times even dangerous (cf. Dignitatis Humanae, 15) because the legal or social order is inspired by philosophical and political systems which call for strict control, if not a monopoly, of the state over society. Such inconsistencies must end, so that believers will not find themselves torn between fidelity to God and loyalty to their country. I ask in particular that Catholic communities be everywhere guaranteed full autonomy of organization and the freedom to carry out their mission, in conformity with international norms and standards in this sphere.

My thoughts turn once again to the Catholic community of mainland China and its pastors, who are experiencing a time of difficulty and trial. I would also like to offer a word of encouragement to the authorities of Cuba, a country which in 2010 celebrated seventy-five years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations with the Holy See, that the dialogue happily begun with the Church may be reinforced and expanded.

Turning our gaze from East to West, we find ourselves faced with other kinds of threats to the full exercise of religious freedom. I think in the first place of countries which accord great importance to pluralism and tolerance, but where religion is increasingly being marginalized. There is a tendency to consider religion, all religion, as something insignificant, alien or even destabilizing to modern society, and to attempt by different means to prevent it from having any influence on the life of society. Christians are even required at times to act in the exercise of their profession with no reference to their religious and moral convictions, and even in opposition to them, as for example where laws are enforced limiting the right to conscientious objection on the part of health care or legal professionals.

In this context, one can only be gratified by the adoption by the Council of Europe last October of a resolution protecting the right to conscientious objection on the part of medical personnel vis-à-vis certain acts which gravely violate the right to life, such as abortion.

Another sign of the marginalization of religion, and of Christianity in particular, is the banning of religious feasts and symbols from civic life under the guise of respect for the members of other religions or those who are not believers. By acting in this way, not only is the right of believers to the public expression of their faith restricted, but an attack is made on the cultural roots which nourish the profound identity and social cohesion of many nations. Last year, a number of European countries supported the appeal lodged by the Italian government in the well-known case involving the display of the crucifix in public places. I am grateful to the authorities of those nations, as well as to all those who became involved in the issue, episcopates, civil and religious organizations and associations, particularly the Patriarchate of Moscow and the other representatives of the Orthodox hierarchy, as well as to all those – believers and non-believers alike – who wished to show their sympathy for this symbol, which bespeaks universal values.

Acknowledging religious freedom also means ensuring that religious communities can operate freely in society through initiatives in the social, charitable or educational sectors. Throughout the world, one can see the fruitful work accomplished by the Catholic Church in these areas. It is troubling that this service which religious communities render to society as a whole, particularly through the education of young people, is compromised or hampered by legislative proposals which risk creating a sort of state monopoly in the schools; this can be seen, for example, in certain countries in Latin America. Now that many of those countries are celebrating the second centenary of their independence – a fitting time for remembering the contribution made by the Catholic Church to the development of their national identity – I exhort all governments to promote educational systems respectful of the primordial right of families to make decisions about the education of their children, systems inspired by the principle of subsidiarity which is basic to the organization of a just society.

Continuing my reflection, I cannot remain silent about another attack on the religious freedom of families in certain European countries which mandate obligatory participation in courses of sexual or civic education which allegedly convey a neutral conception of the person and of life, yet in fact reflect an anthropology opposed to faith and to right reason.

Ladies and Gentlemen, on this solemn occasion, allow me to state clearly several principles which inspire the Holy See, together with the whole Catholic Church, in its activity within the intergovernmental International Organizations for the promotion of full respect for the religious freedom of all. First, the conviction that one cannot create a sort of scale of degrees of religious intolerance. Unfortunately, such an attitude is frequently found, and it is precisely acts of discrimination against Christians which are considered less grave and less worthy of attention on the part of governments and public opinion. At the same time, there is a need to reject the dangerous notion of a conflict between the right to religious freedom and other human rights, thus disregarding or denying the central role of respect for religious freedom in the defence and protection of fundamental human dignity. Even less justifiable are attempts to counter the right of religious freedom with other alleged new rights which, while actively promoted by certain sectors of society and inserted in national legislation or in international directives, are nonetheless merely the expression of selfish desires lacking a foundation in authentic human nature. Finally, it seems unnecessary to point out that an abstract proclamation of religious freedom is insufficient: this fundamental rule of social life must find application and respect at every level and in all areas; otherwise, despite correct affirmations of principle, there is a risk that deep injustice will be done to citizens wishing to profess and freely practise their faith.

Promoting the full religious freedom of Catholic communities is also the aim of the Holy See in signing Concordats and other agreements. I am gratified that states in different parts of the world, and of different religious, cultural and juridical traditions, choose international conventions as a means of organizing relations between the political community and the Catholic Church, thus establishing through dialogue a framework of cooperation and respect for reciprocal areas of competence. Last year witnessed the signing and implementation of an Agreement for the religious assistance of the Catholic faithful in the armed forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and negotiations are presently under way with different countries. We trust that they will have a positive outcome, ensuring solutions respectful of the nature and freedom of the Church for the good of society as a whole.

The activity of the Papal Representatives accredited to states and international organizations is likewise at the service of religious freedom. I would like to point out with satisfaction that the Vietnamese authorities have accepted my appointment of a Representative who will express the solicitude of the Successor of Peter by visiting the beloved Catholic community of that country. I would also like to mention that in the past year the diplomatic presence of the Holy See was expanded in Africa, since a stable presence is now assured in three countries without a resident Nuncio. God willing, I will once more travel to that continent, to Benin next November, in order to consign the Apostolic Exhortation which will gather the fruits of the labours of the second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops.

Before this distinguished assembly, I would like once more to state forcefully that religion does not represent a problem for society, that it is not a source of discord or conflict. I would repeat that the Church seeks no privileges, nor does she seek to intervene in areas unrelated to her mission, but simply to exercise the latter with freedom. I invite everyone to acknowledge the great lesson of history: “How can anyone deny the contribution of the world’s great religions to the development of civilization? The sincere search for God has led to greater respect for human dignity. Christian communities, with their patrimony of values and principles, have contributed much to making individuals and peoples aware of their identity and their dignity, the establishment of democratic institutions and the recognition of human rights and their corresponding duties. Today too, in an increasingly globalized society, Christians are called, not only through their responsible involvement in civic, economic and political life but also through the witness of their charity and faith, to offer a valuable contribution to the laborious and stimulating pursuit of justice, integral human development and the right ordering of human affairs” (Message for the Celebration of World Peace Day, 1 January 2011, 7).

A clear example of this was Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta: the centenary of her birth was celebrated at Tirana, Skopje and Pristina as well as in India, and a moving homage was paid to her not only by the Church but also by civil authorities and religious leaders, to say nothing of people of all religions. People like her show the world the extent to which the commitment born of faith is beneficial to society as a whole.

May no human society willingly deprive itself of the essential contribution of religious persons and communities! As the Second Vatican Council recalled, by guaranteeing just religious freedom fully and to all, society can “enjoy the benefits of justice and peace which result from faithfulness to God and his holy will” (Declaration Dignitatis Humanae, 6).

For this reason, as we exchange good wishes for a new year rich in concord and genuine progress, I exhort everyone, political and religious leaders and persons of every walk of life, to set out with determination on the path leading to authentic and lasting peace, a path which passes through respect for the right to religious freedom in all its fullness.

On this commitment, whose accomplishment calls for the involvement of the whole human family, I invoke the blessing of Almighty God, who has reconciled us with himself and with one another through his Son Jesus Christ our peace (Eph 2:14).

A Happy New Year to all!

10 Stories that Could Define Vatican in 2011

An interesting post from a British Catholic perspective.

This comes from the Catholic Herald.

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Ten stories that are likely to define the coming year

For British Catholics, the past 12 months were both unsettling and exhilarating. Will the year ahead be as dramatic? Given the turbulent nature of the times, it is impossible to know for certain which themes will define the year. But here are 10 stories that we believe are likely to dominate 2011 and have a far-reaching impact on the Church.

The ordinariate: In arguably one of most interesting developments in English Christianity since the Oxford Movement, groups of former Anglicans will form the first personal ordinariate. The English ordinariate will become a model for similar ventures around the world.

Persecution in the Middle East: The bombing of the Coptic church in Alexandria was al-Qaeda’s way of saying that no Christian in any Middle Eastern country is safe. The terror network is likely to wage a concerted campaign this year to drive Christianity out of its ancient heartlands.

Post-papal visit renewal: Many of us are still trying to absorb the impact of Benedict XVI’s trip to Britain. There is a danger that, if we continue to simply bathe in the visit’s warm afterglow, we will miss a key opportunity for spiritual renewal.

The Church and the Coalition: Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster has said that the papal visit seemed to herald a new era in relations between Church and state. But will the new spirit of cooperation survive the Coalition’s decision to place abortion at the forefront of overseas aid and to drive through controversial cuts?

Apostolic Visitation to Ireland: This year the Apostolic Visitators will attempt to discover what went wrong with the Irish Church and how it might be corrected. If Rome can draw the right conclusions about the malaise it can ensure that the scandal is not repeated elsewhere.

Reforming the Legion of Christ: No less important is the radical re-shaping of the most dynamic post-Vatican II clerical religious congregation, the Legion of Christ, and its lay movement, Regnum Christi. Pope Benedict has rejected the easy option of simply abolishing the Legion and will devote much energy in 2011 to salvaging the wreckage left behind by Marcial Maciel.

The referendum in Sudan: This month the people of southern Sudan (many of whom are Catholic) will vote on whether to secede from the north. Khartoum has warned them to expect violence if they opt for independence. Will anyone defend them?

Sino-Vatican ties: Before Christmas relations between Rome and Beijing deteroriated dramatically. Chinese state media accused the Pope of behaving “like a western politician”, while the Vatican said the Chinese authorities had engaged in “unacceptable and hostile acts”. Will Sino-Vatican ties continue to worsen in 2011?

SSPX talks: This might be the year that discussions between Rome and the Society of St Pius X finally bear fruit. As we report this week, SSPX leader Bishop Bernard Fellay is cautiously optimistic about full reconciliation. But we shouldn’t underestimate the obstacles that remain.

The Pope in Berlin: In September Benedict XVI will make his first papal trip to the German capital. Protests are expected, but the Pope may be able to charm the German public just as he did the British people. His scheduled address to the Bundestag is likely to be memorable.

A "Fundamental Moral Consensus"?

The Pope had many things to say in his speech to the Roman Curia today.  The following is my brief analysis. 

Benedict began by citing a Latin prayer drawn from the Advent liturgy (translated as "Stir up your power, O Lord, and come").  He suggested that this prayer may have originated during the last days of the Roman Empire, when distressed Catholics looked out over the cultural darkness engulfing their world.  

The Pope explained that he has been repeating this prayer often throughout the past year, especially after the shocking revelations that arose in the sex abuse scandal.  He admitted that the Church is "stained with dust" and that her "garment is torn."  Using a mystical allusion to a vision of St. Hildegard, Benedict seemed to confess before the entire world that the Catholic Church had been found soiled and sinful.

Yet immediately afterward Benedict provided a way out.  "The real culprit," he seemed to say, "is this secular world."  While Catholics had faced an onslaught of darkness during the decline of the Roman Empire, this darkness was not due to any fault of the Church.  "The disintegration of the key principles of law and of the fundamental moral attitudes underpinning them burst open the dams which until that time had protected peaceful coexistence among peoples. The sun was setting over an entire world...There was no power in sight that could put a stop to this decline."   

Similarly, the darkness present in the Catholic Church today is not really attributable to the Church's own inherent corruption.  "We [cannot] remain silent regarding the context of these times in which these events have come to light," Benedict said.  Therefore, it is the context of world culture, he inferred, and not the Church itself that needs to be fixed.r "For all its new hopes and possibilities, our world['s] moral consensus is collapsing, consensus without which juridical and political structures cannot function...[and] the forces mobilized for the defence of such structures seem doomed to failure."   

And what is that context that gives rise to all our problems?  The secular and national world order, of course.

And what is the alternative?  

Quoting Alexis de Tocqueville, the Pope provided the answer: worldwide "fundamental moral consensus."   His vision is unclear, but it seems obvious that we are talking about a global system based on religious, cultural, and social unification.

And what would the consensus be based on?  

You guessed it -- the "Christian [i.e,. Catholic] heritage" available exclusively from the Roman Catholic Pontiff and his universal kingdom.

Benedict implores his curia to pray for strength so that together they may "order justly the affairs of the world."  Later, he explains the mission of the Vatican in today's world: "To resist this eclipse of reason [i.e., the influence of secularism] and to preserve its [reason's] capacity for seeing the essential, for seeing God and man, for seeing what is good and what is true, is the common interest that must unite all people of good will."  Benedict ends by assuring his audience that nothing less than "the very future of the world is at stake."

Some questions need to be asked here: What exactly is Benedict advocating for?  Is his speech simply a spiritual message, or is he trying to encourage the establishment of a revolutionary new global order? 

I leave it to the reader to decide.

This speech comes from the Vatican website.
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ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI

ON THE OCCASION OF CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

TO THE ROMAN CURIA

Sala Regia

Monday, 20 December 2010

Dear Cardinals, Brother Bishops and Priests,

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It gives me great pleasure to be here with you, dear Members of the College of Cardinals and Representatives of the Roman Curia and the Governatorato, for this traditional gathering. I extend a cordial greeting to each one of you, beginning with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, whom I thank for his sentiments of devotion and communion and for the warm good wishes that he expressed to me on behalf of all of you. Prope est jam Dominus, venite, adoremus! As one family let us contemplate the mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us, as the Cardinal Dean has said. I gladly reciprocate his good wishes and I would like to thank all of you most sincerely, including the Papal Representatives all over the world, for the able and generous contribution that each of you makes to the Vicar of Christ and to the Church.


Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni. Repeatedly during the season of Advent the Church’s liturgy prays in these or similar words. They are invocations that were probably formulated as the Roman Empire was in decline. The disintegration of the key principles of law and of the fundamental moral attitudes underpinning them burst open the dams which until that time had protected peaceful coexistence among peoples. The sun was setting over an entire world. Frequent natural disasters further increased this sense of insecurity. There was no power in sight that could put a stop to this decline. All the more insistent, then, was the invocation of the power of God: the plea that he might come and protect his people from all these threats.


Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni. Today too, we have many reasons to associate ourselves with this Advent prayer of the Church. For all its new hopes and possibilities, our world is at the same time troubled by the sense that moral consensus is collapsing, consensus without which juridical and political structures cannot function. Consequently the forces mobilized for the defence of such structures seem doomed to failure.


Excita – the prayer recalls the cry addressed to the Lord who was sleeping in the disciples’ storm-tossed boat as it was close to sinking. When his powerful word had calmed the storm, he rebuked the disciples for their little faith (cf. Mt 8:26 et par.). He wanted to say: it was your faith that was sleeping. He will say the same thing to us. Our faith too is often asleep. Let us ask him, then, to wake us from the sleep of a faith grown tired, and to restore to that faith the power to move mountains – that is, to order justly the affairs of the world.


Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni: amid the great tribulations to which we have been exposed during the past year, this Advent prayer has frequently been in my mind and on my lips. We had begun the Year for Priests with great joy and, thank God, we were also able to conclude it with great gratitude, despite the fact that it unfolded so differently from the way we had expected. Among us priests and among the lay faithful, especially the young, there was a renewed awareness of what a great gift the Lord has entrusted to us in the priesthood of the Catholic Church. We realized afresh how beautiful it is that human beings are fully authorized to pronounce in God’s name the word of forgiveness, and are thus able to change the world, to change life; we realized how beautiful it is that human beings may utter the words of consecration, through which the Lord draws a part of the world into himself, and so transforms it at one point in its very substance; we realized how beautiful it is to be able, with the Lord’s strength, to be close to people in their joys and sufferings, in the important moments of their lives and in their dark times; how beautiful it is to have as one’s life task not this or that, but simply human life itself – helping people to open themselves to God and to live from God. We were all the more dismayed, then, when in this year of all years and to a degree we could not have imagined, we came to know of abuse of minors committed by priests who twist the sacrament into its antithesis, and under the mantle of the sacred profoundly wound human persons in their childhood, damaging them for a whole lifetime.

In this context, a vision of Saint Hildegard of Bingen came to my mind, a vision which describes in a shocking way what we have lived through this past year. “In the year of our Lord’s incarnation 1170, I had been lying on my sick-bed for a long time when, fully conscious in body and in mind, I had a vision of a woman of such beauty that the human mind is unable to comprehend. She stretched in height from earth to heaven. Her face shone with exceeding brightness and her gaze was fixed on heaven. She was dressed in a dazzling robe of white silk and draped in a cloak, adorned with stones of great price. On her feet she wore shoes of onyx. But her face was stained with dust, her robe was ripped down the right side, her cloak had lost its sheen of beauty and her shoes had been blackened. And she herself, in a voice loud with sorrow, was calling to the heights of heaven, saying, ‘Hear, heaven, how my face is sullied; mourn, earth, that my robe is torn; tremble, abyss, because my shoes are blackened!’


And she continued: ‘I lay hidden in the heart of the Father until the Son of Man, who was conceived and born in virginity, poured out his blood. With that same blood as his dowry, he made me his betrothed.


For my Bridegroom’s wounds remain fresh and open as long as the wounds of men’s sins continue to gape. And Christ’s wounds remain open because of the sins of priests. They tear my robe, since they are violators of the Law, the Gospel and their own priesthood; they darken my cloak by neglecting, in every way, the precepts which they are meant to uphold; my shoes too are blackened, since priests do not keep to the straight paths of justice, which are hard and rugged, or set good examples to those beneath them. Nevertheless, in some of them I find the splendour of truth.’


And I heard a voice from heaven which said: ‘This image represents the Church. For this reason, O you who see all this and who listen to the word of lament, proclaim it to the priests who are destined to offer guidance and instruction to God’s people and to whom, as to the apostles, it was said: go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation’ (Mk 16:15)” (Letter to Werner von Kirchheim and his Priestly Community: PL 197, 269ff.).


In the vision of Saint Hildegard, the face of the Church is stained with dust, and this is how we have seen it. Her garment is torn – by the sins of priests. The way she saw and expressed it is the way we have experienced it this year. We must accept this humiliation as an exhortation to truth and a call to renewal. Only the truth saves. We must ask ourselves what we can do to repair as much as possible the injustice that has occurred. We must ask ourselves what was wrong in our proclamation, in our whole way of living the Christian life, to allow such a thing to happen. We must discover a new resoluteness in faith and in doing good. We must be capable of doing penance. We must be determined to make every possible effort in priestly formation to prevent anything of the kind from happening again. This is also the moment to offer heartfelt thanks to all those who work to help victims and to restore their trust in the Church, their capacity to believe her message. In my meetings with victims of this sin, I have also always found people who, with great dedication, stand alongside those who suffer and have been damaged. This is also the occasion to thank the many good priests who act as channels of the Lord’s goodness in humility and fidelity and, amid the devastations, bear witness to the unforfeited beauty of the priesthood.

We are well aware of the particular gravity of this sin committed by priests and of our corresponding responsibility. But neither can we remain silent regarding the context of these times in which these events have come to light. There is a market in child pornography that seems in some way to be considered more and more normal by society. The psychological destruction of children, in which human persons are reduced to articles of merchandise, is a terrifying sign of the times. From Bishops of developing countries I hear again and again how sexual tourism threatens an entire generation and damages its freedom and its human dignity. The Book of Revelation includes among the great sins of Babylon – the symbol of the world’s great irreligious cities – the fact that it trades with bodies and souls and treats them as commodities (cf. Rev 18:13). In this context, the problem of drugs also rears its head, and with increasing force extends its octopus tentacles around the entire world – an eloquent expression of the tyranny of mammon which perverts mankind. No pleasure is ever enough, and the excess of deceiving intoxication becomes a violence that tears whole regions apart – and all this in the name of a fatal misunderstanding of freedom which actually undermines man’s freedom and ultimately destroys it.


In order to resist these forces, we must turn our attention to their ideological foundations. In the 1970s, paedophilia was theorized as something fully in conformity with man and even with children. This, however, was part of a fundamental perversion of the concept of ethos. It was maintained – even within the realm of Catholic theology – that there is no such thing as evil in itself or good in itself. There is only a “better than” and a “worse than”. Nothing is good or bad in itself. Everything depends on the circumstances and on the end in view. Anything can be good or also bad, depending upon purposes and circumstances. Morality is replaced by a calculus of consequences, and in the process it ceases to exist. The effects of such theories are evident today. Against them, Pope John Paul II, in his 1993 Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor, indicated with prophetic force in the great rational tradition of Christian ethos the essential and permanent foundations of moral action. Today, attention must be focused anew on this text as a path in the formation of conscience. It is our responsibility to make these criteria audible and intelligible once more for people today as paths of true humanity, in the context of our paramount concern for mankind.


As my second point, I should like to say a word about the Synod of the Churches of the Middle East. This began with my journey to Cyprus, where I was able to consign the Instrumentum Laboris of the Synod to the Bishops of those countries who were assembled there. The hospitality of the Orthodox Church was unforgettable, and we experienced it with great gratitude. Even if full communion is not yet granted to us, we have nevertheless established with joy that the basic form of the ancient Church unites us profoundly with one another: the sacramental office of Bishops as the bearer of apostolic tradition, the reading of Scripture according to the hermeneutic of the Regula fidei, the understanding of Scripture in its manifold unity centred on Christ, developed under divine inspiration, and finally, our faith in the central place of the Eucharist in the Church’s life. Thus we experienced a living encounter with the riches of the rites of the ancient Church that are also found within the Catholic Church. We celebrated the liturgy with Maronites and with Melchites, we celebrated in the Latin rite, we experienced moments of ecumenical prayer with the Orthodox, and we witnessed impressive manifestations of the rich Christian culture of the Christian East. But we also saw the problem of the divided country. The wrongs and the deep wounds of the past were all too evident, but so too was the desire for the peace and communion that had existed before. Everyone knows that violence does not bring progress – indeed, it gave rise to the present situation. Only in a spirit of compromise and mutual understanding can unity be re-established. To prepare the people for this attitude of peace is an essential task of pastoral ministry.


During the Synod itself, our gaze was extended over the whole of the Middle East, where the followers of different religions – as well as a variety of traditions and distinct rites – live together. As far as Christians are concerned, there are Pre-Chalcedonian as well as Chalcedonian churches; there are churches in communion with Rome and others that are outside that communion; in both cases, multiple rites exist alongside one another. In the turmoil of recent years, the tradition of peaceful coexistence has been shattered and tensions and divisions have grown, with the result that we witness with increasing alarm acts of violence in which there is no longer any respect for what the other holds sacred, in which on the contrary the most elementary rules of humanity collapse. In the present situation, Christians are the most oppressed and tormented minority. For centuries they lived peacefully together with their Jewish and Muslim neighbours. During the Synod we listened to wise words from the Counsellor of the Mufti of the Republic of Lebanon against acts of violence targeting Christians. He said: when Christians are wounded, we ourselves are wounded. Unfortunately, though, this and similar voices of reason, for which we are profoundly grateful, are too weak. Here too we come up against an unholy alliance between greed for profit and ideological blindness. On the basis of the spirit of faith and its rationality, the Synod developed a grand concept of dialogue, forgiveness and mutual acceptance, a concept that we now want to proclaim to the world. The human being is one, and humanity is one. Whatever damage is done to another in any one place, ends up by damaging everyone. Thus the words and ideas of the Synod must be a clarion call, addressed to all people with political or religious responsibility, to put a stop to Christianophobia; to rise up in defence of refugees and all who are suffering, and to revitalize the spirit of reconciliation. In the final analysis, healing can only come from deep faith in God’s reconciling love. Strengthening this faith, nourishing it and causing it to shine forth is the Church’s principal task at this hour.


I would willingly speak in some detail of my unforgettable journey to the United Kingdom, but I will limit myself to two points that are connected with the theme of the responsibility of Christians at this time and with the Church’s task to proclaim the Gospel. My thoughts go first of all to the encounter with the world of culture in Westminster Hall, an encounter in which awareness of shared responsibility at this moment in history created great attention which, in the final analysis, was directed to the question of truth and faith itself. It was evident to all that the Church has to make her own contribution to this debate. Alexis de Tocqueville, in his day, observed that democracy in America had become possible and had worked because there existed a fundamental moral consensus which, transcending individual denominations, united everyone. Only if there is such a consensus on the essentials can constitutions and law function. This fundamental consensus derived from the Christian heritage is at risk wherever its place, the place of moral reasoning, is taken by the purely instrumental rationality of which I spoke earlier. In reality, this makes reason blind to what is essential. To resist this eclipse of reason and to preserve its capacity for seeing the essential, for seeing God and man, for seeing what is good and what is true, is the common interest that must unite all people of good will. The very future of the world is at stake.


Finally I should like to recall once more the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman. Why was he beatified? What does he have to say to us? Many responses could be given to these questions, which were explored in the context of the beatification. I would like to highlight just two aspects which belong together and which, in the final analysis, express the same thing. The first is that we must learn from Newman’s three conversions, because they were steps along a spiritual path that concerns us all. Here I would like to emphasize just the first conversion: to faith in the living God. Until that moment, Newman thought like the average men of his time and indeed like the average men of today, who do not simply exclude the existence of God, but consider it as something uncertain, something with no essential role to play in their lives. What appeared genuinely real to him, as to the men of his and our day, is the empirical, matter that can be grasped. This is the “reality” according to which one finds one’s bearings. The “real” is what can be grasped, it is the things that can be calculated and taken in one’s hand. In his conversion, Newman recognized that it is exactly the other way round: that God and the soul, man’s spiritual identity, constitute what is genuinely real, what counts. These are much more real than objects that can be grasped. This conversion was a Copernican revolution. What had previously seemed unreal and secondary was now revealed to be the genuinely decisive element. Where such a conversion takes place, it is not just a person’s theory that changes: the fundamental shape of life changes. We are all in constant need of such conversion: then we are on the right path.

The driving force that impelled Newman along the path of conversion was conscience. But what does this mean? In modern thinking, the word “conscience” signifies that for moral and religious questions, it is the subjective dimension, the individual, that constitutes the final authority for decision. The world is divided into the realms of the objective and the subjective. To the objective realm belong things that can be calculated and verified by experiment. Religion and morals fall outside the scope of these methods and are therefore considered to lie within the subjective realm. Here, it is said, there are in the final analysis no objective criteria. The ultimate instance that can decide here is therefore the subject alone, and precisely this is what the word “conscience” expresses: in this realm only the individual, with his intuitions and experiences, can decide. Newman’s understanding of conscience is diametrically opposed to this. For him, “conscience” means man’s capacity for truth: the capacity to recognize precisely in the decision-making areas of his life – religion and morals – a truth, the truth. At the same time, conscience – man’s capacity to recognize truth – thereby imposes on him the obligation to set out along the path towards truth, to seek it and to submit to it wherever he finds it. Conscience is both capacity for truth and obedience to the truth which manifests itself to anyone who seeks it with an open heart. The path of Newman’s conversions is a path of conscience – not a path of self-asserting subjectivity but, on the contrary, a path of obedience to the truth that was gradually opening up to him. His third conversion, to Catholicism, required him to give up almost everything that was dear and precious to him: possessions, profession, academic rank, family ties and many friends. The sacrifice demanded of him by obedience to the truth, by his conscience, went further still. Newman had always been aware of having a mission for England. But in the Catholic theology of his time, his voice could hardly make itself heard. It was too foreign in the context of the prevailing form of theological thought and devotion. In January 1863 he wrote in his diary these distressing words: “As a Protestant, I felt my religion dreary, but not my life - but, as a Catholic, my life dreary, not my religion”. He had not yet arrived at the hour when he would be an influential figure. In the humility and darkness of obedience, he had to wait until his message was taken up and understood. In support of the claim that Newman’s concept of conscience matched the modern subjective understanding, people often quote a letter in which he said – should he have to propose a toast – that he would drink first to conscience and then to the Pope. But in this statement, “conscience” does not signify the ultimately binding quality of subjective intuition. It is an expression of the accessibility and the binding force of truth: on this its primacy is based. The second toast can be dedicated to the Pope because it is his task to demand obedience to the truth.

I must refrain from speaking of my remarkable journeys to Malta, Portugal and Spain. In these it once again became evident that the faith is not a thing of the past, but an encounter with the God who lives and acts now. He challenges us and he opposes our indolence, but precisely in this way he opens the path towards true joy.
Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni. We set out from this plea for the presence of God’s power in our time and from the experience of his apparent absence. If we keep our eyes open as we look back over the year that is coming to an end, we can see clearly that God’s power and goodness are also present today in many different ways. So we all have reason to thank him. Along with thanks to the Lord I renew my thanks to all my co-workers. May God grant to all of us a holy Christmas and may he accompany us with his blessings in the coming year.



I entrust these prayerful sentiments to the intercession of the Holy Virgin, Mother of the Redeemer, and I impart to all of you and to the great family of the Roman Curia a heartfelt Apostolic Blessing. Happy Christmas!



© Copyright 2010 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Pope: Religious Freedom the Key to World Peace

This transcript of Pope Benedict XVI's World Day of Peace Message (Jan. 1, 2011) comes from Zenit. It is in Italian, but I will post the English version when I get it.

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Messaggio di Benedetto XVI per la Giornata Mondiale della Pace 2011

"Libertà religiosa, via per la pace"

CITTA' DEL VATICANO, giovedì, 16 dicembre 2010 (ZENIT.org).- Pubblichiamo di seguito il testo del messaggio del Santo Padre per la 44a Giornata Mondiale della Pace, che si celebrerà il 1° gennaio 2011 sul tema: "Libertà religiosa, via per la pace".

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1. All’inizio di un Nuovo Anno il mio augurio vuole giungere a tutti e a ciascuno; è un augurio di serenità e di prosperità, ma è soprattutto un augurio di pace. Anche l’anno che chiude le porte è stato segnato, purtroppo, dalla persecuzione, dalla discriminazione, da terribili atti di violenza e di intolleranza religiosa.

Il mio pensiero si rivolge in particolare alla cara terra dell'Iraq, che nel suo cammino verso l’auspicata stabilità e riconciliazione continua ad essere scenario di violenze e attentati. Vengono alla memoria le recenti sofferenze della comunità cristiana, e, in modo speciale, il vile attacco contro la Cattedrale siro-cattolica "Nostra Signora del Perpetuo Soccorso" a Baghdad, dove, il 31 ottobre scorso, sono stati uccisi due sacerdoti e più di cinquanta fedeli, mentre erano riuniti per la celebrazione della Santa Messa. Ad esso hanno fatto seguito, nei giorni successivi, altri attacchi, anche a case private, suscitando paura nella comunità cristiana ed il desiderio, da parte di molti dei suoi membri, di emigrare alla ricerca di migliori condizioni di vita. A loro manifesto la mia vicinanza e quella di tutta la Chiesa, sentimento che ha visto una concreta espressione nella recente Assemblea Speciale per il Medio Oriente del Sinodo dei Vescovi. Da tale Assise è giunto un incoraggiamento alle comunità cattoliche in Iraq e in tutto il Medio Oriente a vivere la comunione e a continuare ad offrire una coraggiosa testimonianza di fede in quelle terre.

Ringrazio vivamente i Governi che si adoperano per alleviare le sofferenze di questi fratelli in umanità e invito i Cattolici a pregare per i loro fratelli nella fede che soffrono violenze e intolleranze e ad essere solidali con loro. In tale contesto, ho sentito particolarmente viva l’opportunità di condividere con tutti voi alcune riflessioni sulla libertà religiosa, via per la pace. Infatti, risulta doloroso constatare che in alcune regioni del mondo non è possibile professare ed esprimere liberamente la propria religione, se non a rischio della vita e della libertà personale. In altre regioni vi sono forme più silenziose e sofisticate di pregiudizio e di opposizione verso i credenti e i simboli religiosi. I cristiani sono attualmente il gruppo religioso che soffre il maggior numero di persecuzioni a motivo della propria fede. Tanti subiscono quotidianamente offese e vivono spesso nella paura a causa della loro ricerca della verità, della loro fede in Gesù Cristo e del loro sincero appello perché sia riconosciuta la libertà religiosa. Tutto ciò non può essere accettato, perché costituisce un’offesa a Dio e alla dignità umana; inoltre, è una minaccia alla sicurezza e alla pace e impedisce la realizzazione di un autentico sviluppo umano integrale.1

Nella libertà religiosa, infatti, trova espressione la specificità della persona umana, che per essa può ordinare la propria vita personale e sociale a Dio, alla cui luce si comprendono pienamente l’identità, il senso e il fine della persona. Negare o limitare in maniera arbitraria tale libertà significa coltivare una visione riduttiva della persona umana; oscurare il ruolo pubblico della religione significa generare una società ingiusta, poiché non proporzionata alla vera natura della persona umana; ciò significa rendere impossibile l’affermazione di una pace autentica e duratura di tutta la famiglia umana.

Esorto, dunque, gli uomini e le donne di buona volontà a rinnovare l’impegno per la costruzione di un mondo dove tutti siano liberi di professare la propria religione o la propria fede, e di vivere il proprio amore per Dio con tutto il cuore, con tutta l’anima e con tutta la mente (cfr Mt 22,37). Questo è il sentimento che ispira e guida il Messaggio per la XLIV Giornata Mondiale della Pace, dedicato al tema: Libertà religiosa, via per la pace.

Sacro diritto alla vita e ad una vita spirituale

2. Il diritto alla libertà religiosa è radicato nella stessa dignità della persona umana,2 la cui natura trascendente non deve essere ignorata o trascurata. Dio ha creato l’uomo e la donna a sua immagine e somiglianza (cfr Gen 1,27). Per questo ogni persona è titolare del sacro diritto ad una vita integra anche dal punto di vista spirituale. Senza il riconoscimento del proprio essere spirituale, senza l’apertura al trascendente, la persona umana si ripiega su se stessa, non riesce a trovare risposte agli interrogativi del suo cuore circa il senso della vita e a conquistare valori e principi etici duraturi, e non riesce nemmeno a sperimentare un’autentica libertà e a sviluppare una società giusta.3

La Sacra Scrittura, in sintonia con la nostra stessa esperienza, rivela il valore profondo della dignità umana: "Quando vedo i tuoi cieli, opera delle tue dita, la luna e le stelle che tu hai fissato, che cosa è mai l’uomo perché di lui ti ricordi, il figlio dell’uomo, perché te ne curi? Davvero l’hai fatto poco meno di un dio, di gloria e di onore lo hai coronato. Gli hai dato potere sulle opere delle tue mani, tutto hai posto sotto i suoi piedi" (Sal 8, 4-7).

Dinanzi alla sublime realtà della natura umana, possiamo sperimentare lo stesso stupore espresso dal salmista. Essa si manifesta come apertura al Mistero, come capacità di interrogarsi a fondo su se stessi e sull’origine dell’universo, come intima risonanza dell’Amore supremo di Dio, principio e fine di tutte le cose, di ogni persona e dei popoli.4 La dignità trascendente della persona è un valore essenziale della sapienza giudaico-cristiana, ma, grazie alla ragione, può essere riconosciuta da tutti. Questa dignità, intesa come capacità di trascendere la propria materialità e di ricercare la verità, va riconosciuta come un bene universale, indispensabile per la costruzione di una società orientata alla realizzazione e alla pienezza dell’uomo. Il rispetto di elementi essenziali della dignità dell’uomo, quali il diritto alla vita e il diritto alla libertà religiosa, è una condizione della legittimità morale di ogni norma sociale e giuridica.

Libertà religiosa e rispetto reciproco

3. La libertà religiosa è all’origine della libertà morale. In effetti, l’apertura alla verità e al bene, l’apertura a Dio, radicata nella natura umana, conferisce piena dignità a ciascun uomo ed è garante del pieno rispetto reciproco tra le persone. Pertanto, la libertà religiosa va intesa non solo come immunità dalla coercizione, ma prima ancora come capacità di ordinare le proprie scelte secondo la verità.

Esiste un legame inscindibile tra libertà e rispetto; infatti, "nell’esercitare i propri diritti i singoli esseri umani e i gruppi sociali, in virtù della legge morale, sono tenuti ad avere riguardo tanto ai diritti altrui, quanto ai propri doveri verso gli altri e verso il bene comune".5

Una libertà nemica o indifferente verso Dio finisce col negare se stessa e non garantisce il pieno rispetto dell’altro. Una volontà che si crede radicalmente incapace di ricercare la verità e il bene non ha ragioni oggettive né motivi per agire, se non quelli imposti dai suoi interessi momentanei e contingenti, non ha una "identità" da custodire e costruire attraverso scelte veramente libere e consapevoli. Non può dunque reclamare il rispetto da parte di altre "volontà", anch’esse sganciate dal proprio essere più profondo, che quindi possono far valere altre "ragioni" o addirittura nessuna "ragione". L’illusione di trovare nel relativismo morale la chiave per una pacifica convivenza, è in realtà l’origine della divisione e della negazione della dignità degli esseri umani. Si comprende quindi la necessità di riconoscere una duplice dimensione nell’unità della persona umana: quella religiosa e quella sociale. Al riguardo, è inconcepibile che i credenti "debbano sopprimere una parte di se stessi - la loro fede - per essere cittadini attivi; non dovrebbe mai essere necessario rinnegare Dio per poter godere dei propri diritti".6

La famiglia, scuola di libertà e di pace

4. Se la libertà religiosa è via per la pace, l’educazione religiosa è strada privilegiata per abilitare le nuove generazioni a riconoscere nell’altro il proprio fratello e la propria sorella, con i quali camminare insieme e collaborare perché tutti si sentano membra vive di una stessa famiglia umana, dalla quale nessuno deve essere escluso.

La famiglia fondata sul matrimonio, espressione di unione intima e di complementarietà tra un uomo e una donna, si inserisce in questo contesto come la prima scuola di formazione e di crescita sociale, culturale, morale e spirituale dei figli, che dovrebbero sempre trovare nel padre e nella madre i primi testimoni di una vita orientata alla ricerca della verità e all’amore di Dio. Gli stessi genitori dovrebbero essere sempre liberi di trasmettere senza costrizioni e con responsabilità il proprio patrimonio di fede, di valori e di cultura ai figli. La famiglia, prima cellula della società umana, rimane l’ambito primario di formazione per relazioni armoniose a tutti i livelli di convivenza umana, nazionale e internazionale. Questa è la strada da percorrere sapientemente per la costruzione di un tessuto sociale solido e solidale, per preparare i giovani ad assumere le proprie responsabilità nella vita, in una società libera, in uno spirito di comprensione e di pace.

Un patrimonio comune

5. Si potrebbe dire che, tra i diritti e le libertà fondamentali radicati nella dignità della persona, la libertà religiosa gode di uno statuto speciale. Quando la libertà religiosa è riconosciuta, la dignità della persona umana è rispettata nella sua radice, e si rafforzano l’ethos e le istituzioni dei popoli. Viceversa, quando la libertà religiosa è negata, quando si tenta di impedire di professare la propria religione o la propria fede e di vivere conformemente ad esse, si offende la dignità umana e, insieme, si minacciano la giustizia e la pace, le quali si fondano su quel retto ordine sociale costruito alla luce del Sommo Vero e Sommo Bene.

La libertà religiosa è, in questo senso, anche un’acquisizione di civiltà politica e giuridica. Essa è un bene essenziale: ogni persona deve poter esercitare liberamente il diritto di professare e di manifestare, individualmente o comunitariamente, la propria religione o la propria fede, sia in pubblico che in privato, nell’insegnamento, nelle pratiche, nelle pubblicazioni, nel culto e nell’osservanza dei riti. Non dovrebbe incontrare ostacoli se volesse, eventualmente, aderire ad un’altra religione o non professarne alcuna. In questo ambito, l’ordinamento internazionale risulta emblematico ed è un riferimento essenziale per gli Stati, in quanto non consente alcuna deroga alla libertà religiosa, salvo la legittima esigenza dell’ordine pubblico informato a giustizia.7 L’ordinamento internazionale riconosce così ai diritti di natura religiosa lo stesso status del diritto alla vita e alla libertà personale, a riprova della loro appartenenza al nucleo essenziale dei diritti dell’uomo, a quei diritti universali e naturali che la legge umana non può mai negare.

La libertà religiosa non è patrimonio esclusivo dei credenti, ma dell’intera famiglia dei popoli della terra. È elemento imprescindibile di uno Stato di diritto; non la si può negare senza intaccare nel contempo tutti i diritti e le libertà fondamentali, essendone sintesi e vertice. Essa è "la cartina di tornasole per verificare il rispetto di tutti gli altri diritti umani".8 Mentre favorisce l’esercizio delle facoltà più specificamente umane, crea le premesse necessarie per la realizzazione di uno sviluppo integrale, che riguarda unitariamente la totalità della persona in ogni sua dimensione.9

La dimensione pubblica della religione

6. La libertà religiosa, come ogni libertà, pur muovendo dalla sfera personale, si realizza nella relazione con gli altri. Una libertà senza relazione non è libertà compiuta. Anche la libertà religiosa non si esaurisce nella sola dimensione individuale, ma si attua nella propria comunità e nella società, coerentemente con l’essere relazionale della persona e con la natura pubblica della religione.

La relazionalità è una componente decisiva della libertà religiosa, che spinge le comunità dei credenti a praticare la solidarietà per il bene comune. In questa dimensione comunitaria ciascuna persona resta unica e irripetibile e, al tempo stesso, si completa e si realizza pienamente.

E’ innegabile il contributo che le comunità religiose apportano alla società. Sono numerose le istituzioni caritative e culturali che attestano il ruolo costruttivo dei credenti per la vita sociale. Più importante ancora è il contributo etico della religione nell’ambito politico. Esso non dovrebbe essere marginalizzato o vietato, ma compreso come valido apporto alla promozione del bene comune. In questa prospettiva bisogna menzionare la dimensione religiosa della cultura, tessuta attraverso i secoli grazie ai contributi sociali e soprattutto etici della religione. Tale dimensione non costituisce in nessun modo una discriminazione di coloro che non ne condividono la credenza, ma rafforza, piuttosto, la coesione sociale, l’integrazione e la solidarietà.


Libertà religiosa, forza di libertà e di civiltà: i pericoli della sua strumentalizzazione

7. La strumentalizzazione della libertà religiosa per mascherare interessi occulti, come ad esempio il sovvertimento dell’ordine costituito, l’accaparramento di risorse o il mantenimento del potere da parte di un gruppo, può provocare danni ingentissimi alle società. Il fanatismo, il fondamentalismo, le pratiche contrarie alla dignità umana, non possono essere mai giustificati e lo possono essere ancora di meno se compiuti in nome della religione. La professione di una religione non può essere strumentalizzata, né imposta con la forza. Bisogna, allora, che gli Stati e le varie comunità umane non dimentichino mai che la libertà religiosa è condizione per la ricerca della verità e la verità non si impone con la violenza ma con "la forza della verità stessa".10 In questo senso, la religione è una forza positiva e propulsiva per la costruzione della società civile e politica.

Come negare il contributo delle grandi religioni del mondo allo sviluppo della civiltà? La sincera ricerca di Dio ha portato ad un maggiore rispetto della dignità dell’uomo. Le comunità cristiane, con il loro patrimonio di valori e principi, hanno fortemente contribuito alla presa di coscienza delle persone e dei popoli circa la propria identità e dignità, nonché alla conquista di istituzioni democratiche e all’affermazione dei diritti dell’uomo e dei suoi corrispettivi doveri.

Anche oggi i cristiani, in una società sempre più globalizzata, sono chiamati, non solo con un responsabile impegno civile, economico e politico, ma anche con la testimonianza della propria carità e fede, ad offrire un contributo prezioso al faticoso ed esaltante impegno per la giustizia, per lo sviluppo umano integrale e per il retto ordinamento delle realtà umane. L’esclusione della religione dalla vita pubblica sottrae a questa uno spazio vitale che apre alla trascendenza. Senza quest’esperienza primaria risulta arduo orientare le società verso principi etici universali e diventa difficile stabilire ordinamenti nazionali e internazionali in cui i diritti e le libertà fondamentali possano essere pienamente riconosciuti e realizzati, come si propongono gli obiettivi - purtroppo ancora disattesi o contraddetti - della Dichiarazione Universale dei diritti dell’uomo del 1948.

Una questione di giustizia e di civiltà:
il fondamentalismo e l’ostilità contro i credenti
pregiudicano la laicità positiva degli Stati

8. La stessa determinazione con la quale sono condannate tutte le forme di fanatismo e di fondamentalismo religioso, deve animare anche l’opposizione a tutte le forme di ostilità contro la religione, che limitano il ruolo pubblico dei credenti nella vita civile e politica.

Non si può dimenticare che il fondamentalismo religioso e il laicismo sono forme speculari ed estreme di rifiuto del legittimo pluralismo e del principio di laicità. Entrambe, infatti, assolutizzano una visione riduttiva e parziale della persona umana, favorendo, nel primo caso, forme di integralismo religioso e, nel secondo, di razionalismo. La società che vuole imporre o, al contrario, negare la religione con la violenza, è ingiusta nei confronti della persona e di Dio, ma anche di se stessa. Dio chiama a sé l’umanità con un disegno di amore che, mentre coinvolge tutta la persona nella sua dimensione naturale e spirituale, richiede di corrispondervi in termini di libertà e di responsabilità, con tutto il cuore e con tutto il proprio essere, individuale e comunitario. Anche la società, dunque, in quanto espressione della persona e dell’insieme delle sue dimensioni costitutive, deve vivere ed organizzarsi in modo da favorirne l’apertura alla trascendenza. Proprio per questo, le leggi e le istituzioni di una società non possono essere configurate ignorando la dimensione religiosa dei cittadini o in modo da prescinderne del tutto. Esse devono commisurarsi - attraverso l’opera democratica di cittadini coscienti della propria alta vocazione - all’essere della persona, per poterlo assecondare nella sua dimensione religiosa. Non essendo questa una creazione dello Stato, non può esserne manipolata, dovendo piuttosto riceverne riconoscimento e rispetto.

L’ordinamento giuridico a tutti i livelli, nazionale e internazionale, quando consente o tollera il fanatismo religioso o antireligioso, viene meno alla sua stessa missione, che consiste nel tutelare e nel promuovere la giustizia e il diritto di ciascuno. Tali realtà non possono essere poste in balia dell’arbitrio del legislatore o della maggioranza, perché, come insegnava già Cicerone, la giustizia consiste in qualcosa di più di un mero atto produttivo della legge e della sua applicazione. Essa implica il riconoscere a ciascuno la sua dignità,11 la quale, senza libertà religiosa, garantita e vissuta nella sua essenza, risulta mutilata e offesa, esposta al rischio di cadere nel predominio degli idoli, di beni relativi trasformati in assoluti. Tutto ciò espone la società al rischio di totalitarismi politici e ideologici, che enfatizzano il potere pubblico, mentre sono mortificate o coartate, quasi fossero concorrenziali, le libertà di coscienza, di pensiero e di religione.

Dialogo tra istituzioni civili e religiose

9. Il patrimonio di principi e di valori espressi da una religiosità autentica è una ricchezza per i popoli e i loro ethos. Esso parla direttamente alla coscienza e alla ragione degli uomini e delle donne, rammenta l’imperativo della conversione morale, motiva a coltivare la pratica delle virtù e ad avvicinarsi l’un l’altro con amore, nel segno della fraternità, come membri della grande famiglia umana.12

Nel rispetto della laicità positiva delle istituzioni statali, la dimensione pubblica della religione deve essere sempre riconosciuta. A tal fine è fondamentale un sano dialogo tra le istituzioni civili e quelle religiose per lo sviluppo integrale della persona umana e dell'armonia della società.

Vivere nell’amore e nella verità

10. Nel mondo globalizzato, caratterizzato da società sempre più multi-etniche e multi-confessionali, le grandi religioni possono costituire un importante fattore di unità e di pace per la famiglia umana. Sulla base delle proprie convinzioni religiose e della ricerca razionale del bene comune, i loro seguaci sono chiamati a vivere con responsabilità il proprio impegno in un contesto di libertà religiosa. Nelle svariate culture religiose, mentre dev’essere rigettato tutto quello che è contro la dignità dell’uomo e della donna, occorre invece fare tesoro di ciò che risulta positivo per la convivenza civile.

Lo spazio pubblico, che la comunità internazionale rende disponibile per le religioni e per la loro proposta di "vita buona", favorisce l’emergere di una misura condivisibile di verità e di bene, come anche un consenso morale, fondamentali per una convivenza giusta e pacifica. I leader delle grandi religioni, per il loro ruolo, la loro influenza e la loro autorità nelle proprie comunità, sono i primi ad essere chiamati al rispetto reciproco e al dialogo.

I cristiani, da parte loro, sono sollecitati dalla stessa fede in Dio, Padre del Signore Gesù Cristo, a vivere come fratelli che si incontrano nella Chiesa e collaborano all’edificazione di un mondo dove le persone e i popoli "non agiranno più iniquamente né saccheggeranno […], perché la conoscenza del Signore riempirà la terra come le acque ricoprono il mare" (Is 11, 9).

Dialogo come ricerca in comune

11. Per la Chiesa il dialogo tra i seguaci di diverse religioni costituisce uno strumento importante per collaborare con tutte le comunità religiose al bene comune. La Chiesa stessa nulla rigetta di quanto è vero e santo nelle varie religioni. "Essa considera con sincero rispetto quei modi di agire e di vivere, quei precetti e quelle dottrine che, quantunque in molti punti differiscano da quanto essa stessa crede e propone, tuttavia non raramente riflettono un raggio di quella verità che illumina tutti gli uomini".13

Quella indicata non è la strada del relativismo, o del sincretismo religioso. La Chiesa, infatti, "annuncia, ed è tenuta ad annunciare, il Cristo che è «via, verità e vita» (Gv 14,6), in cui gli uomini devono trovare la pienezza della vita religiosa e in cui Dio ha riconciliato con se stesso tutte le cose".14 Ciò non esclude tuttavia il dialogo e la ricerca comune della verità in diversi ambiti vitali, poiché, come recita un’espressione usata spesso da san Tommaso d’Aquino, "ogni verità, da chiunque sia detta, proviene dallo Spirito Santo".15

Nel 2011 ricorre il 25° anniversario della Giornata mondiale di preghiera per la pace, convocata ad Assisi nel 1986 dal Venerabile Giovanni Paolo II. In quell’occasione i leader delle grandi religioni del mondo hanno testimoniato come la religione sia un fattore di unione e di pace, e non di divisione e di conflitto. Il ricordo di quell’esperienza è un motivo di speranza per un futuro in cui tutti i credenti si sentano e si rendano autenticamente operatori di giustizia e di pace.

Verità morale nella politica e nella diplomazia

12. La politica e la diplomazia dovrebbero guardare al patrimonio morale e spirituale offerto dalle grandi religioni del mondo per riconoscere e affermare verità, principi e valori universali che non possono essere negati senza negare con essi la dignità della persona umana. Ma che cosa significa, in termini pratici, promuovere la verità morale nel mondo della politica e della diplomazia? Vuol dire agire in maniera responsabile sulla base della conoscenza oggettiva e integrale dei fatti; vuol dire destrutturare ideologie politiche che finiscono per soppiantare la verità e la dignità umana e intendono promuovere pseudo-valori con il pretesto della pace, dello sviluppo e dei diritti umani; vuol dire favorire un impegno costante per fondare la legge positiva sui principi della legge naturale.16 Tutto ciò è necessario e coerente con il rispetto della dignità e del valore della persona umana, sancito dai Popoli della terra nella Carta dell’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite del 1945, che presenta valori e principi morali universali di riferimento per le norme, le istituzioni, i sistemi di convivenza a livello nazionale e internazionale.

Oltre l’odio e il pregiudizio

13. Nonostante gli insegnamenti della storia e l’impegno degli Stati, delle Organizzazioni internazionali a livello mondiale e locale, delle Organizzazioni non governative e di tutti gli uomini e le donne di buona volontà che ogni giorno si spendono per la tutela dei diritti e delle libertà fondamentali, nel mondo ancora oggi si registrano persecuzioni, discriminazioni, atti di violenza e di intolleranza basati sulla religione. In particolare, in Asia e in Africa le principali vittime sono i membri delle minoranze religiose, ai quali viene impedito di professare liberamente la propria religione o di cambiarla, attraverso l’intimidazione e la violazione dei diritti, delle libertà fondamentali e dei beni essenziali, giungendo fino alla privazione della libertà personale o della stessa vita.

Vi sono poi - come ho già affermato - forme più sofisticate di ostilità contro la religione, che nei Paesi occidentali si esprimono talvolta col rinnegamento della storia e dei simboli religiosi nei quali si rispecchiano l’identità e la cultura della maggioranza dei cittadini. Esse fomentano spesso l’odio e il pregiudizio e non sono coerenti con una visione serena ed equilibrata del pluralismo e della laicità delle istituzioni, senza contare che le nuove generazioni rischiano di non entrare in contatto con il prezioso patrimonio spirituale dei loro Paesi.

La difesa della religione passa attraverso la difesa dei diritti e delle libertà delle comunità religiose. I leader delle grandi religioni del mondo e i responsabili delle Nazioni rinnovino, allora, l’impegno per la promozione e la tutela della libertà religiosa, in particolare per la difesa delle minoranze religiose, le quali non costituiscono una minaccia contro l’identità della maggioranza, ma sono al contrario un’opportunità per il dialogo e per il reciproco arricchimento culturale. La loro difesa rappresenta la maniera ideale per consolidare lo spirito di benevolenza, di apertura e di reciprocità con cui tutelare i diritti e le libertà fondamentali in tutte le aree e le regioni del mondo.

Libertà religiosa nel mondo

14. Mi rivolgo, infine, alle comunità cristiane che soffrono persecuzioni, discriminazioni, atti di violenza e intolleranza, in particolare in Asia, in Africa, nel Medio Oriente e specialmente nella Terra Santa, luogo prescelto e benedetto da Dio. Mentre rinnovo ad esse il mio affetto paterno e assicuro la mia preghiera, chiedo a tutti i responsabili di agire prontamente per porre fine ad ogni sopruso contro i cristiani, che abitano in quelle regioni. Possano i discepoli di Cristo, dinanzi alle presenti avversità, non perdersi d’animo, perché la testimonianza del Vangelo è e sarà sempre segno di contraddizione.

Meditiamo nel nostro cuore le parole del Signore Gesù: "Beati quelli che sono nel pianto, perché saranno consolati […]. Beati quelli che hanno fame e sete della giustizia, perché saranno saziati [...]. Beati voi quando vi insulteranno, vi perseguiteranno e, mentendo, diranno ogni sorta di male contro di voi per causa mia. Rallegratevi ed esultate, perché grande è la vostra ricompensa nei cieli" (Mt 5,4-12). Rinnoviamo allora "l’impegno da noi assunto all’indulgenza e al perdono, che invochiamo nel Pater noster da Dio, per aver noi stessi posta la condizione e la misura della desiderata misericordia. Infatti, preghiamo così: «Rimetti a noi i nostri debiti, come noi li rimettiamo ai nostri debitori» (Mt 6,12)".17 La violenza non si supera con la violenza. Il nostro grido di dolore sia sempre accompagnato dalla fede, dalla speranza e dalla testimonianza dell’amore di Dio. Esprimo anche il mio auspicio affinché in Occidente, specie in Europa, cessino l’ostilità e i pregiudizi contro i cristiani per il fatto che essi intendono orientare la propria vita in modo coerente ai valori e ai principi espressi nel Vangelo. L’Europa, piuttosto, sappia riconciliarsi con le proprie radici cristiane, che sono fondamentali per comprendere il ruolo che ha avuto, che ha e che intende avere nella storia; saprà, così, sperimentare giustizia, concordia e pace, coltivando un sincero dialogo con tutti i popoli.

Libertà religiosa, via per la pace

15. Il mondo ha bisogno di Dio. Ha bisogno di valori etici e spirituali, universali e condivisi, e la religione può offrire un contributo prezioso nella loro ricerca, per la costruzione di un ordine sociale giusto e pacifico, a livello nazionale e internazionale.

La pace è un dono di Dio e al tempo stesso un progetto da realizzare, mai totalmente compiuto. Una società riconciliata con Dio è più vicina alla pace, che non è semplice assenza di guerra, non è mero frutto del predominio militare o economico, né tantomeno di astuzie ingannatrici o di abili manipolazioni. La pace invece è risultato di un processo di purificazione ed elevazione culturale, morale e spirituale di ogni persona e popolo, nel quale la dignità umana è pienamente rispettata. Invito tutti coloro che desiderano farsi operatori di pace, e soprattutto i giovani, a mettersi in ascolto della propria voce interiore, per trovare in Dio il riferimento stabile per la conquista di un’autentica libertà, la forza inesauribile per orientare il mondo con uno spirito nuovo, capace di non ripetere gli errori del passato. Come insegna il Servo di Dio Paolo VI, alla cui saggezza e lungimiranza si deve l’istituzione della Giornata Mondiale della Pace: "Occorre innanzi tutto dare alla Pace altre armi, che non quelle destinate ad uccidere e a sterminare l'umanità. Occorrono sopra tutto le armi morali, che danno forza e prestigio al diritto internazionale; quelle, per prime, dell’osservanza dei patti".18 La libertà religiosa è un’autentica arma della pace, con una missione storica e profetica. Essa infatti valorizza e mette a frutto le più profonde qualità e potenzialità della persona umana, capaci di cambiare e rendere migliore il mondo. Essa consente di nutrire la speranza verso un futuro di giustizia e di pace, anche dinanzi alle gravi ingiustizie e alle miserie materiali e morali. Che tutti gli uomini e le società ad ogni livello ed in ogni angolo della Terra possano presto sperimentare la libertà religiosa, via per la pace!

Dal Vaticano, 8 dicembre 2010

BENEDICTUS PP XVI

_____________________________
1 Cfr Benedetto XVI, Lett. enc. Caritas in veritate, 29.55-57.
2 Cfr Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Dichiarazione sulla libertà religiosa Dignitatis humanae, 2.
3 Cfr Benedetto XVI, Lett. enc. Caritas in veritate, 78.
4 Cfr Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Dichiarazione sulle relazioni della Chiesa con le religioni non cristiane Nostra aetate, 1.
5 Id., Dichiarazione sulla libertà religiosa Dignitatis humanae, 7.
6 Benedetto XVI, Discorso all’Assemblea Generale dell’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite (18 aprile 2008): AAS 100 (2008), 337.
7 Cfr Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Dichiarazione sulla libertà religiosa Dignitatis humanae, 2
8 Giovanni Paolo II, Discorso ai Partecipanti all’Assemblea Parlamentare dell’Organizzazione per la Sicurezza e la Cooperazione in Europa (OSCE) (10 ottobre 2003), 1: AAS 96 (2004), 111.
9 Cfr Benedetto XVI, Lett. enc. Caritas in veritate, 11.
10 Cfr Benedetto XVI, Lett. enc. Caritas in veritate, 11.
11 Cfr Cicerone, De inventione, II, 160.
12 Cfr Benedetto xvi, Discorso ai Rappresentanti di altre Religioni del Regno Unito (17 settembre 2010): L’Osservatore Romano (18 settembre 2010), p. 12.
13 Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Dichiarazione sulle relazioni della Chiesa con le religioni non cristiane Nostra aetate, 2.
14 Ibidem.
15 Super evangelium Joannis, I, 3.
16 Cfr Benedetto xvi, Discorso alle Autorità civili e al Corpo diplomatico a Cipro (5 giugno 2010): L’Osservatore Romano (6 giugno 2010), p. 8; COMMISSIONE TEOLOGICA INTERNAZIONALE, Alla ricerca di un’etica universale: uno sguardo sulla legge naturale, Città del Vaticano 2009.
17 Paolo VI, Messaggio per la Giornata Mondiale della Pace 1976: AAS 67 (1975), 671.
18 Ibid., p. 668.