Church not a political player, but it must promote human dignity, says Holy Father

CatholicNewsAgency ^ | Vatican City, Dec 5, 2008

[GonzoII]

“Without seeking to become a political player she aspires, with the independence of her moral authority, to co-operate faithfully and openly with all leaders of the temporal world in the noble goal of achieving a civilization of justice, peace, reconciliation, solidarity, and of those other ideals that can never be rescinded or left at the mercy of party consensus, as they are engraved in the human heart and correspond to truth."

[GonzoII]

Church not a political player, but it must promote human dignity, says Holy Father

Vatican City, Dec 5, 2008 / 10:26 pm (CNA).- Upon receiving the letters of credence from the new ambassador of Argentina to the Holy See this morning, Pope Benedict XVI stressed that the Church seeks “to promote the dignity of human beings and to elevate them for the good of everyone.”  He also recalled the 30 year anniversary of the papal intervention to resolve a dispute between Chile and Argentina.

Speaking to the new ambassador Juan Pablo Cafiero, the Pope described Argentina as a “place of profound Christian traditions which have planted and cultivated important customs.”

To demonstrate this, the Holy Father mentioned that the young Mapuche Indian, Blessed Ceferino Namuncura was "a splendid sign of how Christ, Who truly is the Word incarnate, is not foreign to any culture or person; quite the opposite, the answer for which all cultures long in their hearts is what gives them their true identity, uniting humankind while respecting differences."

Blessed Namuncura was a native of Argentina who began studying to become a Salesian at the age of 11.  He traveled to Rome with the hope of becoming a priest, but died in 1905 at the age of 19 from an unknown illness.  He was beatified in 2007.

The Holy Father continued his words by focusing on the necessity of the Church to protect the human person.  It is through exercising her mission that the Church seeks “to promote the dignity of human beings and to elevate them for the good of everyone,” the Pope told the Argentine prelate. 

“Without seeking to become a political player she aspires, with the independence of her moral authority, to co-operate faithfully and openly with all leaders of the temporal world in the noble goal of achieving a civilization of justice, peace, reconciliation, solidarity, and of those other ideals that can never be rescinded or left at the mercy of party consensus, as they are engraved in the human heart and correspond to truth."

The current century, the Pope said, continually shows us the need “to forge personal, family and social life in keeping with these elemental values, which exalt the individual and the entire community.”

“Among these we must highlight support for the family based on marriage between a man and a woman, ... defense of human life from conception to natural end, eradication of poverty, ... the struggle against corruption, adopting means to assist parents in their inalienable right to educate their children in their own ethical and religious convictions, and promoting young people that they may become men and women of peace and reconciliation."

Thirty years of papal mediation

The Pope concluded by informing his audience that today, “in the presence of a delegation from the Apostolic See,” the presidents of Argentina and Chile will meet “to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the meditation undertaken by John Paul II to resolve the dispute between the two nations over the demarcation of their borders at the southern tip of the continent.”

The original dispute between Argentina and Chile involved three islands that each country desired to claim so they could have rights over the territorial seas. Argentina desired to say that it had claims to the Pacific, while Chile wanted territorial rights to the Atlantic.

The disagreement continued to escalate until the two nations were about to declare war on December 24, 1978.  However, Pope John Paul II intervened, sending a special delegate, Cardinal Antonio Samore to resolve the dispute. After years of negotiations, the governments of Argentina and Chile agreed to divide the islands in a way that neutralized their claims to territorial oceanic rights.

The Holy Father also noted that a monument currently still in the planning stages “will stand as an eloquent witness and serve to tighten further the bonds of fraternity and understanding of both countries.”

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(http://www.catholicnewsagency.com)

[DieHard the Hunter]

I like this Pope. He has... dignity.

[TigersEye]

“Without seeking to become a political player she aspires, with the independence of her moral authority, to co-operate faithfully and openly with all leaders of the temporal world in the noble goal of achieving a civilization of justice, peace, reconciliation, solidarity, and of those other ideals that can never be rescinded or left at the mercy of party consensus, as they are engraved in the human heart and correspond to truth."

That is a great statement. A beautiful sentiment well spoken.

[nathanbedford]

“Among these we must highlight support for the family based on marriage between a man and a woman, ... defense of human life from conception to natural end, eradication of poverty, ... the struggle against corruption, adopting means to assist parents in their inalienable right to educate their children in their own ethical and religious convictions, and promoting young people that they may become men and women of peace and reconciliation."

The Holy Father has outlined a list of goals with which no decent man could disagree. The astonishing reality is that Barak Obama openly disagrees with many of them and secretly disagrees with the rest.

First, marriage of a man and woman finds no support or very little support in his party. Second, "defense of human life from conception" is a concept repugnant to Obama who would not even act to defend human life in the immediate vulnerable moments after birth.

His Holiness also talks of universal goals which most decent people could agree with and Obama and the rats do pretend to agree with. The Pope mentions "the struggle against corruption" which all men should subscribe to. The problem with the Democratic position is that ultimately they seek to enshrine corruption as the government. They seek to do away with the rule of law, the Constitution, and the free market and substitutes an ideology which ultimately devolves into the cult of personality and its ultimate corruption. The Soviet Union did not need to worry much about the Mafia because the Mafia was the Soviet Union.

His Holiness recommends "adopting means to assist parents in their inalienable right to educate their children in their own ethical and religious convictions", which Democrats will occasionally pay lip service to but what they really want is to create a giant skinner box, an overwhelming federal bureaucracy, and call it a "village." Worse, they don't not want children enriched by their parent's ethical and religious convictions, they want them indoctrinated in the ideology of collectivism. That is why we have seen the opposition to homeschooling, the opposition to the 10 Commandments, and the move to create indoctrination camps and dragoon youth into compulsory attendance.

His Holiness wishes that the process he recommends will create adults committed to "peace and reconciliation." His values are calculated to effect that goal. All of history tells us that the left has never been interested in peace and reconciliation but in domination even at the cost of war.

I am not a practicing Catholic but more of the evangelical persuasion, nevertheless, I think I have enough discernment to know who was on the track of the good and who is given over to evil.

[GonzoII]

Very thoughtful and articulate.

Thanks.

—

“..skinner box..”

—

Sad to say, but what is left for Man but experimentation,

after he has lost his moral compass.

[Kolokotronis]

“His Holiness recommends “adopting means to assist parents in their inalienable right to educate their children in their own ethical and religious convictions”, which Democrats will occasionally pay lip service to but what they really want is to create a giant skinner box, an overwhelming federal bureaucracy, and call it a “village.” Worse, they don’t not want children enriched by their parent’s ethical and religious convictions, they want them indoctrinated in the ideology of collectivism. That is why we have seen the opposition to homeschooling, the opposition to the 10 Commandments, and the move to create indoctrination camps and dragoon youth into compulsory attendance.”

NB, only a very weak faith or religion needs to fear the government, whether of the right or the left. Look to the Roman Catholic and Orthodox people of Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Russia for examples of how a strong Faith prevails in the face of tyranny.

[nathanbedford]

Your point about the survival of faith in the face of tyranny is well taken from a theological point of view. And you are right, the history of Eastern Europe demonstrates that Rome will endure over Marx.

To the degree that we view things on these threads from a political point of view, that is, to the degree that we see religion as it affects politics and, conversely, politics as it attempts to distort religion, the matter is not so clear. How many dead in Eastern Europe from the wall to Moscow over 70 years of Soviet communism? 40, 50 60 million dead?

The ultimate triumph of God over Marx is not a debatable issue for me but it might be cold comfort to tens of millions murdered by Stalin.

[Kolokotronis]

“Your point about the survival of faith in the face of tyranny is well taken from a theological point of view.”

NB, its been my experience that making a distinction between the practical, materialistic view of life and one informed by theology is exactly why the West is in the state you commented on. The Faith either defines one’s life and culture and identity or it doesn’t. If it does, if The Faith is as much a part of one as the skin cells on his hand and it is as definitional of who one is as one’s ethnicity or even one’s name, then the millions of Christians killed by godless Communists are recognized and veerated for what they are, martyrs to the Faith, martyrs in a line extending back to the arena of ancient Rome, through centuries of the depredations of Mohammedanism and the Turkish genocide of the 19th and 20th centuries to the destruction of Middle Eastern Christian communities and the slaughter of their inhabitants by our beloved Mohammedan allies. As +John Chrysostomos said in his Pascal sermon, “Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!”

Faith can (and I think must) inform our political activities, but it should never be, as it is so often in the West, completely detached from those political activities; or far worse, that religion should be distorted and used by politics for its own cynical ends. To tell you the truth, I have always been mystified by the mixture of religion and politics here, whether on the right or the left. I suppose that as an Orthodox Christian I have less confidence that politics can effect the world for good than that the metanoia we are told we will experience will transform a bit of the world around us into its original created state.

“The ultimate triumph of God over Marx is not a debatable issue for me but it might be cold comfort to tens of millions murdered by Stalin.”

For those without Faith, you are likely correct. For those who died for the Faith, NB, I doubt its an issue.

[nathanbedford]

You touch on a great schism in the Western Christian Church. My roots are in the Reformed Protestant church which has deep Calvinist roots and which, therefore, was for a long historical span taken a up with the doctrine of predestination. I'm not interested in arguing the pros and cons of the doctrine but, because this is after all essentially a political forum as I pointed out in my last post, it is worthy of consideration to the degree which the doctor affects political behavior.

A political scientist might ask: why should a Calvinist struggle against evil if the issue is predetermined? You come close to this question in your remarks:

Faith can (and I think must) inform our political activities, but it should never be, as it is so often in the West, completely detached from those political activities; or far worse, that religion should be distorted and used by politics for its own cynical ends. To tell you the truth, I have always been mystified by the mixture of religion and politics here, whether on the right or the left. I suppose that as an Orthodox Christian I have less confidence that politics can effect the world for good than that the metanoia we are told we will experience will transform a bit of the world around us into its original created state.

Clearly, we all see the interplay between faith and reason, the question is which one animates in a given situation. How do we overcome the dilemma posed by Calvin? I gather from your post that you are at least not brought up in America and will not immediately recognize the allusion I make to Robert E. Lee who, when questioned whether the Confederacy might win the war between the states replied: "we shall win if every man does his whole duty, and it be God's will." I have heard a minister say "you should pray as though the outcome were entirely in God's hands but work as though the outcome is entirely up to you."

The West has never been noted for its mysticism but for its empiricism.

These simplistic bridges we use to overcome the gap created for us because Calvin is so stubborn become less intellectually inconsistent and more practically useful as we age.

[Kolokotronis]

“I gather from your post that you are at least not brought up in America and will not immediately recognize the allusion I make to Robert E. Lee....”

Actually, I was both born and brought up here.

“The West has never been noted for its mysticism but for its empiricism.”

Well, with that I can heartily agree!

“These simplistic bridges we use to overcome the gap created for us because Calvin is so stubborn become less intellectually inconsistent and more practically useful as we age.”

Aging does have its advantages!

[kosta50]

“His Holiness recommends “adopting means to assist parents in their inalienable right to educate their children in their own ethical and religious convictions”

His Holiness also happens to think unrestrained capitalism is a system of social injustice that promotes secular values and greed. How do American Catholics reconcile this?

After all, it is the capitalist system that has created conditions, where in many if not in most cases, both parents work and children are by that fact alone raised in institutionalized "Skinner" boxes, or on the streets, and such assistance to them would be worthless.

Are we willing to give up an entire paycheck and cut our family income by as much as 50% in order to have mom at home raise the kids? (How many college-educatred, profesisonal women are ready to give up their edcation and professional life to do that?)

No doubt, some families do. Dad takes a second job, and a PhD mom stays at home, cooks and raises the kids. But I think most people nowadays don't fit that pattern or are willing to throw away years of their education that easily.

Democrats will occasionally pay lip service to

It says something about the values of at least half of Americans, doesn't it? Are we becoming strangers in our own home?

[GonzoII]

“NB, only a very weak faith or religion needs to fear the government”

—

Understood.

But I still would prefer a morally fit culture that does not rub salt into my wounds of original sin, aggravating my path to holiness.

[Kolokotronis]

“But I still would prefer a morally fit culture that does not rub salt into my wounds of original sin, aggravating my path to holiness.”

Of course...but we will achieve a morally fit culture by becoming like Christ (the obstacles notwithstanding) and thus transforming the culture around us. Politics can’t do that.

[nathanbedford]

About 10 km west of my home here in Bavaria there is a foothill of the Alps called "Ratzingerhoehe" upon the summit of which is a restaurant with a particularly stunning view of the valley below, the lake beyond, and the Alps running to the horizon. I understand this is owned by a cousin of his Holiness who has visited the restaurant as a cardinal.

If you go about 30 km to the east and you will come to a town which has the gymnasium where his Holiness attended school. If you go about 40 km northeast of here he will come to his birthplace.

I recite all of this to identify his roots with this area. I think this is significant because it is the law here that parents may not homeschool their children in lieu of attending public school. They will actually put the parents in jail. The authorities have explicitly stated that they want the children to have a homogenized cultural experience. So I give his Holiness credit for having broken with the contemporary culture of the place of his birth.

As to the reference to unbridled capitalism, I can only say that that is a widely shared conception in this area. Moreover, I would observe that the tendency here is to look to the state to protect you from your neighbor rather than look to yourself or to your neighbor to protect you from the state.

Which brings me to my next observation which is that it is one thing for a parent to decide that it is not an economic interests for Mama to stay home to school the children and quite another for the state to forbid her from doing so. It seems to me that the Germans tend to look to the state as the font of good and to the individual has the potential for trouble.

[GonzoII]

“Of course...but we will achieve a morally fit culture by becoming like Christ (the obstacles notwithstanding) and thus transforming the culture around us. Politics can’t do that.
“

—

i.e. “the triumph of Grace over politics”

Amen.

I just wanted to emphasize the truth of human weakness.

[Kolokotronis]

“It seems to me that the Germans tend to look to the state as the font of good and to the individual has the potential for trouble.”

One would think that history would have taught them otherwise!

[Kolokotronis]

“I just wanted to emphasize the truth of human weakness.”

I am told that I am a walking object lesson in exactly that! :)

[pegleg]

Are we willing to give up an entire paycheck and cut our family income by as much as 50% in order to have mom at home raise the kids?

The real question is what’s more important?

No doubt, some families do.

I would suggest their priorities are in order.

[don-o]

His Holiness also happens to think unrestrained capitalism is a system of social injustice that promotes secular values and greed. How do American Catholics reconcile this?

I am not a Catholic, but I agree with the statement as attributed to the Pope. The Gospels are full of commands to aid the poor. It is the duty of every Christian and every Christian capitalist to do such. (I must suspect that there are not very many of the latter.)

"Unrestrainted" is an interesting choice of words. Perhaps informed Catholics would share the suggested source of that desired restraint.

[nathanbedford]

Yes, it is counterintuitive. When I ask my neighbors about this seeming inconsistency, I get only blank looks. It has not occurred to them.

In thinking about this, I think the cultural sources of it go back to Bismarck who cut a deal with the German nation that they were to get the social safety net and the state was to get foreign affairs and the commitment for good and orderly behavior. So far, both sides have delivered apart from the "Hitlerzeit" which is generally seen as an aberration.