Curious, what do you think he means by this?
What Catholics call the Corporal Works of Mercy. As a friend of mine said, "Even the New York Times believes in the Corporal Works of Mercy."
I'd like to see a full transcript of the Cardinal's reflection and find out what the author of this article replaced with the ellipsis (sp?).
I think he means the UN Millenium Development Goals.
The cardinal said he believes that this is "the danger that Christians face in our days … the Son of God cannot be reduced to a series of good projects sanctioned by the prevailing worldly mentality."
I believe he is referring to organizations and programs sponsored by the likes of the UN or WHO, etc.
I think the cardinal may well be referring to wealth redistribution in the power & money grabbing form of social programs, implemented in the name of "helping" the children/poor/disadvantaged/desinfranchized/elderly/various skin pigmentations/etc. It sounds to me like he's referring to "good projects" that might be very much along the lines of Thomas Sowell's excellent "Vision of the Annointed: Self-Congratulation as a Basis for Social Policy" self-annointed humanist socialists who think humans can evolve past the fall (and those, perhaps including Mrs. Rodham Clinton, who know better but work the angle for personal power & gain).
You didn't ask me this question, but if I may:
Not by works are we saved but by the Grace and Love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is only through a personal relationship that we can know Christ and in the absence of that, our works, no matter how noble, can never offset the sins which we have committed.
Grace cannot be earned.