Catholic Political Leaders Essential Today, Pope Says

From Catholic World News:

Castel Gandolfo, Sep. 21, 2007 (CWNews.com) - A strong Catholic presence in the political world is "more necessary than ever" today, Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) told a group of European lawmakers on September 21.

The Holy Father said that the Church does not dictate political policies, but informs lay leaders about appropriate moral choices. "The Church knows that it is not her specific task to oversee the political implementation of this teaching," he explained; "her objective is to help form consciences in political life."

The Church's viewpoint on public life, the Pope continued, is laid out in Catholic social teaching, which emphasizes "the centrality of the human person, a respect for human rights, a commitment to peace and the promotion of justice for all." These concepts, he pointed out, "are closely interconnected."

"In effect, when human rights are violated, the dignity of the human person suffers," the Pope said; "when justice is compromised, peace itself is jeopardized."

The Pontiff made his remarks at a Friday audience with the leaders of the Centrist Democratic International, a group composed of European politicians from parties belonging to the Christian Democratic tradition. The Pope met with 200 representatives of the group at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.

Pope Benedict went on to say that Christian lawmakers have a special obligation to exercise effective leadership at a time when society faces a strong secularizing trend. The apparent indifference of the West to spiritual concerns, he said, has been "shamelessly exploited by some terrorist networks." He condemned the terrorists who "often claim to act in God's name and harbor an inexcusable contempt for human life."

In responding to terrorism, however, the Pope insisted that the civilized world should defend itself "with complete respect for moral and legal norms." On that point too, he observed, the social thought of the Catholic tradition provides helpful standards for judging the moral basis for political and military action.