VATICAN CITY, OCT 8, 2004 (VIS) - Yesterday
afternoon, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, president of the Italian Episcopal
Conference, read the Pope's message to participants in the 44th Social Week of
Italian Catholics which is taking place from October 7 to 10 in Bologna. More
than one thousand delegates from all over Italy who represent dioceses,
associations and movements, are participating in the gathering.
Referring to the meeting's theme, "Democracy: New Scenarios, New
Powers," the Holy Father highlights the "risks and threats, for
authentic democracy, that come from certain philosophical currents,
anthropological visions or political ideas with ideological prejudices. For
example, the tendency to think that relativism is a way of thinking that
responds better to democratic political forms still exists, as if knowing the
truth and adhering to it were an impediment. In reality," he continued,
"often people are afraid of the truth because they do not know it. The
truth as Christ revealed it is a guarantee of genuine and complete liberty for
the person."
John Paul II writes that "if political action is not addressed with a
higher ethical understanding, illuminated by an integral vision of man and
society, it will end up being subject to inadequate ends, if not illicit ones.
The truth, however, is the best antidote against ideological fanaticism in the
scientific, political and even religious context."
"As experts in social disciplines and as Christians, you are called ...
to indicate new paths and new solutions in order to address the urgent problems
of the modern world in the best way. Reflection on the democratic system cannot
be limited to only considering political structures and institutions, it must
also consider the problems posed by developments in science and technology, in
the economy and in finance, as well as new laws for governing international
organizations, the questions that come from progressive and rapid development in
communications, in order to create a model of complete and authentic
democracy."
The Pope emphasized the need for Catholics to commit themselves "to
making civil society lively and dynamic by promoting the family, associations,
volunteer work, etc, and by opposing improper limits and conditions imposed by
the economic or political order; also they must consider once again the
importance of dedication to public and institutional roles, in environments
where significant collective decisions are made, and in politics, in the highest
sense of the word, as desired by so many today."
"We cannot forget," he concludes, "that knowing and putting
into practice the social doctrine of the Church are characteristics of the
vocation of lay people, and therefore, also their participation in the political
life of the country, according to the methods and instruments of democratic
systems. Some are also called to develop a special service to the civil
community, directly assuming institutional role in politics."