ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT TO LIFE IS RESPECTED EVERYWHERE

VATICAN CITY, OCT 2, 2007 (VIS) -

Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States, yesterday participated in the general debate of the 62nd session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, which is currently being held in New York.

At the beginning of his English-language talk, Archbishop Mamberti pointed out that "forgetting, or partially and selectively accepting," the principle of respect for human dignity "is what lies at the origin of conflicts, of environmental degradation and of social and economic injustices."

He went on: "The Holy See welcomes the initiative to hold the High-Level Dialogue on Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace which, ... will take place here shortly. Indeed, dialogue among peoples of different cultures and religions is not an option; it is something indispensable for peace and for the renewal of international life."

Referring to conflict prevention and to efforts aimed at achieving and maintaining peace, the secretary for Relations with States indicated that the Holy See looks forward "to the day that peacekeeping efforts in Darfur will finally be fully operational." Furthermore, "there is need for a renewed commitment, involving all member countries, in the pacification and reconstruction of long-suffering Iraq," and "in the search for a solution, through dialogue, of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians."

"Renewed commitment is needed in assuring that Lebanon will continue to be a free and independent country," the archbishop added, while on the subject of Myanmar, he reiterated Benedict XVI's appeal of last Sunday: "Through dialogue, good will and a spirit of humanity, may a solution to the crisis be found quickly for the good of the country and a better future for all its inhabitants."

Recalling that the year 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Archbishop Mamberti said "the most important part of our work in this context is to ensure that the inherent right to life is respected everywhere."

"We must work to stop and reverse the culture of death embraced by some social and legal structures that try to make the suppression of life acceptable by disguising it as a medical or social service. In this sense, the abolition of the death penalty should also be seen as a consequence of full respect for the right to life."

PREVENT DISSEMINATION OF IDEOLOGIES WHICH OBSCURE TRUTH

VATICAN CITY, SEP 21, 2007 (VIS) - Today in the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo, Benedict XVI received 200 people who have been participating in a conference of the Executive Committee of the Centrist Democratic International (IDC), which is presided by the Italian politician Pierferdinando Casini.

The Pope told his audience how "your visit gives me an opportunity to bring to your attention some of the values and ideals that have been molded and deepened in a decisive way by the Christian tradition in Europe and throughout the world, ... such as the centrality of the human person, a respect for human rights, a commitment to peace and the promotion of justice for all."

These "fundamental principles," the Pope went on, "are closely interconnected. In effect, when human rights are violated, the dignity of the human person suffers; when justice is compromised, peace itself is jeopardized."

The Holy Father encouraged his listeners "to persevere in your efforts to serve the common good, taking it upon yourselves to prevent the dissemination and entrenchment of ideologies which obscure and confuse consciences by promoting an illusory vision of truth and goodness. In the economic sphere, for example, there is a tendency to view financial gain as the only good, thus eroding the internal ethos of commerce."

He continued: "There are those who maintain that human reason is incapable of grasping the truth, and therefore of pursuing the good that corresponds to personal dignity," while others "believe that it is legitimate to destroy human life in its earliest or final stages." Another cause of concern, he said, lies in "the growing crisis of the family, which is the fundamental nucleus of society based on the indissoluble bond of marriage between a man and a woman."

The Holy Father then turned to consider "the defense of religious liberty, which is a fundamental, irrepressible, inalienable and inviolable right. ... The exercise of this freedom also includes the right to change religion, which should be guaranteed not only legally, but also in daily practice."

"Within every human heart there are needs and desires which find their fulfillment in God alone. For this reason, God can never be excluded from the horizon of man and world history. That is why all authentically religious traditions must be allowed to manifest their own identity publicly, free from any pressure to hide or disguise it.

"Moreover," he added, "due respect for religion helps to counter the charge that society has forgotten God: an accusation shamelessly exploited by some terrorist networks in an attempt to justify their threats against global security. Terrorism is a serious problem whose perpetrators often claim to act in God's name and harbor an inexcusable contempt for human life.

"Society naturally has a right to defend itself, but this right must be exercised with complete respect for moral and legal norms, including the choice of ends and means. In democratic systems, the use of force in a manner contrary to the principles of a constitutional State can never be justified."

"In this regard, the social teaching of the Catholic Church offers some points for reflection on how to promote security and justice both at the national and international levels. This teaching is based on reason, natural law and the Gospel."

"The Church knows that it is not her specific task to oversee the political implementation of this teaching: her objective is to help form consciences in political life, to raise awareness of the authentic requirements of justice, and to foster a greater readiness to act accordingly, even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest."

"For those of you who share a faith in Christ," Benedict XVI concluded, "the Church asks you to bear witness to that faith today with even greater courage and generosity. The integrity of Christians in political life is indeed more necessary than ever so that the 'salt' of apostolic zeal does not lose its 'flavor'."