Spain's Socialist government Friday offered 'respect and loyalty' to the country's Catholic Church despite continuing disagreements between the two, Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said. Vega made the comments after Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero met Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco, a hardliner who was elected president of the Episcopalian Conference earlier this year.
The church had 'respect for the legitimate authority of the state,' but 'exercises its own ministry of celebrating and proclaiming the faith and Catholic morals with evangelical freedom,' the Episcopalian Conference said in a press release.
The government has had tense relations with the country's Catholic hierarchy, which waged an unusually harsh campaign against reforms such as homosexual marriage and speedy divorce after Zapatero became prime minister in 2004.
Disagreements persisted over subjects such as measures reducing the church's influence on education, Vega conceded, saying they would be dealt with through 'a lot of dialogue.'
The church also dislikes the government's plans for a Law of Religious Freedom to grant greater recognition to other religions such as Islam and Protestantism in traditionally Catholic Spain.
The government wants to progressively eliminate religious symbols such as crosses from public places. The Catholic Church will, however, continue receiving important funds from state coffers.
The government will help the church to organize the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Spain on the occasion of World Youth Day in 2011, Vega said.
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