Respect
for religious freedom in general and for the Catholic Church in
particular.
Defence of the family and formation for young people so as
not to marginalize the values of faith.
These are the main contents of
an address given this morning by Pope Benedict XVI to the new Spanish
ambassador to the Holy See, Mrs. María Jesús Figa López-Palop.
The
newly appointed ambassador, a native of Barcelona, greeted the Holy
Father, reaffirming the ancient ties between Spain and the Vatican,
recognizing the Christian roots that form the nation’s "identity", as
well as the value of a "positive secularism" that respect all religious
beliefs.
Pope Benedict replied by immediately pointing out how
the Church always strives to serve the common good and how the Holy See
intends relations with the institutional authorities, in particular "on
the major issues of common interest".
The purpose of diplomatic
relations, said the Pope is to always move forward “in mutual respect
and cooperation”, within the legitimate autonomy of respective fields,
in everything related to the “development and the authentic good of
peoples”, of their rights and freedoms, including the expression of
their faith and their conscience, “whether in public or in private”.
However
– and here the Pope cited his Message for World Day of Peace - there
are now " more sophisticated forms of hostility to religion which, in
Western countries, occasionally find expression in a denial of history
and the rejection of religious symbols which reflect the identity and
the culture of the majority of citizens ":
The Pope spoke of
certain circles which tend to treat religion as socially irrelevant, and
even annoying factor, and do not excuse the fact that they want to
sideline faith, sometimes through denigration, ridicule, discrimination,
including a clear indifference to incidents of desecration, which they
violate the fundamental right to religious freedom inherent in the
dignity of the human person, which instead “is a real weapon of peace,
because it can change and improve the world'. "
Spain, like the
rest of the world, - said Pope Benedict - is involved in a "very
worrying" economic crisis. Unemployment in particular, is causing
"frustration and disappointment, especially in young people and
disadvantaged families."
The Pope said he had the well being of all
Spanish people at heart and called on local public officials to practice
justice and solidarity, and he ensured the support of the Church, which
sees in every person the presence of God.
Pope Benedict XVI
concluded by looking forward to his return to Spain in August for the
next WYD in Madrid, thanking the national and regional government for
its cooperation and generous assistance for the success of an initiative
that will attract attention from around the world and show once again
the “greatness of heart and spirit of the Spaniards"