Vatican City, 3 June 2012 (VIS) - In the archbishopric of Milan
yesterday afternoon, the Holy Father met with representatives from the
civil and military authorities, industrialists and workers, and
exponents of the world of culture in the Italian region of Lombardy.
Benedict XVI focused his remarks on the principles of good government
as laid down by St. Ambrose who, based in Milan, governed the Roman
provinces of Liguria and Aemilia in the fourth century. These principles
"are still important" for leaders today, the Pope said. The first
quality of people in power must be justice, "the public virtue par
excellence because it concerns the good of the entire community".
Justice has to be accompanied by love of freedom, something which
distinguishes good governors from bad ones. "Freedom is ... a precious
right which must be guaranteed by the civil authorities. However,
freedom does not mean the will of the individual but the responsibility
of everyone. One of the principle elements of the secular State is to
ensure freedom so that everyone can present their own vision of social
life, but always while respecting others and in the context of laws
which seek the good of all".
In order to guarantee the common good the laws of State "must draw
justification and strength from natural law, which is the foundation for
a social order adapted to the dignity of the human person". An
exclusively positivist view of law cannot provide ethical guidance. The
State must serve and protect the individual in all aspects, "beginning
with the right to life, which must never be deliberately suppressed". It
is also called "to recognise the specific identity of the family,
founded on marriage and open to life, and the right of parents freely to
choose the education and formation of their children. ... The State
fails to do justice to families if it does not support freedom of
education for the good of all society", the Pope said.
The Church offers her collaboration to the State, each with their own
role and their own goals, through her doctrine, traditions,
institutions and activities, by virtue of which she places herself at
the service of people. "Suffice it to think of the many shining figures
of saints of charity, of schools and of culture, saints who cared for
the sick and the marginalised with the same service and love with which
we would serve and love the Lord. ... Christian communities promote
these actions ... as a gratuitous superabundance of Christ's charity and
of the all-embracing experience of their faith. Apart from courageous
technical and political decisions, the crisis we are going through also
has need of gratuitousness".
Finally Benedict XVI recalled the fact that St. Ambrose advised
people in positions of power to ensure they were loved. "That which love
does can never be done by fear", he said, quoting the saint. The
reasons that move people to enter into public life "cannot but be", he
told his audience, "the desire to dedicate yourselves to the good of
citizens, and therefore a clear expression and evident sign of love. In
this way politics is ennobled and becomes an exalted form of charity".
Source:
V.I.S - Vatican Information Service
Image from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pope_Benedictus_XVI_january,20_2006_%282%29_mod.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment