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                               VIS-Press releases

CHURCH IN PHILIPPINES: CONTINUE TO BE A LEAVEN IN SOCIETY

VATICAN CITY, 29 NOV 2010 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Holy Father
received prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, who
have just completed their "ad limina" visit. Addressing them in
English, the
Pope referred to the close ties that for four centuries have united the
Philippines and the See of Peter, highlighting the benefits the leaven of faith
has brought to the Filipino people and their culture.

"To be such a leaven, the Church must always seek to find her proper voice,
because it is by proclamation that the Gospel brings about its life-changing
fruits", he said. "Thanks to the Gospel's clear presentation of
the truth about
God and man, generations of zealous Filipino clergymen, religious and laity
have promoted an ever more just social order. At times, this task of
proclamation touches upon issues relevant to the political sphere. This is not
surprising, since the political community and the Church, while rightly
distinct, are nevertheless both at the service of the integral development of
every human being and of society as a whole".

"At the same time, the Church's prophetic office demands that she be free 'to
preach the faith, to teach her social doctrine ... and also to pass moral
judgments in those matters which regard public order whenever the fundamental
human rights of a person or the salvation of souls requires it'. In the light
of this prophetic task, I commend the Church in the Philippines for seeking to
play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death, and
in defence of the integrity of marriage and the family. In these areas you are
promoting truths about the human person and about society which arise not only
from divine revelation but also from natural law, an order which is accessible
to human reason and thus provides a basis for dialogue and deeper discernment
on the part of all people of good will. I also note with appreciation the
Church's work to abolish the death penalty in your country.

"A specific area in which the Church must always find her proper voice comes in
the field of social communications and the media", Pope Benedict
added. "It is
important that the Catholic laity proficient in social communications take
their proper place in proposing the Christian message in a convincing and
attractive way. If the Gospel of Christ is to be a leaven in Filipino society,
then the entire Catholic community must be attentive to the force of the truth
proclaimed with love".

Finally the Holy Father turned his attention to "a third aspect of the Church's
mission of proclaiming the life-giving word of God: ... her commitment to
economic and social concerns, in particular with respect to the poorest and the
weakest in society". The Church in the Philippines, he said, takes
"a special
interest in devoting herself more fully to care for the poor. It is heartening
to see that this undertaking has borne fruit, with Catholic charitable
institutions actively engaged throughout the country. Many of your fellow
citizens, however, remain without employment, adequate education or basic
services, and so your prophetic statements and your charitable action on behalf
of the poor continue to be greatly appreciated. In addition to this effort", he
concluded, "you are rightly concerned that there be an ongoing commitment to
the struggle against corruption, since the growth of a just and sustainable
economy will only come about when there is a clear and consistent application
of the rule of law throughout the land".
AL/VIS 20101129 (600)

SUMMARY

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