“The relationship between Italy and the
Christian faith is today profound and alive.
Certainly that form of culture, which is based on
purely functional rationality and which
contradicts and tends to exclude Christianity and
the religions and moral traditions of humanity in
general, is present and operative in Italy just as
in all of Europe,” the Pontiff noted.
Nevertheless, he added, in Italy, “the
Church maintains a primary presence among peoples
of all ages and conditions, and therefore in the
most diverse situations she can propose the
message of salvation that the Lord has entrusted
to her.”
The Holy Father spoke extensively about the
centrality of the Eucharist, “the soul and secret
energy of the Church, the source of efficacy for
our apostolates.”
But later he noted that “a central question
that demands our greatest pastoral attention is
that of the family. In Italy, and even more
so than in other countries, the family truly
represents the fundamental cell of society and is
profoundly rooted in the hearts of young
generations, and it takes on multiple problems,
offering support and remedies to equally different
situations.”
Nevertheless, Pope Benedict observed that
“even so, in Italy as well the family is exposed,
in the current cultural climate, to many risks and
threats of which we are all aware.”
“As the bishops of Italy,” the Holy Father
added, “you have united your voices to that of
John Paul II, especially in defending the holiness
of human life and the value of the institution of
marriage, as well as in promoting the roll of the
family in the Church and in society, calling for
economic and legal measures that sustain young
families in the generation and education of their
children.”
The Pope later expressed his support for
the Italian bishops regarding “the imminent
referendum on the assisted procreation law:
because of your clarity and firmness, your
commitment is a sign of pastoral solicitude for
each human being, who can never be reduced to a
means, but is always an end, as our Lord Jesus
Christ teaches in his Gospel and as human reason
itself tells us.”
The bishops of Italy have advised voters to
abstain from participating in the referendum that
would legalize assisted reproduction. The
Pope told them, “I am close to you in word and in
prayer, trusting in the light and grace of the
Spirit who works in consciences and
hearts.”
