Italian referendum on assisted reproduction: Pope Benedict XVI supports Card. Ruini
On May 30, Pope Benedict XVI took the first official step in supporting the efforts of the Italian episcopal conference to convince Italians to abstain on the four referendums foreseen around the 12-13 June on assisted reproduction (read the previous posts). He spoke on the occurrence of the General Assembly of Italian bishops
Pope Benedict XVI said that the bishops were « engaged to illuminate and motivate the choices of catholics and of all the citizens as regards the referendum on assisted reproduction. It is precisely in its clarity and its concreteness that this engagement of yours is sign of the sollicitude of true shepherds, who are good for each human being who can never be reduced to a means but is always an end as teaches us the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel, and as teaches us even human reason. In a such engagement which is part of the mission and of the duty of the shepherds, I am close to you » (our translation). The original text (in Italian) may be found here: http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/16615.php?index=16615&lang=it
This intervention of Benedict XVI gives two important signals as to the future policy of the Catholic Church on matters of bioethics. It is self-evident that it will continue along the lines written by John-Paul II in favour of the defence of life.
First, if the first month of Benedict XVI’s papacy has been marked by a relative sobriety in public expression on matters of society, the Pope shows that the Church is going to have a say in the public debate, even if that means "intefering" with secular politics as are charging the opponents. The growing absence of political voice in the European political forum which may carry the message of the Church obliges the latter to take part itself to the debate.
Throwing the Pope’s weight into the question of assisted reproduction means that the Church considers the referendum on assisted reproduction as a test of its capacity to carry the day on ethical debates when there is no viable voice to voice its message in the political field.
Secondly, if the Pope is going to be less outspoken (on the contrary of his predecessor) on matters of everyday politics and of justice, he intends to keep loud and clear the voice of the Church in matters of ethics and of morals, when they come to the political ground.
In short, this confirms perfectly what I had wrote in a previous post: by electing Benedict XVI, the Church has gained an infatigable defensor of life.
Cardinal Ruini, for his part, recalled the arguments for calling to abstain from voting, and he made a series of interesting points (you may read the account given by Magister over here. We might recall that we examined in detail some of these arguments in a previous post, and we are synthesizing them hereunder.
1° Abstaining is not disengaging from political life, but opposing in a clear and efficient way to a logic which endangers human and moral foundations of our civilty.
2° Voting « no », because it helps to join the quorum, is an involuntary aid to the supporters of the referendum. The only efficient way to oppose the referendum is to abstain.
3° The Church is not against science and progress; however it wishes that science be at the service of the integral good of the man. Hence, the reasons moving to oppose the referendum are not only basic ethical reasons, but also the principle of precaution.
4° Unity within the Church was stressed, with also the intervention of numerous authorities who expressed support for the vision of the Church.
5° The Church is not opposed to research on multipotent stem cells, which does not imply the destruction of embryos.
6° As for those who contest the right of the Church to speak out on the referendum, fighting against stem cell research does not place the Church in the past, but it places it among those who work for the future.
The arguments of Cardinal Ruini are very interesting in that they associate a very subtle argumentation with secular elements, and it recalls at the same time that there is another path for science. These arguments have been often neglected by the medias, and were it not for the Church, they would never have been cited in the public debate.
Pope Benedict XVI said that the bishops were « engaged to illuminate and motivate the choices of catholics and of all the citizens as regards the referendum on assisted reproduction. It is precisely in its clarity and its concreteness that this engagement of yours is sign of the sollicitude of true shepherds, who are good for each human being who can never be reduced to a means but is always an end as teaches us the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel, and as teaches us even human reason. In a such engagement which is part of the mission and of the duty of the shepherds, I am close to you » (our translation). The original text (in Italian) may be found here: http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/16615.php?index=16615&lang=it
This intervention of Benedict XVI gives two important signals as to the future policy of the Catholic Church on matters of bioethics. It is self-evident that it will continue along the lines written by John-Paul II in favour of the defence of life.
First, if the first month of Benedict XVI’s papacy has been marked by a relative sobriety in public expression on matters of society, the Pope shows that the Church is going to have a say in the public debate, even if that means "intefering" with secular politics as are charging the opponents. The growing absence of political voice in the European political forum which may carry the message of the Church obliges the latter to take part itself to the debate.
Throwing the Pope’s weight into the question of assisted reproduction means that the Church considers the referendum on assisted reproduction as a test of its capacity to carry the day on ethical debates when there is no viable voice to voice its message in the political field.
Secondly, if the Pope is going to be less outspoken (on the contrary of his predecessor) on matters of everyday politics and of justice, he intends to keep loud and clear the voice of the Church in matters of ethics and of morals, when they come to the political ground.
In short, this confirms perfectly what I had wrote in a previous post: by electing Benedict XVI, the Church has gained an infatigable defensor of life.
Cardinal Ruini, for his part, recalled the arguments for calling to abstain from voting, and he made a series of interesting points (you may read the account given by Magister over here. We might recall that we examined in detail some of these arguments in a previous post, and we are synthesizing them hereunder.
1° Abstaining is not disengaging from political life, but opposing in a clear and efficient way to a logic which endangers human and moral foundations of our civilty.
2° Voting « no », because it helps to join the quorum, is an involuntary aid to the supporters of the referendum. The only efficient way to oppose the referendum is to abstain.
3° The Church is not against science and progress; however it wishes that science be at the service of the integral good of the man. Hence, the reasons moving to oppose the referendum are not only basic ethical reasons, but also the principle of precaution.
4° Unity within the Church was stressed, with also the intervention of numerous authorities who expressed support for the vision of the Church.
5° The Church is not opposed to research on multipotent stem cells, which does not imply the destruction of embryos.
6° As for those who contest the right of the Church to speak out on the referendum, fighting against stem cell research does not place the Church in the past, but it places it among those who work for the future.
The arguments of Cardinal Ruini are very interesting in that they associate a very subtle argumentation with secular elements, and it recalls at the same time that there is another path for science. These arguments have been often neglected by the medias, and were it not for the Church, they would never have been cited in the public debate.
posted by dawnofeurope | 6:51 pm
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