Peace
Inside that Basilica, in a serene crypt chapel, lies St. Francis of Assisi. We were there a few years ago and of all the beautiful cities and towns of Italy, this village somehow seemed like one of the loveliest and most peaceful, in the transcendent sense of both of those words.
Today is the Feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.
The Church and the world know St. Francis to be the saint of peace, though modern sensibilities focus a lot on his love of animals and nature. All good, because they are reminders that no one party or religion or ideology ‘owns’ the issue of environmentalism, protection of animals, social justice.
Pope Benedict’s remarks today at a reception for the new Italian ambassador to the Holy See dramatize the universal nature and mission of the Church, and you know, it’s a brief but excellent reminder of some fundamental truths.
Politicians and media get this wrong a lot, but Pope Benedict clarifies:
In his talk to the diplomat, the Pope referred to the “mutual collaboration” between Church and State “for the promotion of mankind and the good of the entire national community. In pursuing this goal,” he added, “the Church does not aim to acquire power nor does she seek privileges or positions of economic and social advantage.
“Her only aim,” he went on, “is to serve mankind, drawing inspiration, as the supreme norm of behavior, from the words and example of Jesus Christ Who ‘went about doing good and healing everyone.’ Hence the Catholic Church asks to be considered for her specific nature, and to have the opportunity freely to carry out her special mission for the good, not only of her own faithful, but of all Italians.”
(Read all the world. After all, he was talking to the Italian ambassador at the moment. Same for the following:)
Benedict XVI expressed the hope that collaboration between all components of Italian society may contribute “not only to carefully guarding the cultural and spiritual heritage that distinguishes [Italy] and that is an integral part of its history,” but even more so that it may be “a stimulus to seek new ways to face the great challenges that characterize the post-modern age.” In this context the Pope mentioned “the defense of life, … the protection of the rights of the individual and the family, the building of a united world, respect for creation and inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue.”
After recalling that the year 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, the Pope pointed out that this date “could constitute a useful occasion for Italy to offer its own contribution to the creation of a just order in the international arena, at the center of which is … respect for mankind, for his dignity and for his inalienable rights.”
Quoting from his own Message for World Peace Day 2007, the Holy Father then went on to say that the Declaration of Human Rights “is regarded as a sort of moral commitment assumed by all mankind. There is a profound truth to this, especially if the rights described in the Declaration are held to be based not simply on the decisions of the assembly that approved them, but on man’s very nature and his inalienable dignity as a person created by God.”