What the Pope really said to the politicians

Of course, Benedict’s remarks are going to selectively be plucked out of context or rearranged to say more….or less….than he actually said.

So, what did he say, and to whom?

A strong Catholic presence in the political world is “more necessary than ever” today, Pope Benedict XVI told a group of European lawmakers on September 21.

It applies to America as well. Right now, we have Catholic politicians running for the presidency.

Now this is an important point to get:

The Holy Father said that the Church does not dictate political policies, but informs lay leaders about appropriate moral choices. “The Church knows that it is not her specific task to oversee the political implementation of this teaching,” he explained; “her objective is to help form consciences in political life.”

The Church is not Democrat or Republican leaning.

The Church’s viewpoint on public life, the Pope continued, is laid out in Catholic social teaching, which emphasizes “the centrality of the human person, a respect for human rights, a commitment to peace and the promotion of justice for all.” These concepts, he pointed out, “are closely interconnected.”

Though the two parties seem to own certain parts of these issues, the fundamental centerpiece of that social teaching is the right to life. From which all other rights derive.

Pope Benedict went on to say that Christian lawmakers have a special obligation to exercise effective leadership at a time when society faces a strong secularizing trend.

That’s very diplomatic and somewhat nuanced. Some of the comments posted to that CWNews item are more direct.