Portugal: The Church respects atheists and calls for respect During a press conference, Msr. José Policarpo was asked to comment the recent creation of the Portuguese Atheist Association (PLA), that stigmatized some positions taken against atheism. Among them, for example, a comment made during the Christmas 2007 homely pronounced by cardinal-patriarch of Lisbon, which stated that : “All expressions of atheism, all existential concepts of denial or neglect of God, continue to be humanity’s worst tragedy.” Msr. Policarpo explained to the journalists: “Since I consider the faith in God essential to man, I can but reaffirm that the denial of God is a relevant problem for life itself”. Acknowledging that the creation of this type of associations is “absolutely legitimate”, he also added his disappointment towards fundamentalist declarations made by the PLA president in an open letter to the president of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (PEC). The letter is especially harsh on cardinal Saraiva Martins, described as a: “Miracle seeker and creator of saints and beatifications”, accused of having chaired last May 13th in Fatima a “pilgrimage against atheism in Europe”, and criticized materialistic ideologies of the twentieth century. Msr. Policarpo, instead, called for reciprocal respect by stating: “The Church strongly respects atheism, acknowledged and present already in the Old Testament”, but added: “The novelty is that it wants to transform itself into an atheist community, similar to the community of believers”, and finally concluded by remembering that “atheism and agnosticism are not the same thing”. Ireland: “eco-peace” against violence”There is a mentality that underestimates life as demonstrated by the approval of the law enabling the creation of half-human and half-animal hybrid-embryo where everybody is entitled to do everything without respecting anybody. If we loose a reference point, such as God or a system of values we loose everything and are no longer able to give a meaning to life.” this is how father Gismondo Pawley, parish priest of St. Patrick church in Waterloo, south of London, commented the killing of Arsema Dawit, the latest victim of a series of crimes committed in Britain’s capital. Also the Irish Episcopal Conference wrote a document on the violence titled. “Violence in the Irish society: towards eco-peace” that worrisomely highlights how violent crimes in Ireland have increased by 8% in the last two years. In the document the bishops stress that victims of violent crimes must be helped and feel the community’s solidarity. They identify the family as “one of the most important protection elements against society fragmentation”. A committed citizenship, ethics that values voluntary service and solidarity culture are elements that help combat crime. It is important not to consider ourselves just as mere spectators but able to accept the challenge of becoming active citizens who help their neighbours. For the bishops also recreational drug smuggling and violence associated to these kinds of drugs adds to a lack of respect for life.Spain: school, the Saragozza Declaration “Which are the universal values that will guide education in the XXI century towards a better world”, has been the subject of the World Conference of the parents’ associations, sponsored by the National Catholic confederation of families and parents held in Saragozza on June 6-7. The Conference’s goal has been to “show that apart from social, political, cultural or religious differences parents share the common desire of creating a positive understanding, for people and concretely for their children’s education.” According to the international agency Fides, when the conference, which was attended by parents coming from 22 different European countries, ended it drafted the “Saragozza Declaration for Education 2008”, pointing out that “parents have the exclusive and primary right to educate their own children in compliance to their moral, philosophical, religious and pedagogic values and believes,” thus “no other petition can legitimately take this right nor impose a moral or ideological indoctrination”. The Declaration states that “educational pluralism is a fundamental right for education and entails choice diversities that are the pillars of a free and democratic society” and highlights that “no democratic government can discriminate families by forcing their children to attend public schools, supported by public funds or private property”.
