” “"Whenever God is left out of public life, the sense of offending God which is the true sense of sin disappears, in the same way as when the absolute value of moral rules is relativised and the categories of good and evil fade away, along with individual responsibility": this was stated today by Benedict XVI as he received the Bishops of Western Canada on their visit ad limina. The Pope took his cue from the parable of the prodigal son, as an example of detachment from God and the loss of the awareness of being a sinner. In this respect, he recalled that "man’s temptation to exercise his freedom by distancing himself from his relationship with God is frequent". So, when "freedom is sought outside God, the result is a negative one: the loss of personal dignity, moral confusion and social disintegration". Benedict XVI reminded the Canadian Bishops of "the responsibility of showing the destructive presence of sin" and asked them to "promote the sacrament of penance", often "regarded with indifference". Then, the Pope showed his appreciation of the work carried out by the Catholic Aboriginal Council for reconciliation, "even if much remains to be done" about the "social and spiritual needs of the Aboriginal congregation".” “
