The exclusion of God from the public sphere, the consistency of the Catholic politicians, relativism and the Christian education of the young were the focus of the reflection that Benedict XVI offered to the Canadian bishops on their visit ad limina apostolorum, received in audience this morning. "Today the obstacles to the spreading of the Kingdom of Christ seem to be more serious, in the separation between the Gospel and culture, with the exclusion of God from the public sphere”, said the Pope to the delegations, headed by mgr. Richard W. Smith, bishop of Pembroke and president of the Bishops Conference of Ontario-Canada. With reference to the country that "in the name of tolerance had to bear” the redefinition “of the word bride/groom and in the name of the freedom of choice was confronted with the daily destruction of unborn children”, the Pope censured the Christian leaders who "sacrifice the unity of faith and approve of the disintegration of reason and ethical principles”. “Democracy he stated thrives only if based on a correct conception of the human being”; a principle on which “the commitment of the Catholic politicians cannot make compromises”. Finally, a mention for the Catholic schools of Canada and an encouragement to those who work for the education of the young, "now threatened by relativism”. Hence "the urgency of the apostolate of intellectual love which supports the unity of knowledge” and “guides the young to exercising a freedom that agrees with faith”.
