"True freedom is rooted in God" and its exercise "has to refer to the moral and natural law which comes before and summarise all the rights and duties," said Benedict XVII. Hence the support given by Canadian bishops to initiatives promoting family and human dignity. The Pope then focused on the "important role played by catholic Schools in the human and spiritual development of the young" for the "valuable service they are rendering to the country." "Even religious teachings have to find their place in the education system, in the respect of everyone’s conscience," he added. According to Pope Benedict XVI, parents have the inalienable right to ensure their children’s religious formation, their teachings being an "essential resource" for a real education. By "transmitting the faith" and preparing the young "to a dialogue with the different components of society, the Catholic schools are carrying out the Church mission, thus benefiting the whole Canadian society. Finally, the Pope recalled the upcoming 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Canada, the three Apostolic journeys of John Paul II in the country and the "signs of hope" seen on last June 49th Eucharistic Congress.
