"One just has to see the press or TV to learn that, about health, the one of the Church is not the only voice; indeed, there are many voices that strongly oppose it. But the Church has a duty to propose its truth on ethical issues". It was said by card. Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Papal Council for the Pastoral of Health, as he answered the journalists’ questions at the press conference for the presentation of the XXIII International Conference on "The pastoral in the treatment of elderly patients" which is going to open tomorrow until 17th November in the Vatican on the initiative of the aforesaid Ministry of the Holy See. To a question about "cooperation between the Church and the State" in respect of health and the "feeling that the Church is welcome when it provides social services but not so much when it raises ethical questions on health or sickness", the cardinal answered: "This is true. There are countries with gaps that no one fills and where under the subsidiarity principle the Church takes action and is very welcome, and countries where there is no health system at all, and there the Church takes on everything". As to the "ethical issues", according to Barragan, the Church has a duty to "propose its truth, say what the life paths are and what the death paths are. Then, if someone wants to follow the latter, that’s his problem".
