Vatican City, Oct 7, 2008 / 20:01 pm
The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, stressed the prophetic nature of the encyclical Humanae Vitae, published 40 years ago by Pope Paul VI. The encyclical, which has also been controversial, explains the Church's teaching on human sexuality and denounces attacks against life.
L'Osservatore Romano published Cardinal Bertone’s homily given on October 4 for participants of the Congress on Humanae Vitae. According to Cardinal Bertone, "only in God’s loving plan can the conjugal act have full meaning. That, of course, presupposes respect for life, not a selfish attitude of possession. The vocation of man, created in the image and likeness of God, takes place fully only in the gift of self to God and neighbor."