Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 19, 2009 / 01:06 am
Archbishop Jose Maria Arancedo of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz denounced the position of those who think the Church and the Christian life "are opposed to the development or the progress of man. He then pointed to numerous examples in history of "Christian scientists, artists and philosophers that have contributed to the culture and growth of man."
The archbishop said, "Faith is not opposed to nor does it limit reason; on the contrary, it presupposes and needs it. Faith opens the intellect to a dimension that helps it understand the truth about man in all of his grandeur as a human and spiritual being."
After recalling Jesus’ words in the Gospel, "My Father is glorified by this that bear much fruit," Archbishop Arancedo noted that for the Church, this passage is not understood "in merely spiritual terms, but in a wider sense."
"Bearing ‘much fruit’ refers also to the work of man when with his intellect he elevates the human condition, whether through education, health care improvement, the wellbeing of everything that makes man’s life in this world dignified," he said.