Vatican City, Sep 13, 2007 / 07:31 am
This morning in Castelgandolfo the Holy Father received the Letters of Credence of Jozef Dravecky, the new ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the Holy See. He encouraged the new diplomat to push for greater protection of the family in his country and the spread of the Christian culture that Slovakia is rooted in.
In his remarks, the Pope recalled how next year marks the 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Slovak Republic and the Holy See. The Pontiff’s remarks to the ambassador essentially consisted of comprehensive guidelines for helping revitalize Slovak culture.
Benedict began by thanking Mr. Dravecky for his reassurance that Slovakia is committed to fulfilling the two unresolved points of the "Basic Agreement" between the two States, regarding "conscientious objection and the financing of Church activities." The Holy Father also noted that he was pleased that the points concerning Catholic education and spiritual ministry to Catholics serving in the armed forces, have already been ratified.
On the subject of education, Benedict XVI reiterated the importance of States guaranteeing "the Church the freedom to establish and administer Catholic schools... Indeed, a solid education that nourishes all the dimensions of the human person, including the religious and spiritual, is in the interest of both Church and State. In this way, young people can acquire habits that will enable them to embrace their civic duties as they enter adulthood."