Council for Justice and Peace calls for a “new humanism”

Vatican City, Feb 6, 2005 / 22:00 pm

On Saturday, Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, presented the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church in Bologna, Italy.

The document which was published by the council last October, was presented at the School of Formation to Social Commitments of the Veritatis Splendor Institute.

A communique from the council summarizing the cardinal's talk noted that he termed the Compendium "a manifesto of a new humanism in the sense that, in it one can find inspiration and programs, ideal and historical, for a new society."

For Cardinal Martino, says the communique, "an integral and solidary humanism is achieved only through projects that are planned and actuated by force of social culture and common policies."

The Cardinal underscored "the need for a unified action to show the effectiveness of projects inspired by ...the content of the truth of the Church's social doctrine. He notes that "if once widespread Christianity" was the source for a "common cultural perspective, as well as for faith ... today this needs to be built with greater efforts."

Cardinal Martino concluded by stating that, "the realization of common projects would facilitate a social and political commitment by Catholics, not only on the level of faith and values, but also in social culture and politics."