Vatican City, Jan 14, 2010 / 09:42 am
Pope Benedict XVI made an appeal for provisions that would protect human development and families as he met with local elected officials in a private audience on Wednesday. The Holy Father also called for all of society to collaborate in educating youth for a "lofty vision of health and human sexuality."
Addressing the mayor of Rome and regional government leaders, Benedict XVI said that while the worldwide economic crisis has had consequences for he people and businesses of the Lazio province and its capital of Rome, it has also "offered the possibility to rethink the growth model pursued in the last few years."
The Pope emphasized the necessity for politicians to keep human beings “at the center of political activity” and insisted that his “moral and spiritual growth must be the first concern."
"The main task of the institutions is the pursuit of the common good," within which "a healthy debate" should be promoted, because "the more decisions and measures are shared, the more they will bring real development to the inhabitants of the territory," Pope Benedict told the lawmakers.