VATICAN - Benedict XVI addresses Forum of Catholic-inspired NGOs: “What is needed, in fact, is a spirit of solidarity conducive for promoting as a body those ethical principles which, by their very nature and their role as the basis of social life, remain non-negotiable”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - To express gratitude and appreciation for what they do collaborating actively with Papal Representatives at Interantional Organisations and render still closer and more effective this shared service for the integral good of the human person and all humanity: these were the goals identified by Pope Benedict XVI at the basis of the First Forum for Catholic-inspired Non Governmental Organisations, NGOs, whose participants he received in audience on Saturday 1 December. The Forum, held in Rome, was attended by representatives of 85 NGOs which refer in their international presence and activity, to the teaching of the Gospel and the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church.
The Forum included a series of different realities started at different times and working in different fields… “All of you, however, have in common a passion for promoting human dignity. This same passion has constantly inspired the activity of the Holy See in the international community” said the Holy Father underlining that “ this unity of purpose can only be achieved through a variety of roles and activities”.
Looking with satisfaction at the positive results in international cooperation among governments the Pope mentioned “achievements such as the universal recognition of the juridical and political primacy of human rights, the adoption of shared goals regarding the full enjoyment of economic and social rights by all the earth’s inhabitants, the efforts being made to develop a just global economy and, more recently, the protection of the environment and the promotion of intercultural dialogue.”
“ At the same time s - said Pope Benedict XVI -, international discussions often seem marked by a relativistic logic which would consider as the sole guarantee of peaceful coexistence between peoples a refusal to admit the truth about man and his dignity, to say nothing of the possibility of an ethics based on recognition of the natural moral law. This has led, in effect, to the imposition of a notion of law and politics which ultimately makes consensus between states - a consensus conditioned at times by short-term interests or manipulated by ideological pressure - the only real basis of international norms. The bitter fruits of this relativistic logic are sadly evident: we think, for example, of the attempt to consider as human rights the consequences of certain self-centred lifestyles; a lack of concern for the economic and social needs of the poorer nations; contempt for humanitarian law, and a selective defence of human rights”.
The Holy Father said he hope the Forum would “identify more effective ways of making the Church’s social doctrine better known and accepted on the international level” and he urged the participants to “ counter relativism creatively by presenting the great truths about man’s innate dignity and the rights which are derived from that dignity”. This will contribute to “ forging of a more adequate response to the many issues being discussed today in the international forum. Above all, it will help to advance specific initiatives marked by a spirit of solidarity and freedom.”.
In the last part of his discourse the Pontiff said: “What is needed, in fact, is a spirit of solidarity conducive for promoting as a body those ethical principles which, by their very nature and their role as the basis of social life, remain non-negotiable. A spirit of solidarity imbued with a strong sense of fraternal love leads to a better appreciation of the initiatives of others and a deeper desire to cooperate with them Thanks to this spirit, one will always, whenever it is useful or necessary, work in collaboration either with the various non-governmental organisations or the representatives of the Holy See, with due respect for their differences of nature, institutional ends and methods of operation… When experienced in solidarity, legitimate pluralism and diversity will lead not to division and competition, but to ever greater effectiveness. The activities of your organisations will bear genuine fruit provided they remain faithful to the Church’s magisterium, anchored in communion with her pastors and above all with the successor of Peter, and meet in a spirit of prudent openness the challenges of the present moment.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 3/12/2007; righe 44, parole 606)