MADRID, Spain, JULY 10, 2005 (Zenit.org).- An effort must be made to make the social doctrine of the Church known, especially to politicians, says the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
Cardinal Renato Martino, speaking to the participants of the summer course at Juan Carlos I University in Aranjuez, Spain, asked for initiatives to present the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church to politicians.
The cardinal said the Compendium, written recently by the pontifical council he heads, is “an instrument for the complex events of our time,” and “a guide to look to the future with confidence and hope.”
The cardinal added that “it helps the individual understand the community to which he belongs, it helps the whole ecclesial community and is an integral part of evangelization.”
Thus, it is necessary “to teach and sensitize people,” as “the teaching of the social doctrine of the Church is the responsibility of Catholics of every country,” he said.
In particular, Cardinal Martino said that “thought must be given to initiatives that will make it known to politicians.”
During his address, the cardinal expressed gratitude for the work of Pope John Paul II.
“As John Paul II was able to transmit the human richness of the Christian faith, the Compendium shows the nourishment of this faith,” he said. The cardinals stressed the profound relationship of the Compendium with the life of the Church and the Christian proposal of the following of Christ.
Cardinal Martino also noted the need to have the Compendium reach the most underprivileged peoples.
He said that he has seen initiatives in Latin America that demonstrate how these communities were already “hoping for something like it.”
