Text 2124, 60 rader
Skriven 2007-01-30 07:31:32 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
===================================================
Hello All!
                This Area is READ ONLY.  Do not post to this area.
                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                               VIS-Press releases

THOMAS AQUINAS, A MASTER OF DIALOGUE BETWEEN CULTURES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 28, 2007 (VIS) - Before praying the Angelus this morning,
Benedict XVI dedicated some remarks to the figure of St. Thomas Aquinas, whose
feast day falls today.

Addressing the thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope
recalled that the saint presents a "valid model for harmony between reason and
faith, dimensions of the human spirit that that are fully realized in the
meeting and dialogue between them."

For St. Thomas, human reason "moves on a broad open horizon where it can
express the best of itself. When, however, man limits his thought only to
material objects that can be subject to experimentation ... he becomes
impoverished. The relationship between faith and reason is a serious challenge
for the culture that currently dominates in the Western world."

The Holy Father recognized the "innumerable positive effects" of modern
science, but he also warned that "the tendency to consider as true only that
which can be subject to experimentation represents a limitation to human
reason." For this reason, "it is vital to rediscover ... a human reason open to
the light of the divine 'Logos.' ... When Christian faith is authentic," he
went on, "it does not degrade freedom and human reason. ... Faith implies
reason and perfects it. And reason, illuminated by faith, finds the strength to
raise itself to a knowledge of God and of spiritual truths."

The Holy Father continued: "St. Thomas Aquinas managed to establish a fruitful
confrontation with the Arab and Jewish thought of his time, such that he is
still considered as a valid master of dialogue with other cultures and
religions. He created that magnificent Christian synthesis between reason and
faith, which is a precious heritage for Western civilization and from which,
even today, we can draw in order to maintain an effective dialogue with the
great cultural and religious traditions of the East and South of the world."

After praying the Angelus, the Pope referred to the World Day of Leprosy which
is also being celebrated today. He gave assurances of recollection in his
prayers "for all the people suffering from this disease, ... which is not only
an illness but a social scourge." Pope Benedict also recalled the people who,
"in Christ's name, have dedicated themselves to this cause," such as, "Raoul
Follereau and Blessed Damian de Veuster, apostle of the lepers of Molokai."

Finally, Benedict XVI dedicated some words to young people from Catholic Action
in Rome who had come to St. Peter's Square to celebrate the closure of their
annual "month of peace." As is traditional, a boy and a girl from Catholic
Action freed two white doves, symbols of peace, from the window of the papal
apartments: "may they be a harbinger of peace for the whole world," the Pope
concluded.
ANG/THOMAS AQUINAS:LEPROSY:PEACE/...VIS 070129 (480)

SUMMARY

--- MPost/386 v1.21
 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS =Meridian, MS= bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)