Vatican and UK jointly declare
that religious freedom is
fundamental to a healthy society
February 15, 2012
The right to religious freedom, the need to promote disarmament and sustainable development, to support peace and democracy in North Africa and the Middle East and to promote a culture of social responsibility as the basis of a healthy society.
Those were some of the wide ranging issues discussed by a British government delegation and top Vatican officials on Wednesday during a visit marking the 30th anniversary of the re-establishment of full diplomatic relations between the UK and the Holy See.
A joint communiqué following the working meeting said Britain and the Holy See look forward “to working together to combat intolerance and discrimination based on religion, wherever it is manifest.”
The delegation met with Pope Benedict today and spoke of his successful 2010 visit to the UK which paved the way for this follow up meeting.
Leading the delegation was Britain’s only Muslim Cabinet Minister Baroness Warsi, who told Vatican Radio more about the talks and about the audience with the Pope.
This is a historic visit, a visit that we discussed at the very successful State papal visit in September 2010….
This delegation is unprecedented really in the history of the UK, but also in the history of the Vatican, to have 4 cabinet minister and 3 ministers of state with a big delegation to visit and have bilateral discussions, as well as enjoy an audience with the Holy Father…
It’s the privilege of a second meeting I’ve had with the Pope – the first time he asked me to continue to make the case for faith, and I explained that my speech here and the work that we’ve been doing with the government over the past 20 months was trying to make the case for faith and he blessed us….
I handed him a gift of a King James Bible from the Prime Minister …he opened it and read the message from the Prime Minister…I also handed him a personal gift of a translation of the Koran ...
I think the most important thing that’s come out for me is that the Vatican, being the smallest state in the world, has one of the biggest global reaches …
There are many issues on which we agree… The world, as we go forward, we know is not based on geographical relations but on networks and the Holy See is one of the most networked states in the world….
We spoke about international aid, disarmament, climate change, the importance of interfaith relations and the importance of making the case for faith...
Here is the text of the joint communqiue issued today:
JOINT COMMUNIQUE BY THE HOLY SEE
AND HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
On 14-15 February 2012 the Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, hosted talks between the Holy See and a British Government Ministerial delegation led by the Rt Hon Baroness Warsi.
The visit of the delegation to Rome follows the successful visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in September 2010, and marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and the Holy See, which took place the year of the visit of Pope John Paul II to Britain, the first by a reigning Pontiff.
The delegation also met the Secretary of State His Eminence Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and was received by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government agreed on the urgent need for action to strengthen the universal commitment to religious freedom as a fundamental human right, and to its practical application with a view to promoting respect for all religions in all countries.
The Holy See and the British government look forward to working together to combat intolerance and discrimination based on religion, wherever it is manifest.
The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government reaffirmed the need to promote integral and sustainable global development, based on the centrality of the human person and grounded in the principle of the inherent human dignity and worth of each person.
Much progress has been made over the last decade in improving health and well-being for many people. However, there are still significant gaps and challenges in the long and complex path towards ensuring integral human development for everybody.
Too many people are still hungry, too many people do not have access to education and to decent work, too many women die in childbirth. In view of these challenges we recognise a shared obligation to achieve a fair international financial and trade framework. And we will strive for a better future for all humanity, taking into particular account care for the poorest people in the world.
Looking ahead to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development at Rio de Janeiro in June this year and to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change implementation process, we share the conviction that in order to take forward a human-centred and sustainable global development, there is a need to continue to strengthen the integration of its interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars: the economic, the social and the environmental, as well as the connection between combating poverty and tackling climate change.
The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government share a commitment to work at the United Nations and other fora to strengthen the international focus on conflict prevention, disarmament, arms control and non proliferation, aimed at protecting human life and building a world more respectful of human dignity.
As part of this effort, we look forward to positive outcomes in July to the final negotiations to agree upon a robust Arms Trade Treaty with a wide scope, and to the 2nd Review Conference of the UN Programme on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.
With regard to the changes which have occurred in North Africa and the Middle East, the Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government stressed the importance of undertaking real reforms in the political, economic and social realms, in order better to ensure the unity and development of each nation, in responding positively to the legitimate aspirations of many people for peace and stability.
In this context, reference was made to the role which Christians can play and to the importance of inter-religious dialogue. The Holy See and Her Majesty’s Government expressed the hope for a resumption of negotiations in good faith between Israelis and Palestinians so as to bring about a lasting peace.
They renewed their appeal for an immediate end to violence in Syria and stressed the need for co-operation to overcome the present crisis and work towards a harmonious and united coexistence.
As the London Conference on Somalia approaches, the Holy See and the British Government encourage the international community to support a coherent strategy on Somalia in order to end the crisis there, placing as a priority the protection and welfare of the people of the Horn of Africa.
Her Majesty’s Government welcomed His Holiness Pope Benedict’s support for the ongoing process of reconciliation in Northern Ireland, the establishment of stable, inclusive political institutions, and efforts to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for all parts of the community.
Her Majesty’s Government and the Holy See agreed that the use of violence for political ends is deplorable, and must be set aside in favour of constructive dialogue for the well-being of the whole community.
As the United Kingdom prepares to host the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, and to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, both sides look forward to a year characterised by the spirit of the Olympic Charter and the Olympic Truce: at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.
There was in addition a good exchange of views on a wide range of social, economic, political and cultural issues, including on developing the UK’s collaboration with the Vatican Museums.
Both sides recognised in particular the role of faith and education in the development of a culture of social responsibility and the underpinning of a healthy society.
In this context, appreciation was expressed for the significant contribution which the Catholic Church, and Christians in general, have made and continue to make to the good of British society.
The Holy See emphasised the need to ensure that institutions connected with the Catholic Church can act in accordance with their own principles and convictions and stressed the necessity of safeguarding the family based on marriage, religious freedom and freedom of conscience.
Both sides look forward to further strengthening their relationship by working together through their respective networks and global partnerships, including the Commonwealth of Nations, to promote the common good.
Archbishop Nichols says UK-Vatican meeting
marks high point in their bilateral relations
February 15, 2012
Pope Benedict XVI met on Wednesday with a high level delegation of British government ministers who are in the Vatican to follow up on contacts made during the 2010 papal visit to Britain.
The delegation is led by Cabinet Minister Baroness Warsi and includes the Secretaries of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, for Scotland, For Northern Ireland, as well as Ministers of State for International Development, for Energy and Climate Change and for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, president of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, was accompanying the delegation on this working visit. He told Philippa Hitchen the meeting marks a high point in relations between the United Kingdom and the Holy See:
I believe it’s very significant indeed, it’s a historic visit. We’re also marking the 30th anniversary of the restoration of full diplomatic relations – the history goes back to the 1470s, but I think this is a high point right across the sweep of those centuries and its a signal of the important and growing relationship between the British government and Holy See and therefore a recognition of the role that the Catholic Church plays throughout the world on many crucial issues.
Baroness Warsi is in a unique position coming from a family originally from Pakistan, a Muslim woman, so she has an audience which is attentive to what she says and this (the need for a more confident voice of faith in public life) is a constant theme of her speeches.
So she is very committed to the positive good that faith, confidently expressed, really does make and she’s critical of those who want to isolate faith and privatise it…
One of the features of this visit is that the topics are global issues that range far and wide – like the international work in disarmament, climate change, education around the world – these are big global issues in which the British government does take a lead and I think they recognise the Holy See has a reach that is far beyond most other institutions. …
Certainly the Minister of state for culture, media and sport has been involved in discussions with cultural centres here in the Vatican looking back over the exchanges that have taken place over the last few years, for example the Raphael tapestries that came to Britain …and they’re looking at what might be the next steps.
And it’s important because culture and the world of the arts is a great vehicle for the expression of the spiritual dimension of human endeavour…
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 16/02/2012 01:03]