VATICAN CITY (CNS): Pope John Paul II said political leaders must conform civil laws and policies to God’s objective moral law and to principles of solidarity and justice.
Meeting with thousands of public officials and legislators from around the world last Saturday, the Pope said Christian politicians, in particular, must reject laws which “do not respect the right to life” or which seek to extend family legal rights to other sorts of unions between persons.
An estimated 15,000 public officials from 92 countries attended the November 4-5 Jubilee for Politicians and Government Officials. During an all-day assembly on November 4, some 3000 participants unanimously approved three motions calling for the cancellation of foreign debt to poor countries, the defence of religious freedom and human rights, and greater international co-operation in fighting negative aspects of globalisation.
The largest delegations were from majority Catholic countries like Italy, Poland and Argentina, which were each represented by hundreds of lawmakers. Participants also included legislators from Israel and Muslim-majority Iran, Libya, Kuwait, Morocco and Jordan.
