Understanding Pope’s ‘Caritas in Veritate 28’

I LACK the words to express my praise for the editorial “Agony and ecstasy” (Inquirer, 4/19/11) on the anniversary of the election of Pope Benedict XVI. The editorial evinces respect for, and knowledge and understanding of, the Pope and his teachings. It’s brilliant and excellent. How I wish that many more people, Catholics and non-Catholics might share such attitudes.

There are still many persons though, including Catholics, who dispute the Pope’s teachings especially with regard to respect for and openness to life.

In his third encyclical “Caritas in Veritate 28,” Benedict XVI wrote: “Openness to life is at the center of true development. When a society moves towards the denial or suppression of life, it ends up no longer finding the necessary motivation and energy to strive for man’s true good. If personal and social sensitivity towards the acceptance of a new life is lost, then other forms of acceptance that are valuable for society also wither away. The acceptance of life strengthens moral fiber and makes people capable of mutual help. By cultivating openness to life, wealthy people can better understand the needs of poor ones, they can avoid employing huge economic and intellectual resources to satisfy the selfish desires of their own citizens, and, instead, they can promote virtuous action within the perspective of production that is morally sound and marked by solidarity, respecting the fundamental right to life of every people and every individual.”

Openness to life is opposed to the contraceptive mentality which the Pope also criticized in this encyclical. I wish we Filipinos will learn well this lesson of the Holy Father. We need to develop as a nation. If we want to progress, then let us realize that at the center of this development is openness to life as Benedict XVI has taught.

—FR. CECILIO L. MAGSINO,

111 B. Gonzales St.,

Loyola Heights, Quezon City