PAPAL MESSAGE FOR SOCIAL WEEKS OF FRANCE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 26, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from Pope John Paul to Msgr. Jean Boissonnat, president of the Social Weeks of France, on the occasion of their 74th session, currently underway in Paris on the theme "From One Century to Another, The Gospel, Christians and the Stakes in Society."

He praises the Social Weeks for reflecting on "complex problems as well as the political, economic and social realities which our society poses" and for rooting their reflections in the Church's social doctrine. He adds that the Church has always invited mankind "to create relationships of charity, fraternity, solidarity and justice" in all of these domains of human society.

"Politics," the Pope says, "is the broadest field for charity and solidarity." He stresses that "the lay faithful are never to relinquish their participation in the 'public life', that is, in the many different economic, social, legislative, administrative and cultural areas, which are intended to promote organically and institutionally the common good."

With regard to collaborating ever more closer to promote the common good and the "basic rights of the human person," affirms the Holy Father, "how can we not recall the primordial value of the couple and the family, which is the basic cell of society? When basic principles are not observed, when the positive law no longer makes reference to the natural law, it is clear that 'the life of society itself is gradually jeopardized, threatened and doomed to decay'. Legitimate authorities must assure a good functioning of State structures, transparency in public administration, impartiality in public service, the just and honest use of public funds, the refusal of illicit means to obtain or preserve power, by virtue of the worth of the person and objective moral demands."

Lauding those who have been involved in Social Weeks in the past, the Pope encourages participants today "to pursue the work undertaken by your predecessors and become actors in public life."

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