In today’s meeting with Milanese and Lombard political, administrative, industrial and military authorities, Benedict XVI referred to St. Ambrose as an exemplary “governor of the provinces of Liguria and Aemilia, with headquarters in the imperial city of Milan.” Before he was unexpectedly elected as the city’s bishop, he had already been responsible for public order and had administered justice in the city.
The President of the Lombardy Region, Roberto Formigoni, the city’s mayor Giuliano Pisapia, the President of the Milan Province, Guido Podestà and the Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Maurizio Lupi are seated in the front row of the Archbishopric of Milan’s cramped and muggy audience hall which has been secured to the max for the Pope’s visit.
The Pope enters, is greeted briefly by Scola and the reads his speech out, recalling the words used by Prefect Prodo to invite Ambrose to govern “not as a judge, but as a bishop.”
These are the principles the Pope emphasised in his address to the authorities present: above all, “no human power can be considered divine, so no man is the master of another.” Ratzinger then described “the first quality of a governor,” which is justice. Justice is the quintessential public virtue because it involves the wellbeing of the entire community.”
But this is “not enough.”
Ambrose adds “love for freedom, which he considers to be the element that distinguishes between good and bad governments because, as another of his letters says, “good governments love freedom, bad ones love servitude.”
“Freedom - the Pope explained - is not a privilege for some, it is everyone’s right, a precious right which must be guaranteed by civil authorities. Freedom does not mean individual will but implies the responsibility of each person. Herein lies one of the principal elements of State secularism: to guarantee freedom in order that everyone can always express their own vision of life, whilst showing respect for others and adhering to laws which are there for the good of everyone.”
“On the other hand, in so far as the conception of a confessional State is overcome, it seems clear that its laws must find justification in natural law, which forms the basis of an order that respects human dignity and overcomes a merely positivistic conception. Such a conception lacks any ethical element.”
“The State – Benedict XVI explained – serves and safeguards all aspects of the individual person and their “wellbeing”, starting with the right to life. Any attempt to deliberately suppress this is not acceptable under any circumstances.”
The Pope then went on to speak about the importance of the family and the right to freedom of education. “Everyone can therefore see how the legislation and work of state institutions should serve the family in particular. The State is called to recognise the identity of a family founded on marriage and open to life.”
“It should also recognise the fundamental right of parents to the free education of their children according to the educational plan they consider the best and most appropriate. Justice is not done to families if the State does not support freedom of education for the common good of all society.”
Benedict XVI ended his speech, defining “constructive collaboration” between the State and the Church as “precious”, “not because of any confusion on the different purposes and roles of civil authorities and the Church itself, but because of its past and future contribution to society through its experience, doctrine, tradition, institutions and works, all in service to the people.”
The Pope mentioned the contributions made by Lombard Christian communities and said their work was “not just intended as a temporary gap filler but as free superabundance of Christ’s charity and the totalizing experience of their faith.”
The time of crisis we are experiencing “requires not only courageous technical and political choices to be made,” but “gratuitousness” as well.
Politicians did not kiss Benedict XVI’s hand at the end of the brief meeting and the Pope retired straight after it.