Pope Benedict XVI: Fight the Dictatorship of Relativism in Mexico

Catholic News Agency has the story.

The Pope encouraged Bishops from Mexico to continue the struggle against the DOR, while challenging Mexicans to join together and end "economic inequality."

Speaking to visiting Mexican bishops earlier today at the Vatican, Pope Benedict stressed the need for strengthening the family and building up of an authentic culture of life in that country, respectful of the humanity of all its citizens.

The Holy Father said in his address to the prelates that, "Faced with growing laicism that seeks to reduce the religious life of citizens to the private sphere, with no social or public expression, the Church knows very well that the Christian message reinforces and illuminates the basic principles of all coexistence."

In this context, the Pope pointed out how the family as an institution "needs special support, because in Mexico, as in other countries, its vitality and fundamental role are declining, not only because of cultural changes, but also because of the phenomenon of emigration, which brings serious difficulties of various kinds, especially for women, children and young people."

Pope Benedict also addressed the problem of drug trafficking, noting "the continuous efforts made up to now by the State and by various social organizations" to combat it.

"It must not be forgotten", he said, "that one of the roots of the problem is great economic inequality, which prevents the just development of a large part of the population. ... It is urgent for everyone to unite their efforts to eradicate this evil through the spread of authentic human values and the construction of a real culture of life. The Church offers her full collaboration in this field."

The Holy Father understands the role economic inequality plays in reinforcing the Dictatorship. Reasonable elites play on the concerns of the poor to gain a hearing on their Agenda. They offer Nanny State solutions to problems best solved by people, not states. This doesn't mean the State has no role to play; it does mean that excessive dependence on it flies in the face of Catholic Social Teaching. Why? People that love others take better care of others than bureacrats administering other people's money. Subsidiarity recognizes the benefit of local associations of people attending to local problems. This may be why the Pope is careful to mention how we ought to fight economic inequality: through "the spread of authentic human values and the construction of a real culture of life."

Now, the spinmeisters of the Foolable left would love to hammer their message home through the Holy Father's counsel. "See?" they might say, "Even the Pope admits that the culture of life is more than just stopping abortion." Of course it is! That doesn't change the elimination abortion as the priority of establishing a culture of life. It also doesn't endorse a welfare state, socialist-lite program of income redistribution and centralize micromanagement of the economy. It does mean that people must first turn to the Lord and then, with the eyes of the Lord, turn to their neighbors. Then, with the genuine motivation to will the good of their neighbor, people will render true justice and mercy to one another. They will find the way to do so that does not compromise CST principles.

When this happens, the Reasonable elites that smuggle relativism to the unwary under the cover of government-activist compassion will become exposed. People will see that the Reasonables' loyalty is to the unfettered pursuit of the One Thing that Matters. I don't expect that the people will pay further attention to their ravings once this happens.

Of course, the obstacles in Mexico to the realization of the Holy Father's hope remain daunting. Historical prejudice and consolidation of wealth have carved Mexico, like many nations in Latin America, into a stratified society. A minority of Creole-descended Mexicans compose the elite of society, and they're enormously wealthy. Mestizo-descended Mexicans, while far more numerous, suffer extreme poverty. Unfortunately, Mexico still does not offer as many opportunities for the poor to change their circumstances. Thus, many of Mexico's poor seek opportunities in the United States. This institutional and cultural hangover from Latin's post-colonial caste system stands in the way of economic equality for all with a hugh brick-bat in it's gnarled hands.

Still, the challenge can't be solved from without. Change that ends this legacy of injustice must come from within. The Mexican Bishops would do well to take the Pope's counsel to heart.