SW News: Pope Francis hosted a group of legal professionals from the Vienna Declaration signatory nations who are members of the Council of Europe on Monday.
The Pope expressed gratitude to the lawyers for their essential contribution to the promotion of democracy and respect for freedom and human dignity in the current problematic European context influenced by "the senseless war in the Ukrainian territory."
He said the fear of civil unrest, violent acts, the possibility of destabilizing change, and the requirement to respond quickly to emergencies might compromise these principles, leading to the temptation to make exceptions or to restrict, at least provisionally, the rule of law in the effort to find simple and immediate solutions. The statement, which was adopted on June 11, 2022, encouraged the Council's member states to declare their support for judicial independence and the rule of law.
The Holy Father also quoted from his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium in his speech on Monday, highlighting how a vague understanding and application of the idea of human rights, as well as their subsequent abuse, could lead people to succumb to dictatorships of relativism, brands of ahistorical fundamentalism, ethical systems lacking kindness and intellectual discourse bereft of wisdom.
He said that our cultures must protect anonymous communication channels so that people can express themselves and let go of their worries. In this regard, Pope Francis drew a comparison between the Church's Seal of Confession and the area where a person can tell the truth to his lawyer so that he can help them out of a particular circumstance.
Furthermore, the Pope commended people for their efforts to preserve the Earth as well as their willingness to work for the development of a normative framework aimed at protecting the environment.
"I'm working on a second part of Laudato si' to update the current issues," he continued.
Pope Francis encouraged European lawyers to “persevere” in the exercise of their profession, directed to the service of truth and the justice needed for the advancement of peace in the world and harmony in society.
The Holy Father concluded his address by entrusting the delegation to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Yves, patron of lawyers.