25 things the Pope said...
1. “I admire heroic strength, faith and resilience of Filipinos in the face of disasters.”
2. Filipino virtues are “rooted in hope and solidarity instilled by Christian faith.”
3. Modern society should be “respectful of authentic human values, protective of our God-given dignity and rights...’
4. Modern society should be “ready to confront new and complex political and ethical questions.”
5. “Political leaders must be outstanding for honesty, integrity and commitment to common good.
6. Essential to nation-building “is the moral imperative of ensuring social justice and respect for human dignity.”
7. The great biblical tradition enjoins on all peoples the duty to hear the voice of the poor.
8. “Like all God’s gifts, the family can be disfigured and destroyed.”
9. “It is difficult in democracies today to protect and defend human dignity, religious freedom and right to life of unborn and elderly.”
10. “Philippines plays important role in fostering understanding and cooperation in Asia
11. “Filipinos of the diaspora have made real contributions to life and welfare of societies where they live.”
12. “Filipinos have rich cultural and religious heritage … that could be used for integral human development.”
13. “Just solutions to Mindanao issue must be in accord with nation’s founding principles and respectful of inalienable rights.”
14. Mindanao solution should respect “inalienable rights … of indigenous peoples and religious minorities.”
15. Philippine Church must do examination of conscience and “embrace path of constant conversion
16. There’s “great danger” for Church of a “certain materialism which can creep into our lives and compromise the witness we offer.”
17. “Only by becoming poor ourselves, by stripping away our complacency, will we be able to identify ourselves with poor.”
18. Church must proclaim “radicalism of Gospel in a society grown comfortable with social exclusion, polarization & scandalous inequality.”
19. Pope to young priests, religious, seminarians: Proclaim joy of Gospel to “confused and despondent” young people.
20 Church must proclaim “beauty and truth of Christian message to society tempted by confusing representations of sexuality, marriage and family.”
21. “It is in the family that we first learn how to pray … to grow into men and women of faith.”
22. “Pressures on family life today many: economic situation, job migration, poverty... materialism and lifestyles destructive of family life and most basic demands of Christian morality.”
23. Family life is threatened by “growing efforts...to redefine institution of marriage, by relativism, by culture of the ephemeral, lack of openness to life.”
24. “Our world needs good and strong families to overcome threats to family life.”
25. “Protect your families … Be sanctuaries of respect for life.”
