The Holy Father was at Arezzo yesterday and delivered himself of an extraordinary sermon, even by his high standards. I especially liked the way he linked the Church's long history of humanism with the need for solidarity with the poor and with human life at all its stages of development and in all its multifarious experiences of human need.
For me, the central section in the homily, and indeed a central question for our time - and for all times - was this: "Within the context of the Church in Italy, committed to the theme of education, we must ask – especially in this Region where the Renaissance was born – what vision of man are we proposing to the new generations. The Word of God we have heard is a powerful invitation to live God’s love towards all, and, among its distinctive values, the culture of this land includes solidarity, attention to the weak, respect for the dignity of all. Your capacity to welcome those who have come here recently in search of freedom and work, is well known."
The full text is here. (h/t to Rocco.)
