> Would'nt it be great if the Vatican practiced what they preached on subsidiarity ecclesiastically? GDVW+ > Subsidiarity Can Help Save Liberty Says Vatican Aide > > Believes That Utopian View of Free Markets Is Fading > > MADRID, Spain, NOV. 19, 2002 (Zenit.org).- In the age of globalization, > the model of the social state needs to be changed while democracy must > be revised under the principle of subsidiarity, says a Vatican aide. > > Guzman Carriquiry, undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for the > Laity, made that proposal when he addressed the 4th Congress on > Catholics and Public Life, held here last weekend. > > The Uruguayan intellectual said the concept of "subsidiarity" is > emerging forcefully again as a critical topic of cultural and political > debate. Together with solidarity, subsidiarity is a pillar of Church > social doctrine. > > Quoting the encyclical "Centesimus Annus," the Catechism of the Catholic > Church, No. 1883, defines subsidiarity as the principle that "a > community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life > of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, > but rather should support it in case of need and help to coordinate its > activity with the activities of the rest of > society, always with a view to the common good." > > Carriquiry believes that subsidiarity is emerging "as a response to the > exhaustion of the utopia of the self-regulating market." > > The principle of subsidiarity is a response to "euphoric conquering > liberalism, the close state-market relation, the need to revise and > develop democracy,"said Carriquiry, who is the author of "Globalization > and Catholic Identity in Latin America." > > In a word, subsidiarity is "the custodian, safeguard and manifestation > of liberty before new modes of concentration and influence of power," > he said. > > Subsidiarity, he added, necessarily implies that the state be at the > service of society, liberty, creativity, industry, business and the > solidarity of persons, families, various groups and the nation. > > This is why the "reform of the social state" is necessary, because the > latter cannot offer infinite loans, compensation and subsidies without > compromising the > bases of its own existence, Carriquiry added. > > Therefore, "there must be a creative application of subsidiarity, which > will allow for the development of intermediary societies," Carriquiry > emphasized. > > The market economy, he insisted, must contemplate two realities at the > same time: "private" economy and "social" or "civil" economy. Social or > civil economy is concerned with the production and distribution of a > series of goods that cannot be framed within the traditional rules of > the market, Carriquiry continued. > > A further step is that "the principle of subsidiarity points precisely > to ways of educating, promoting and mobilizing the vibrant energies of > a person and of society. It is what is called the third sector," he > said. > > For all these reasons, a revision of democracy is necessary, the Vatican > undersecretary contended. Reasons are not lacking for this claim as, > for example, "the development of multicultural societies, > self-regulating innovations and technological dynamisms, and the > one-on-one, powerful influence of the revolution of communications," > Carriquiry explained. > > He also cited the "spread of the liberalization of the markets and their > globalization, the growing forms of exclusion, decreasing electoral > participation, the crisis of political parties (...), the lack of > interest of vast sectors of the population in public affairs, as well > as the self-organization of vast informal realms that are outside all > political regulation." > > A genuine democracy must be founded on subsidiarity, "inasmuch as the > centrality and primacy of the human person is recognized -- in his or > her corporal and spiritual subjectivity; integral dignity; natural, > inalienable rights; and exercise of liberty with truth and > responsibility -- as foundation, subject and end of all social and > political institutions," Carriquiry stressed. > > The Congress on Catholics and Public Life, organized by the San > Pablo-CEU University Foundation, ended Sunday. It aimed to analyze, > promote and channel the action of Catholics in the social, political, > economic and cultural realms in light of the social doctrine of the > Church. > > * * * > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail > > > -- > To unsubscribe, send ANY message to > <faithandlife-unsubscribe@...> ----------------------------------------- This email was sent using FREE Catholic Online Webmail. Please tell your family, friends and children about COL Webmail! http://webmail.catholic.org/