Spain and Europe are doomed if they close their doors to God, warns new cardinal

Madrid, Spain, Nov 27, 2007 / 09:54 am

The Archbishop of Valencia, Cardinal Agustin Garcia-Gasco, warned this week that “Europe and Spain have no future if the men and women of our society close our hearts to the love of God.”

The cardinal made his comments during a dinner honoring him and the two other newly elevated Spanish cardinals hosted by the Spanish ambassador to the Holy See.  “If we do not heed his Word and put it into practice, we will lose the hope and the excitement for building a future of liberty and justice for all,” Cardinal Garcia-Gasco said.

“Faced with those who seek to build a society without God, far from his company, we must trust in the Lord,” as “the men and women of our time, families and all of society need the saving message of Jesus Christ more than ever,” the cardinal continued.

He noted later on that “the message of salvation is the best guarantor of our freedom,” since “peace, unity, justice and freedom, progress and the civilization of love are fruits of closeness to God.”  “The Gospel of Christ is the great bulwark for defending the dignity of the human person, in the face of the violence and injustice of the world,” he stressed.

“Let us give thanks to the Holy Father Benedict XVI for the affection he has shown us,” Cardinal Garcia-Gasco said.  “The history of Spain will always be linked to the name, the person and the magisterium of the Holy Father Benedict XVI,” he said in conclusion.