Pope Francis, Benedict XVI voice support for conference on 'new' human rights

Vatican City, Nov 15, 2018 / 10:31 am

Pope Francis and XVI have written letters lending their support to a Vatican-sponsored conference on the risks posed to fundamental human rights.

In a letter on a Nov. 15-16 international symposium in Rome, Benedict wrote that he believes it "extraordinarily useful" to make a close examination of the issue of the "multiplication of rights" and the risk this poses.

Pope Francis, in his own letter on the conference, pointed to Benedict XVI as having "lucidly warned of the urgency of these issues for our time," and having "intervened authoritatively on them as a thinker and as a pastor."

The symposium, which is on the theme of "fundamental rights and conflicts between rights," is being organized by the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI foundation headed by Fr. Federico Lombardi. It is being held at LUMSA, a Catholic university in Rome.

Addressing Lombardi, the former director of the Holy See press office, Benedict wrote that the issue of increasing "rights" is a "current and fundamental question to protect the foundations of the coexistence of the human family," and is a topic deserving of "an in-depth and systematic reflection."

The pope emeritus concluded the brief letter with a promise of his esteem and prayers for the event's speakers and participants, asking the Lord's blessing on their work "as a precious service for the Church and for the good of the human family."

In his own letter to Lombardi, Pope Francis pointed to the upcoming 70th anniversary of the United Nations' adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, noting the appropriateness of having "an in-depth reflection on its implementation and on developing the vision of human rights in today's world."

The pope said about the symposium that the changing interpretation of certain rights and the appearance of "new rights," especially in recent years, "opens up a series of problems that tend to involve, at bottom, the very idea of law and its foundations."

He praised the pope emeritus' interventions on the issue of human rights and noted that it was for that reason LUMSA bestowed on Benedict XVI an honorary degree in jurisprudence 20 years ago.

"I therefore hope," Francis continued, "that the Symposium of high academic level that is about to be celebrated, drawing inspiration from the thought and the magisterium of our beloved Pope Emeritus, can contribute with courage and depth to illuminate an essential problem for the protection of the dignity of the human person and his integral development."