VI Report on the Social Doctrine of the Church Introductory abstract Women in the revolution. The revolution of women. Stefano Fontana[1]   Many are the themes coming to the surface in the world in 2013, the reference year for this Report, but one of them – rather unctuous in fact, and not really that evident to public opinion at large […]

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(Text presented at the conference of the ‘Magna Charta Foundation’ in Norcia on the theme “Between the caliphate and post-humanism: the future of the west”) Stefano Fontana   The destiny of the western world is linked to secularization, a phenomenon and a subject whose most profound dimensions continue to escape us. I have no fear of flagging this lack of […]

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The doctrinal principle of the “social kingship” of Christ means that the construction of human society is unable to attain its own proper and natural ends without being ordered to Jesus Christ, Creator and Savior. Insofar as Creator, He has constituted human society, founding it on matrimony and the family, mutual love and authority.  Moreover, ever as Creator, the Lord […]

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The review “Liberté Politique”, with which our Observatory is ordinarily on the same wave length, dedicated its latest issue now in circulation (n° 62, summer 2914) to the theme : “The Lay Morality, a new religion?”. Published in that issue are the 5 . presentations made at the Symposium “Morals and Laicity” held at Toulon on the 3rd and the […]

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Massimo Borghesi has presented his understanding of the complex issue of political theology in his book Critica della teologia politica. Da Agostino a Peterson: la fine dell’era costantiniana, Marietti 1820, Genova 2013 [Critique of political theology. From Augustine to Peterson: the end of the Constantinian age]. He had already anticipated some of what he argues in this book, for example, […]

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With the publication of the Guía para la enseñanza de la Doctrina social de la Iglesia (Madrid 2014, pp. 302), [Guidebook for the teaching of the Social Doctrine of the Church], the Fundación Pablo VI of Madrid has accomplished a demanding and useful task. This guidebook is the joint product of several authors coordinated by Fernando Fuentes Alcantara, director of […]

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Parish of Tregnago (Vr) – 5 May 2014 We could begin by asking ourselves a series of questions. The Netherlands and Belgium represent rich and developed societies, but on the books in both of them are laws permitting euthanasia, for children as well, and depressed elderly persons from neighboring countries go there in order to be assisted in committing suicide. […]

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Presentation of the book: J. Ratzinger-Benedict XVI, Il posto di Dio nel mondo. Potere, politica, legge, by Stefano Fontana, Foreword by Paul D. Ryan; Afterword by Giampaolo Crepaldi, Cantagalli, Siena 2014.   Verona, Parish of St. Peter the Apostle Tuesday, 29 April 2014   The centrality of God Albeit not in a literal sense, the expression used as a title […]

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The Observatory Cardinal Van Thuân, headed by Archbishop Giampaolo Crepaldi and directed by Stefano Fontana, has published an “A Political Appeal to Italians” entitled “A Country Lost and The Hope of a People” (Cantagalli, Siena 2014). This is a global and organic proposal for the rebirth of Italy drawn up by Catholics and addressed to all, but not tailor made […]

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What they are Often spoken about are non negotiable “values” instead of non negotiable “principles”, but this is an error of approach.  Principle means foundation and criterion. The principle is the element that supports and enlightens a certain ambit. The principle holds things together, directing and orienting them to their end. It therefore follows that the principle cannot be one […]

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