Pope meets Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly members

(Sept.08,2010) Pope Benedict XVI exhorted members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, to respect the principles of life, from conception to natural death; of marriage rooted in the exclusive and indissoluble gift of self between one man and one woman, and the freedom of religion and education. The Pope spoke to them after Wednesday’s general audience in Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall. Stating he was aware that the EC Parliamentary Assembly has on its agenda important topics that deal above all with people who live in particularly difficult situations - people afflicted with handicaps, those who are victims of extremism, or of new forms of slavery, such as human trafficking, the illegal drug trade and prostitution, or people who are subjected to grave violations of their dignity, the Pope told them to follow the principles of human rights with wisdom and courage.
Stating that he was also aware of their efforts to defend religious freedom and to oppose violence and intolerance against believers in Europe and worldwide, the Pope said on different occasions, he has pointed out the risks associated with relativism in the area of values, rights and duties. Wishing the EC Parliamentary group all the best on the 60^th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Pope encouraged them to courageously fulfil their important mission in the service of the common good of Europe.