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Church in the WorldSarkozy says that republic needs religionFrance Tom Heneghan - 5 January 2008France needs a "positive laïcité" that acknowledges the value of religion and encourages believers to be active in public life, President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a provocative speech during a visit to Rome late last month, writes Tom Heneghan. The modern French republic emphasises the importance of secularism in the political sphere. Mr Sarkozy, who was in Rome to meet Pope Benedict XVI and be invested as honorary canon of the Basilica of St John Lateran, broke a longstanding French political taboo by praising religion for giving meaning and hope to modern society. His speech garnered praise from Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, the Archbishop of Paris, and protests from opposition politicians, who accused him of "confusing religion and politics". "We need the contribution of the Catholic Church as well as that of other great religious and spiritual movements to enlighten our choices and build our future," Mr Sarkozy said. |
 In this week’s issueMaking markets moral Iron and velvet Love in a Catholic climate Someone to talk to A good Lent takes planning South American surprise Is the Church too slow in recognising that academies are the future for Catholic schools? Christopher Lamb Goodwin the scapegoat Elena Curti The pain of being a coeliac Catholic Sr M, guest contributor Why the Benedictine family will survive Christopher Lamb The Church's moral obligation to victims of clerical sexual abuse Speeches from this week's conference in Rome This week in Rome bishops and religious superiors met at the first Vatican-backed symposium devoted to forging a global response to the crisis of clerical sexual abuse that has disgraced ... Archbishop voices 'shame and sorrow' after priest's abuse trial Longley to visit parishes 'damaged' by Walsh Today, Tuesday 7 February, Bede Walsh, who served as a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, has been convicted by a jury, following a 10-day trial at Stoke-on-Trent ...
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