Sad loss of reason in Europe

Monday, April 12th, 2021

The Vatican Secretary of State has said that euthanasia and abortion laws in Europe represent not only a loss of faith but also a loss of reason.

“These anthropological changes that are taking place, losing the identity of the human person. Before a loss of faith, I would say that it is a loss of reason”, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin in an interview.

He stressed that “losing the identity of the human person, more than a loss of faith” represents “a loss of reason” in our culture and in our countries.

As Pope Francis has also said numerous times, the question of abortion is not a religious question, but a question of reason.

Cardinal Parolin said that the Church’s response to these societal changes should be “to offer a coherent and convinced witness of Christian life.”

“It seems to me that the situation we are experiencing can be compared with the first centuries of the Church. The Apostles and the first disciples arrived in a society that did not have Christian values. But through their testimony of the first communities managed to change the mentality and introduce the values of the Gospel in the society of that time. I think this is the way we still have to do today,” he commented.

During the interview, the cardinal described Pope Francis as “a simple man without protocol” who takes great care to be close to the people.

“His desire is to make the Church more credible in proclaiming the Gospel,” the cardinal said.

Parolin, 66, has served as Vatican Secretary of State for the last eight years. He said he viewed ecclesiastical diplomacy as a way of living out his priesthood.

“We are at the service of communion and the defence of the freedom of the Church and religious freedom. That is my way of looking at diplomacy,” he said.

Parolin also commented on Pope Francis’ recent trip to Iraq, which he described as “very emotional.”

“The Church has suffered because Christians have been persecuted by all the conflicts and by all the forces that want to uproot the Christian faith in that country. But what they have taught us is the testimony of faith that goes as far as martyrdom. From there, we can draw a great lesson from Iraqi Christians,” said Parolin, who accompanied the pope on the visit.