Cardinal tells bishops, chaplains they must protect human rights

Published: 2007-10-12

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic Church and its members serving in the military must be on the front line of protecting human rights, said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. "The church, bearer of the human, moral and spiritual values without which it is impossible to build a worthy and true human society -- a family of families -- must be on the front line in supporting a correct application of humanitarian law in every circumstance," said the cardinal, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. The cardinal spoke at the Oct. 12 opening of a two-day course in humanitarian law offered to military ordinaries and chaplains from around the world. Military ordinaries are bishops responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics in the armed forces. The course brought together about 80 participants from more than 30 countries and included speakers representing other religions and other Christian communities, as well as experts on international relations and on humanitarian law.

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