Francis Campbell lectures on papacy of Pope Benedict at Allen Hall

L-R Papal Nuncio HE Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz, HE Francis Campbell, Rector of Allen Hall Mgr Mark O'Toole.

HM Ambassador Francis Campbell focussed on the papacy of Pope Benedict, during the fourth Thomas More lecture which he gave at Allen Hall, the Diocese of Westminster seminary, last Thursday, 5 November.

Addressing an audience of seminarians, clergy, laity and press, Francis Campbell, Ambassador to the Holy See, spoke about the main themes that have emerged from the Papacy of Pope Benedict XVI. He said "Probably the most central theme is the very nature between the secular and religious in the Western tradition. Other issues flow from that central theme and find tangible application, for example on climate change or disarmament. The Pope has also taken some very innovative steps in the area of international development financing and as such has placed the Holy See at the cutting edge of policy making."

He went on to say: "Pope Benedict's early life is directly connected to many of the themes he addresses today whether it is his commitment to disarmament, the need for global solidarity to fight poverty, or the very nature of how our societies manage the interplay of the secular and the religious."

Francis Campbell talked at length about how the Pope is a scholar and a man that sees faith and reason and two things that can compliment each other. He said, "The Pope does not see the Enlightenment as alien, but as something which itself grew out of faith. He comes out of a tradition - developed by Anselm of Canterbury - that does not see contradictions between faith and reason or philosophy and theology. But Benedict sees risks for a Europe that is cut adrift from its roots and history. He warns against 'the separation from all ethical traditions and the exclusive reliance on technological reasoning and its possibilities.' Benedict says that rationality is an essential hallmark of European culture."

 Source: Archbishops House