Two letters addressed to Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, President of the Ratzinger Foundation: the first, dated November 12th, from His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and the second, dated November 13th, from His Holiness Pope Francis. These were written to mark the inauguration of the 2018 International Symposium “Fundamental rights and conflicts among rights”, being held by the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation in Rome.
His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI expresses his respect for the theme of this year’s symposium. In his letter, he recalls his “immediate appreciation of the initiative” when it was first announced to him, and states that he considers the symposium “extremely useful”. He appreciates it in particular, he says, because it is important to discuss the “problematics of ‘the multiplication of rights’” as well as “the risk of the ‘destruction of the idea of Rights’.” This topic, the Pope Emeritus says, is fundamental to protect the foundations necessary “to live together as a human family”, as this is a theme which, he believes, “deserves to be placed at the heart of deep, systematic reflection”.
His Holiness Pope Francis’ letter begins by wishing all speakers and participants at the symposium “fruitful work”. He talks about the relevance the Symposium has today, as we approach the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The Pope sees this occasion not only as an opportunity to celebrate the memory of this Declaration but also as an opportunity to “impose deep reflection on its application and on its development in the vision of Human Rights in today’s day and age”.
Source: Vatican news
