The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters , Italy

The Catholic Church has a vital role to play in shaping social policies but does not seek to usurp secular authorities, Pope Benedict said on Saturday.

In a homily to pilgrims in southern Italy, the Pope said the Church's role in politics-where it often speaks out against abortion, gay marriage and embryo research-was not intended to take the place of western secular ways of government. "The Christian community cannot and does not want ever to substitute the legitimate and right competencies of institutions," the Pope told pilgrims at the start of a two-day visit to one of Italy's most economically depressed areas. He spoke at an open-air mass on a cliff 100 meters (330 feet) above the Mediterranean Sea at one of the southernmost points of the Italian mainland. A day after strolling through the Vatican Gardens with U.S. President George W. Bush, with whom he sees eye-to-eye on many moral issues, the Pope said the Church had the role of "supporting (governments) in their work and always proposes cooperating with them for the good of all."