Pope Calls for Calm, Italy Rocked by Political Debate

Famiglia Cristiana caused the uproar last week when it compared the government's crackdown on gypsies, immigrants and the homeless to Benito Mussolini's racial laws.

LONDON (The Catholic Herald) - Benedict XVI has entered a fierce political row triggered by a Catholic magazine which claimed that Italy is in danger of returning to Fascism under Silvio Berlusconi.

Famiglia Cristiana caused uproar last week when it compared the government's crackdown on gypsies, immigrants and the homeless to Benito Mussolini's racial laws.

Benedict XVI appeared to enter the debate on Sunday by saying the Church had a duty to combat "the temptation to racism, intolerance and exclusion".

He said: "One of humanity's great achievements is in fact overcoming racism."

His remarks came just days after the Vatican distanced itself from Famiglia Cristiana by clarifying that it was not an official organ of the Church.

Although Benedict XVI spoke in general terms during the Sunday Angelus, he appeared to draw a parallel to the situation outlined in the Catholic magazine's editorials over the last few months.

He said: "Too often... there are new worrying manifestations of this in various countries, linked with social and economic problems but nevertheless cannot justify racial contempt and discrimination."

Government ministers rushed to deny that the Pope was referring to the situation in Italy, where a wave of crime at the hands of Romanian gypsies brought Berlusconi's government to power in May.

Carlo Giovanardi, the undersecretary for families, who had expressed outrage at Famiglia Cristiana's accusations earlier in the week, said he thought the Pope was speaking in general terms. Maurizio Gasparri, head of Mr Berlusconi's party in the upper house, threatened to sue the Paulist Fathers who own the magazine.

Another member of Forza Italia, Mr Berlusconi's party, and a priest, Fr Gianni Baget Bozzo, told the Italian newspaper La Stampa that the Pope's speeches are "always directed at cities and the world" and were "always general".

He said: "It seems to me very difficult that the words of the Angelus could be referring to the Italian situation, especially after the precision with which the Holy See's spokesman which distanced it from the weekly newspaper Famiglia Cristiana. It would be absurd that the Pope would contradict the words of his spokesman."

Famiglia Cristiana, read by some 600,000 people, has increased its attacks since Berlusconi's party came into power in May. They have accused the government of racism, xenophobia and of "waging war on the poor".

This has stung the government as many of its members consider themselves devout Catholics.

Fr Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said that while the magazine was an important Catholic publication, its editorial line was independent of the Church and did not necessarily reflect the views of the Church.

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Fr Lombardi said: "The positions it takes are exclusively the responsibility of its editors."

The government's ruling coalition parties said that Fr Lombardi's words signalled that the Vatican was clearly distancing itself from the magazine.

In the first 100 days the Italian government has cracked down on gypsies, immigrants and the homeless as part of a drive to bring down crime. Famiglia Cristiana's most virulent attack came after the government proposed to fingerprint Roma children in gypsy camps.

In the editorial it compared the fingerprinting of gypsies to the persecution of Jews under the Third Reich. It said: "We hope that the suspicion that Fascism is being reborn in a different form proves to be untrue."

Government ministers in turn attacked the magazine, accusing it of being Communist.