Socialist Spanish PM seen as a threat by Pope

Pope Benedict XVI is trying hard to save Spain from “aggressive secularism.” 

This, however, should be from the pulpit not on a stump.

The Pontiff used the phrase “aggressive secularism” at the start of a visit to Spain that ended a week on Sunday.

He was referring to Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero policies. Pointedly, the politician only met the Pope to say “Adios.”

Paying tribute to Spain, the Pope said, “The renaissance of modern Catholicism comes mostly thanks to Spain.”

The argument between formal withdrawal of clerical control, and aggressive secularism was born there, he added.

That’s a reference to 1930s’ events and the Spanish Civil war. General Francisco Franco’s nationalists won the “crusade for God and country.” Catholicism resumed the status of state religion.

Unfortunately, the Pontiff wasn’t really at home.

“This is without a doubt the least Catholic Spain in history…,” The Associated Press quoted a Spanish sociologist, Mr Kerman Calvo, saying.

On paper, though, it isn’t so. The AP quoted Mr Javier Elzo, a professor emeritus at Deusto University saying a poll released in September showed 73 per cent of Spaniards questioned still consider themselves Catholic.

Additionally, the church is next to the state in property ownership.

Moreover, The Christian Science Monitor reports, the church enjoys perks, including around $9 billion annually in different forms of direct and indirect government funds.

The Pope, however, is more interested in what’s inside the soul. If the percentage of people who regularly genuflect is any guide, the news is bad. A mere 14 to 20 per cent of Spaniards routinely do so.

Yet not so long ago, crucifixes hang on every classroom wall. Well, so did General Franco’s photograph. He died in 1975.

Now there’s Mr Zapatero and ideas unpalatable to the Catholic Church.

Among these: no compulsory religious, read Catholic, education. In comes fast-track divorce, abortion on demand and, legal gay marriages.

On the shelf is a government promise to reform “a religious freedom” legislation considered by liberals discriminatory against other faiths.

The Catholic News Agency reports Bishop Demetrio Fernandez’s pastoral letter saying the bishops “fear a reform would be an excuse to impose fanatical secularism that would expel all religion from the public square.”

Besides the Catholic Church, the opposition and conservative Popular Party is a leading opponent of the reform and, indeed Mr Zapatero’s polices.

The party has vowed to turn back the Socialist agenda.

An opinion poll published a day before the Papal visit began indicated the Popular Party would win 42.2 per cent of the vote if general elections were held on Sunday.

Mr Zapatero would scrape 34.3 per cent.

One of the Pontiff’s activities was a tête-à-tête with Popular Party leader, Mariano Rajoy. It’s inconceivable the Pope didn’t whisper, “Keep up the good work.”

In all fairness, it isn’t the business of religious leaders, the Pope included, to cheer political leaders.

This is more so when such leaders are likely to favour, through legislation, a particular faith.

Religious leaders’ political partisanship annoys adherents of other faiths.

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