I am often asked why we have an Embassy to the Holy See. Sometimes the question is an expression of curiosity. Occasionally, it is a reflection of hostility to the Catholic church, or religion in general. The subtext is often a sense that religion is somehow irrelevant to modern public life, and that therefore a British diplomat has better things to do than working to strengthen the relationship between the United Kingdom and the Holy See.
I have had a chance to reflect on this during the summer holiday period. And the evidence I have seen is quite the opposite. Although “religiosity” is, arguably, on the decline in Western Europe – something that will be addressed by the forthcoming Synod of Bishops here in Rome and the New Evangelization programme to be launched there – WIN-Gallup recently published a poll survey showing that 59% of the world’s population still describes itself as “religious”. The Vatican’s own most recent statistics show that the total number of Catholics in the world remains at around 17.5% of the population. More specifically, even in secular Europe, we have seen just in the last month some remarkable manifestations of religious relevance to the public square:
- The recent declaration on reconciliation between the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Polish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, taking steps that have proved all too difficult for elected politicians to make.
- The extraordinary role of different Churches and faith leaders through the More than Gold initiative at the London Olympics and Paralympics. Who will forget the Church bells of Britain ringing out across the country to declare the opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games?
- The blanket media coverage and massive public response in Italy to the death of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, former Archbishop of Milan.
In my last posting, on Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, I noted his own contribution to British public life. Prime Minister David Cameron spoke eloquently of the role of Christians in public life last year. He mentioned the “vital role” of religious leaders and communities in Britain in defending the basic “values and morals which make Britain what it is today”. But perhaps the strongest manifestation of this relevance is in small things, at local level. According to the Evangelical Alliance in Britain, 58% of Evangelical Christians volunteer their time at least once a week, far above the national norm. I was struck while on holiday last month in Gaeta, south of Rome, by the local public support for religious processions celebrating the Ferragosto holiday, the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, even at the beach.
One may think this is a good thing. Or you may think that that religion should play less of a public role. But given the evidence, it is difficult to deny that the role of religious communities and believers in our public life is important, even essential, to the management of our societies. That, for me, is as good an argument as any for an Embassy to a global religious organisation representing over one billion people worldwide. And it is also no surprise that in the latest Cabinet reshuffle, we now have in Baroness Warsi a Minister in the dual role of Minister of State at the Foreign Office, and Minister for Faith and Communities.