VATICAN CITY — Declaring that symbols of personal and collective faith cannot be “erased” from society, Pope John Paul II on Feb. 27 upheld the right of religion to have a “visible presence” in European life.
The 83-year-old Roman Catholic pontiff spoke at an audience with a group of bishops from France where a government ban on the wearing of head scarves by Muslim girls attending state schools has caused heated controversy.
“The participation of Christians in public life, the visible presence of the Catholic Church and of other religious confessions do not put the principle of secularity or the prerogatives of the state in question,” the pope said.
John Paul warned against confusing secularity, the absence of religion, with secularism, the rejection of religion. “Personal and community convictions cannot be erased,” he said.
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