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VATICAN-CORRUPTION Oct-10-2006 (430 words) xxxi
Vatican says lack of democracy, decline in morals add to corruption
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A lack of democracy and government transparency and a decline in traditional morality contribute to the growing phenomenon of corruption around the world, said the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
While estimating the economic impact of corruption is difficult, it is clear that it "exists in rich countries and in poor countries," said the council's statement on "The Fight Against Corruption," released Oct. 10 at the Vatican.
The statement, summarizing findings from a June seminar organized by the council, said corruption weakens people's faith in their governments, strengthens organized crime and cuts into the resources available for helping the poor.
"If corruption causes serious harm from a material point of view and places a costly burden on economic growth, still more harmful are its effects on immaterial goods closely connected to the qualitative and human dimension of life in society," it said.
Corruption violates citizens' rights to participate in their government and to have leaders held to the same standards of legality they are expected to follow, the statement said.
While acknowledging that corruption grows more easily and is easier to hide in a dictatorship, the council said some traits of modern affluent, democratic countries could help corruption thrive.
"Excessive pluralism can possibly cause an undermining of the ethical consensus of the citizens," it said. "Confusion arising from different lifestyles can also weaken moral judgment with regard to corruption."
The council said the key to fighting corruption -- a fight the Catholic Church can and must help carry out -- is to ensure the proper moral education of individuals.
"In fact, it must not be forgotten that corruption implies a whole series of relationships and complicity; it involves the numbing of consciences, blackmail and threats, unwritten agreements and conspiracies" that first involve people and their consciences and, later, their structures, the statement said.
While expressing hope that the United Nations would appoint an international authority to fight corruption and that governments would work more closely to prevent corruption involving the international transfer of funds, the statement also emphasized what individuals can do.
The Catholic Church and all people of good will, it said, must educate people to uphold the principles of "the dignity of the human person, the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity, the preferential option for the poor (and) the universal destination of goods."
In addition, it called for the promotion of democracy, a free and vigilant press and a greater sense of community in civil society.
END
Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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