Magister offers two evaluations of the Pope’s address to the Diplomatic Corps, particularly in regard to Iran and China:

In effect, the thesis that “truth can only be attained in freedom” is typically Ratzingerian. It leads to the conclusion that “no government can feel free to neglect its duty to ensure suitable conditions of freedom for its own citizens without thereby damaging its credibility to speak out on international problems.” In these words from the pope, Parsi recognized “a more authoritative defense than ever of the ethical superiority of liberal and democratic systems.”

Both Iran and China – as well as other states – crumble under the pope’s withering critique, which hinges on the truth-freedom nexus.

But the pope is not alone. In full agreement with his statements, “Avvenire” – a newspaper closely linked to cardinal Camillo Ruini – prominently published, on January 5, a front-page editorial and an important exclusive interview. The editorial was on Iran, and the interview was on China, two crucial countries where both truth and freedom are seriously restricted, not without some responsibility on the part of the West.

Here are both of these texts, which were issued by the newspaper of the Italian bishops’ conference: the first is interesting above all because of the clarity of its analysis; the second is full of up-to-date information on the changes taking place in the Chinese Church.