John Bruton, the former Taoiseach of Ireland, gave the Michael Fogarty Memorial Lecture at the Centre for Christian Democracy on November 23. He said: “Christian democracy is as relevant today as it was when Michael Fogarty studied Catholic social teaching in the 1930s. Getting involved in politics is one of the best ways to promote Christian values. The secularist view that faith should not influence politics is naïve and betrays a lack of understanding of human nature.”
This was the starting point for John Bruton’s lecture. Quoting Pope Benedict, he contrasted universal Christian democrat values with various forms of individualism and nationalism. “We share a passion for universal truth,” he said, “with others, including Muslims, which helps us recognise with fundamental seriousness the things that are really important.”
