Pope backs attack on Spanish 'sin'

The Pope gave his support yesterday to the Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid, Antonio María Rouco Varela, who has accused Spanish politicians of leading people into sin.

"In Spain we are seeing the spread of a lay mentality, an ideology which is gradually, and more or less deliberately restricting religious freedoms," the pontiff said.

"We see increasing contempt for and ignorance of religious matters. The faith is being relegated to the private sphere because there is so much opposition to its expression in public."

He was speaking after meeting Cardinal Varela, who has fought a running battle with the Socialist government over its liberal reforms.

The cardinal outraged Spaniards at the weekend when he said Madrid was a city where sin had become the norm.

"Sinning is widespread in Madrid.

"Some do it boldly, others with a casual indifference," he said.

He made it clear that his comment was meant as a renewed attack on government policies.

"The major currents of thought and influential centres of economic, cultural and political power are responsible," he added.

"For a while now they have disregarded any reference to the will of God when it comes to deciding the future of society."

The church has clashed with the government on religious education, gay marriage, abortion, and most recently the role of condoms in preventing the spread of Aids.

Last week a spokesman for the bishops' council in Madrid said for the first time that there was a role for the use of prophylactics in the battle against Aids. His comment was welcomed as a sign of softening in the church's attitude, but the council was quickly slapped down by the Vatican.

Yesterday there were signs that even the staunchly Catholic People's party was growing embarrassed by the church's increasingly extreme position when Esperanza Aguirre, president of the Madrid regional government, refused to comment on the cardinal's remarks.

Local Socialists were more forthcoming.

"I do worry that people can say things like this," their spokesman said.

"But each time it happens I worry less. The cardinal just doesn't represent the Catholics in our country and each day he grows more out of touch."

· The media had to be careful not to "demonise" entire cultures, countries or ethnic groups, otherwise it runs the risk of fomenting violence, war and even genocide, the Pope said yesterday in his message for the church's world day of social communications, to be celebrated on May 8.

He said that more than ever the media had to be aware of its enormous power to either unite or divide people.

"When others are portrayed in hostile terms, seeds of conflict are sown which can all too easily escalate into violence, war, or even genocide," he said.

"Instead of building unity and understanding, the media can be used to demonise other social, ethnic and religious groups, fomenting fear and hatred."