When the Pope says "necessary evil" he is referring to a prayer from the Catholic Easter Vigil service in which the sin of Adam is referred to as "O happy fault! O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!"
Catholics believe that Adam's sin deprived men of the earthly Paradise of Eden, but that it led to an even greater good for mankind - the saving grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
From an evil human act, God brought forth a good greater than the evil which men did.
Therefore the Pope is saying that despite its great evil, Communism has taught us a very valuable lesson - that no political system, no matter how idealistic or "advanced" can ignore God without horrible consequences.
"When the Pope says "necessary evil" he is referring to a prayer from the Catholic Easter Vigil service in which the sin of Adam is referred to as "O happy fault! O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!""
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death "devi'" were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.
Good post. It illustrates how narrow and shallow our viewpoint is compared to God's. God allows evil to exist for reasons we can't understand. Sometimes we can vaguely glipse the good that can come out an evil situation. There wouldn't be an Israel without the evil of the holocaust. In whatever happens God is in charge and does what he pleases whether it makes sense or not to us.
Don't bother explaining...
The anti-Catholic bigotry spewed by some FR member is absoultely astounding.
Facts don't get in the way of these perpertual Pope- and Church-bashers. They'll still slam us and the Pontiff regardless.
I'd suggest to all fellow Catholic Freepers to just ignore these people, leaving them to wallow in their ignorance.
"From an evil human act, God brought forth a good greater than the evil which men did."
How could the good be greater than the original state of grace and knowing that existed before the fall? That is unless it is in the striving you view the greatness.