1. Following the guidelines of the previous international theological Conferences, in the context of the permanent formation of priests, today’s subject in this sixth video-conference, is also placed within the temporal period that goes from the Second Vatican Council to our days.

Starting this theological cycle with Christology was not only a compulsory choice, but one that was ideally made so has to discuss "in Christ" all the subjects we were going to confront; we shall do this once again today, with moral Theology at the center of our meditations.

The Second Vatican Council has recommended in this context that: "Special care must be applied to perfecting moral Theology so that its scientific statement, even more deeply based on the Holy Scriptures, may illustrate the elevation of the vocation of the faithful in Christ and their obligation to bring the fruits of charity for life in this world" (See Optatam Totius, no. 16). In fact, as we can read in the Veritatis Splendor " The vocation of the faithful is to be in the Truth and to do the Truth This essential bond between Truth, the Good and Freedom has been largely lost sight of by present-day culture. As a result, helping man to rediscover it represents nowadays one of the specific requirements of the Church's mission, for the salvation of the world." (Speech made to the participants at the International Congress of moral Theology, April 10^th 1986; (see Veritatis Splendor, No. 84).

2. "The vocation of the faithful in Christ", "to be in the Truth and to do the Truth", is the central nucleus of moral meditation; a theological meditation that, as such, is called upon to be ingrained, continuously, in the Revelation and in the Tradition, anchored to the Magisterium of the Church, at whose center and summit is the Redeeming Event of the Truth made Man and Who reveals Himself to the world in all His fullness in the Lord Jesus. Unfortunately however, in our times as well "the light shineth in darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1, 5).

As a matter of fact, as stated by the Holy Father John Paul II, we are facing a culture that has lost its sense of the objective truth; in effect contemporary man seems to succumb to the most terrible of all temptations: proclaiming himself "the author of the truth". This results in a generalized relativism that makes man similar to a "master-promoter" of a personal "truth", that suits him best. But a man without the bond with the absolute Truth, that alone allows him to live in healthy freedom, become similar to a time-bomb, that sooner or later, will fall into contradiction and finish its crazed existence in the absurd.

3. It is with gratitude that I salute the Theologians who will today provide us with these further scientific contributions, so as to offer a survey at an international level of moral Theology. We are in fact connected directly, ‘live’, with eight nations in the five continents. The first three conferences, each lasting twenty minutes will be held respectively: from Rome, with Professor Father. Georges Cottier, Theologian of the Papal Seat; from Bogotá, with Professor Silvio Cajiao and from New York with Professor Michael Hull.

The three minute speeches that will follow, will be held in the following sequence: from Madrid, by Professor Alfonso Carrasco Rouco; from Johannesburg, by Professor Stuart C. Bate; from Manila, by Professor Gregory Gaston; from Sydney, by Professor Father Julian Porteous and from Taiwan, by Professor Louis Aldrich.

In conclusion, once again from Rome, from our main offices for the Congregation for the Clergy, we will have a speech by Professor Jean Galot.

I hope with all my heart that this scientific effort shall orientate our thoughts and move our will to love in Christ the Truth.