European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, took time out of grappling with the Brexit crisis yesterday to praise the social teaching of the Catholic Church.

In a meeting with Bishops of various EU countries, President Juncker stated: “I am a fervent advocate of the social doctrine of the Church. It is one of the most noble teachings of our Church. All of this is part of a doctrine that Europe does not apply often enough. I would like us to rediscover the values and guiding principles of the social teaching of the Church”.

The meeting between the EU Bishops and President Juncker is part of the institutional dialogue between the EU and churches, religious and non-confessional bodies mandated by Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU).