In contemporary society, the language of the market permeates all aspects of social life. Even our rational morality, with its reciprocal rights and duties, is modeled after the mercantile contract principle. Therefore, Habermas introduces the moral principle of "charity," which is also a central theme of the new Pope's first encyclical, attracting significant global attention. Habermas and the future Pope agreed on their social analysis during their meeting in 2004, as well as on the necessity of establishing justice and emphasizing charity. However, they differ in their views on the role of religion in a secular state. Detlef Horster critically examines both positions in his essay and questions, from a social philosophical standpoint, the possibilities and limitations of religious impulses for morality.