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ZENIT, August 9, 1998
PAUL VI'S LIFE WAS AN ACT OF LOVE FOR THE CHURCH
John Paul II Recalls Important Moments of His Predecessor's Pontificate
MEMORIES OF PAUL VI
John Paul II and Cardinal Martini, on the Twentieth Anniversary of his Death
VATICAN TAKES A "POLL" OF WORLD'S BISHOPS
Questionnaire Distributed to Bishops to Prepare "Instrumentum Laboris" for
Synod
THE ADVANTAGE OF FORMING SEMINARIANS IN ROME
Cardinal Prefect in Charge of Seminaries Responds to Objections
FEATURES
DELEGATES COMPLAIN OF MANIPULATION AT WORLD YOUTH FORUM
U.N. Officials Use Pressure and Intimidation to Steer Results
NEW MOVEMENTS, KEY TO THE NEW EVANGELIZATION
Archbishop Cordes Asks Bishops not to Exclude the New Ecclesial Communities
CHINA WORKING TO CHANGE ITS IMAGE?
Fears That Its Practices Could Hurt U.S. Relations
SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE CHURCH IN CHINA
Deep Faith of the People Is A Sign of Hope for the Church
"THE WORLD DOESN'T BELIEVE IN SUDAN'S TRAGEDY"
Archbishop of Khartoum Denounces International Indifference to State of
Emergency
VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT OPPOSES NATIONAL SHRINE
U.N. Will Send Delegate to Analyze Religious Intolerance
A MOTHER'S LOVE IS STRONGER THAN DEATH
The Value of Life is Rooted in the Heart of Every Human Being
UNEXPECTED REVELATIONS FROM THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
Biblical Experts Explain Meaning of New Findings
MUSIC VIDEO ON THE LIFE OF JOHN PAUL II
To be Released with the Song "A Man Come from Afar" by Amedeo Minghi
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
People, Events, and Comments
Trafficking of Organs From Albanian Children, L'Osservatore Romano on
CD-ROM, German Bishops Say No to Antennas on Church Towers, Bernini's
Colonnade to be Restored for Jubilee.
DOSSIER
PAUL VI'S LIFE WAS AN ACT OF LOVE FOR THE CHURCH
John Paul II Recalls Important Moments of His Predecessor's Pontificate
CASTELGANDOLFO, AUG 2 (ZENIT) - Appearing well rested and sporting a slight
tan after his Alpine vacations, the Pope turned his thoughts during the
Sunday "Angelus" message at Castelgandolfo to his predecessor, Paul VI, who
died on August 6, 1978. Throughout this anniversary year, many publications
have printed tributes to the former Holy Father, who concluded the Second
Vatican Council and was known for his ability to dialogue. It was precisely
this ability that John Paul II chose to focus on in his comments.
The Holy Father announced that he would make a pilgrimage next September 20
to Brescia, the city where Giovanni Battista Montini, the future Paul VI
was born. John Paul II continued his comments by referring to another
August 6 in the life of Paul VI, when he wrote "Ecclesiam Suam" in 1964.
This was the first encyclical of Pope Paul VI and, according to John Paul
II, "offers a programmatic document for his Pontificate" as well as "a
synthesis of his whole personality as shepherd and master, of his posture
before men and before history." "Reading 'Ecclesiam Suam,' " added the
Pope, "you note how it is an act of love for the Church.
The section of the encyclical entitled "Dialogue" "illustrates the posture
that the Church should assume in this moment of history," commented the
Holy Father. The majority of the document concerns the dialogue that must
guide "the relations of the Church with modern society," he added.
"Therefore, 'Ecclesiam Suam' has been aptly called the encyclical of
dialogue and is a text that remains totally relevant today."
John Paul II indicated that on the threshold of the third millenium, he
wanted to "seize upon the prophetic value of the Conciliar guidelines,
noting in particular one November 21 in the fifth Conciliar session, when
Paul VI proclaimed Mary the Mother of the Church, "a key for the exact
comprehension of the mystery of Christ and the Church." "Remembering these
moments of great spiritual fervor that God has allowed me to live, I want
to renovate the faith of the entire ecclesial community in Mary, Mother of
the Church," concluded the Holy Father.
After the blessing, the Pope greeted groups of pilgrims in various
languages while banners waved and choirs sang. Improvising, the Holy Father
made a special mention of a group from the Italian town of St. George with
a banner reading "elderly", and commented jokingly: "although they say they
are elderly, they look very young to me."
He then addressed the many Romans who, like the Holy Father, have left the
heat of the city to go on vacation. He asked them "not to forget those, and
they are not few, who unfortunately don't have the possibility to go on
vacation." He wished them "a period of serenity and physical and spiritual
renewal."
Finally, he mentioned the religious who were killed during the past week,
adding to the list the news of a nun who was killed in Rwanda last Friday.
"Let us pray for our sister, always trusting that the Lord will grant the
gift of peace to Africa and to the entire world." The other religious who
were mentioned by the Pope died in Yemen, South Africa, and Congo-Brazaville.
ZW980809-1
MEMORIES OF PAUL VI
John Paul II and Cardinal Martini, on the Twentieth Anniversary of his Death
CASTELGANDOLFO, AUG 6 (ZENIT) - On Sunday, August 6, 1978, the Feast of the
Transfiguration of Our Lord, Pope Paul VI died in his summer residence in
Castelgandolfo. Today, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass for his
predecessor, stating that "the memory of Paul VI is still alive throughout
the Church. After 20 years, the memory of his pontificate has not faded
with time, but rather with the passing of years, his figure becomes more
luminous and current, and his prophetic apostolic intuitions become more
surprising. Thus, this year, the celebration of the 100th year of the birth
of this Pontiff, wise and faithful guide of the Christian people during
Vatican Council II and the difficult Post-Conciliar period, has made us
find the attraction of his person more familiar and the testimony of his
love for Christ and the Church more incisive."
"He died on the day in which the liturgy commemorates the extraordinary
event of the Transfiguration of the Lord." After noting this, the Holy
Father quoted one of Paul VI's homilies on this Gospel passage: "We have to
rediscover the transfigured face of Christ to learn that He is still,
especially for us, our Light -- that Light that illuminates every soul --
that seeks and accepts Him, that makes every human scene, every fatigue,
resplendent; it gives color and sense, merit and destiny, hope and joy."
"As we begin the celebration of the Eucharist," added the Pope, "in which
we will raise up our prayers for this unforgettable Pontiff, his words
exhort us to pray to the Lord that He grant living and heroic fidelity to
the Gospel to the Church and to all the faithful, as has always
characterized the Successor of Peter."
Paul VI's Successor in Milan
Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Archbishop of Milan, also took the occasion
of this anniversary to speak about his illustrious predecessor. Giovanni
Battista Montini, (later Pope Paul VI) who served as Archbishop of that
Northern Italian city before being elected Pope.
Speaking to "Vatican Radio," Cardinal Martini said, "My last memory goes
back to the year of his death. In that year, I had the gift, the privilege
to preach spiritual exercises to him. This was in February of 1978. I
remember well that they had moved him to the chapel, because he was already
quite ill, but always very attentive in the meditations and recollected in
his prayer. That was the last time I saw him before his death."
"The first great sign of his Pontificate," explained the Archbishop of
Milan, "was Vatican Council II, which he had the courage to carry forward,
having received it from John XXIII. He brought it to its conclusion,
applied it, and lived it. After Vatican II, everything that was born, such
as the liturgical reform and the institutionalization of the universal
Synods in response to problems in participation of the Church, are his
accomplishments. I think that his spiritual legacy is truly extraordinary
for the Church. Today we are studying and understanding, little by little,
how great his heritage has been."
"Among the documents of Paul VI," added the Cardinal, "perhaps the most
beautiful to today's eye is 'Evangelii Nuntiandi,' which is still capable
of inspiring. It is an especially strong letter, with attractive language.
I see that today this letter is seen as a small masterpiece. And then Paul
VI is the 'Pope of Dialogue,' the name with which he is more widely known.
Since his first great encyclical, 'Ecclesiam Suam,' in which he spoke of
dialogue within the Church, ecumenical dialogue, interreligious dialogue,
and dialogue with the world, this was his program. Today, in retrospect,
you could say that he did it, that he carried this program forward with
great decision and energy."
ZW980809-2
VATICAN TAKES A "POLL" OF WORLD'S BISHOPS
Questionnaire Distributed to Bishops to Prepare "Instrumentum Laboris" for
Synod
VATICAN CITY, AUG 4 (ZENIT) - No public opinion firm could ever have been
so thorough. Every corner of the globe has received the survey. The Holy
See just sent out the questionnaires to all of the dioceses of the world to
prepare the "Instrumentum Laboris," or working document, of the Jubilee
plenary session of the Synod of Bishops. The theme of the Synod will be the
identity and mission of Bishops.
After a long period of study, the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops has
published the "Lineamenta," a preliminary document discussing possible
themes for the Synod entitled "The Bishop, Evangelist of Jesus Christ for
the Hope of the World." Accompanying the document, the Vatican is sending a
list of twenty-three questions to help better formulate the themes and
problems to be discussed in the Synod, to be held in Rome in the year 2000.
The questions are direct and realistic. For instance, number 2 reads,
"What predominant image of the Bishops' mission do the faithful have? Does
the faithful's image of the Bishops' mission coincide with the Bishops' own
image of their mission?" The third goes right to the point: "How do the
faithful react to the Bishops' teaching on questions of faith and morals?
Do they make distinctions between the teachings of the Bishops and of the
Pope?"
Bishops and Theologians
The questionnaire makes it clear that the Synod will also deal with
relations between pastoral government and theological teaching. For
instance, it asks, "How are the relations between Bishops and theologians?
Mutual esteem? Collaboration? Disagreement? In what areas?" The fifth
touches on the challenge of evangelization of culture.
The next section touches upon the relations between the Bishops and other
members of the Church -- priests, religious, laity, other Bishops, the
Pope, and the Holy See. One such question reads, "How do Bishops express
their communion with the Roman Pontiff? Do Bishops feel the Holy See
supports them? How do Bishops adhere to the ministry of the Successor of
Peter, helping him in support of the faith, the discipline of the Church,
and the new evangelization?"
The questionnaire goes on to analyze the Bishop's identity as "minister of
the Gospel for all," asking specifically if they use the media to make the
good news present to modern society. Among the aspects of the episcopal
mission addressed, the form asks for a response on the missionary spirit of
the Bishops, their commitment to dialogue --ecumenical, interreligious, and
with civil society, and their promotion of human rights and dignity. The
final question in this section is quite direct, asking, "Do Bishops put the
announcement of Christ's person at the center of all his ministry?"
"Conversion" of the Bishops
Some of the questions stand out for their frankness. "What suggestions can
you give to help Bishops grow on their spiritual journey? At the beginning
of their appointment? With the passing of years?" The "poll" also asks for
concrete proposals of saintly Bishops who can be held up as an example to
nourish their spirituality.
Finally, the Secretary, Cardinal Jan Schotte, asks that the Bishops
propose other important points to be discussed in this Tenth Ordinary
Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
ZW980809-3
FEATURES
THE ADVANTAGE OF FORMING SEMINARIANS IN ROME
Cardinal Prefect in Charge of Seminaries Responds to Objections
LEGGIUNO, AUG 1 (ZENIT) - "Rome has 'something' that no other city in the
world has. It is the Eternal Rome, the Rome of the centuries, the Rome of
the catacombs and the Basilicas, the Rome of the martyrs, the Rome of Peter
and Paul, the Rome of the Confessors, the Rome of the Pope." With these
words, Cardinal Pio Laghi, Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic
Education listed a few of the reasons that the formation of candidates for
the priesthood takes on a special nuance when it occurs in Rome.
During the "8th International Course for Seminary Formators," organized by
the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in the city of Leggiuno, Italy,
the Cardinal responded frankly to various objections that Bishops sometimes
raise against sending seminarians to study in the Eternal City.
Speaking to 64 rectors and formators from 27 nations, the head of seminary
formation for the Universal Church shared his personal experience as a
seminarian as well as commenting on that of Pope John Paul II as he
responded, one by one, to alleged "disadvantages" of studying in Rome.
Uprooting from their own diocese
Some Bishops maintain that sending seminarians to Rome uproots the young
men from their diocese. They contend that this is both pastorally, because
they never get to know the pastoral environment of the diocese, as well as
effectively, since after studying in Rome, they don't want to return to
their own country. To this argument, Cardinal Laghi responded, "Did the
young Pole uproot himself by studying in Rome and staying in the Belgian
College? He even took advantage of the opportunity to visit other
countries: Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, and other cities in Italy,
which helped him enormously in developing his spiritual, pastoral, and
cultural personality." Citing the book written by the Pope about the
history of his own priestly vocation, he added, "Thanks to Rome, my young
priesthood was enriched with a European and universal dimension. I returned
from Rome to Krakow with that sense of the 'universality of the priestly
mission' " (Gift and Mystery).
Distrust of Rome
While the previous objection and others that were put forward were the
"same old" complaints, Cardinal Laghi mentioned that beginning in the 1950s
some "reserves of a distinct nature" began to arise, especially in the
post-Council period. As an example, he cited concerns over the doctrine
taught in some Roman universities and the formation imparted in the
international colleges there.
Today's Bishops, he noted, "are cautious that these young men be housed in
colleges where they observe a serious formative discipline and that they
follow the directives given by the Vatican-approved Rule for Seminaries.
Thank God, there are many of these colleges in Rome."
He then cited an age-old Latin proverb that had become popular in certain
ecclesiastical circles: "Roma veduta, fede perduta [Rome seen, faith
lost]." But he dismissed this view as "clearly a sophism, since only those
who really want to lose their faith in Rome actually do, but those who
contemplate Rome with pure eyes find, on the contrary, motives that inspire
them to holiness."
Priests or Seminarians?
According to available statistics, there are currently 5,000 priests and
seminarians studying in the various pontifical universities and athenaeums
of Rome. However, among these, only 1,000 are seminarians. "In my time, it
was the other way around," admitted the Cardinal, "the number of priests
was small and practically everyone studying for a master's degree in
philosophy or theology was a seminarian."
"The institutions of ecclesial formation 'in urbe' [in the City] have a
unique character. The nearness of the students to the See of Peter, to the
Pope in person, helps them foster a more living and deeper sense of the
Church. At the colleges and athenaeums themselves, there is an
international community, which gives the students direct contact with the
reality of various local churches, contact with other cultures, knowledge
of other problems. It is impossible to live in Rome and keep narrow
horizons or a small heart!"
Come to Rome!
In his closing remarks, Cardinal Laghi made a direct appeal to the rectors
and formators present for the course to consider the possibility of sending
their seminarians to experience Rome. "In conclusion, Rome must continue to
be a very desirable place to form good and great priests for today. Today,
perhaps more than yesterday, the environment is more conducive to creating,
both in those preparing for the priesthood and those who are already
priests, a genuinely ecclesial, open, Catholic, and universal mentality."
ZW980809-4
DELEGATES COMPLAIN OF MANIPULATION AT WORLD YOUTH FORUM
U.N. Officials Use Pressure and Intimidation to Steer Results
BRAGA, AUG 7 (ZENIT) - . "You basically have a liberal European minority
attitude, and you're imposing it." That concise and very frank comment of
Altaf Husain of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, summed up in a few
words the disappointment and frustration that numerous delegations to the
"Third World Youth Forum" have felt during the five days of meetings and
deliberation held this past week from August 2-7 in Braga, Portugal.
A report issued today by the "Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute"
(CAFHRI) denounces "an intensive effort by U.N. agencies to direct the
outcome of debate toward a pro-feminist result." According to CAFHRI
reporters present at the Forum, "U.N. personnel seem particularly
determined to ensure that references to 'reproductive rights' for youth and
to 'sexual and reproductive health' are included in the official "Braga
Youth Action Plan."
"Once debates began," the report continues, "the U.N. domination of the
supposedly 'democratic' and 'youth-driven' process became even more
blatant. NGO 'Family Voice' delegate Ryan Nelson was twice elected
democratically to the Youth Forum's official drafting committee, only to be
dismissed by organizers. The second time, he was told he was dumped because
the drafting committee had 'too many white males.' But when he sat in on
the committee's first meeting on Tuesday, he discovered there was not a
single white male on it," the report affirms.
Another source of unrest among the youth delegates has been the active
participation (which some have labeled as "manipulation") of numerous
non-delegates in public debates and even some working groups, supposedly
reserved only for delegate members. Officials from several U.N. Agencies
have turned out in large numbers to help "guide the discussion" of the
impressionable youth and serve as "advisors" on such delicate topics as
"reproductive health", "population concerns" and the drafting of the "Youth
Action Plan", the final document of the Forum.
In this regard, the press release refers to several instances of overdue
influence both in procedural matters as well as in drafting the content of
documents.
On one occasion, CAFHRI reporters contend, "World Health Organization
official Paul Bloem overrode a pro-family resolution reached by delegates
attending a 'working group' on health issues. After the youths voted for
the resolution, Bloem requested a new vote in which he would participate.
With his opposition to the family-affirming resolution on record, the
impressionable youth representatives rejected it in favor of one calling
for 'creative drama presentations' to highlight health issues."
Others delegates have sustained that U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA)
officials, who had no less than 29 representatives registered in Braga,
have been even more intrusive.
"During debate over the content of the Preamble to the Youth Action Plan,"
the CAHFRI report explains, "an adult woman demanded that a reference to
'reproductive rights' be included. A Danish youth delegate immediately
objected that the 'reproductive rights' reference did not belong there, and
that there had not been adequate time allowed for debate. The group's
coordinator
ignored those complaints and promised to include the 'reproductive rights'
reference. Later, the woman who had proposed the reference admitted that
she was a UNFPA official, not a youth delegate. However, she insisted that
she and other U.N. officials were not directing the debate, but merely
offering 'clarifications' about selected issues."
"Many youth delegates are unconvinced," the report concludes. "Several
have complained publicly that proceedings are being manipulated toward a
predetermined result, particularly on life and family issues."
ZW980809-5
NEW MOVEMENTS, KEY TO THE NEW EVANGELIZATION
Archbishop Cordes Asks Bishops not to Exclude the New Ecclesial Communities
VATICAN CITY, AUG 4 (ZENIT) - "On June 9, 1979, John Paul II first spoke of
the 'new evangelization.' He created this expression in Nowa Huta, an
industrial neighborhood in Krakow, which became famous during the Church's
battle against communism. The government had conceived Nowa Huta as a model
atheist city, a "city without God," without religious symbols, and without
a church. However, almost immediately, the workers got together to raise a
cross in this neighborhood. Later, after various confrontations with the
police, a church went up; a church, which -- as the Pope said on his first
visit as Pontiff -- was owed to the sweat and opposition of the workers,
the living members of the people of God." In his words on the new
evangelization, Archbishop Josef Cordes, President of the Pontifical
Council "Cor Unum," spoke with particular enthusiasm. He is convinced that
this task, upon which depends the future of Christianity, will not be
carried out by priests alone, or even primarily. The laity will bear the
brunt of the weight of the project.
For this reason, he has written a new book, "Signs of Hope: Movements and
New Realities in the Life of the Church on the Eve of the Jubilee." In the
first part of the book, the Archbishop interviews various founders of
ecclesial movements, including Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare
movement; Kiko Argüello of the Neocatechumenal Way; Luigi Giussani of
Communion and Liberation; Martine Catta of the Emmanuel Community; and
Ralph Martin, founder of the U.S. Charismatic Renewal. The second part of
the book is dedicated to personal reflections on these "movements of
faith," which count 60 million Catholics as members.
Key Concept
Archbishop Cordes, who served many years as Vice-President of the
Pontifical Council for the Laity, says that the "new evangelization" has
become a key concept in the doctrine and message of the current Pope, just
as for John XXIII it was "aggiornamento" [modernization] and for Paul VI
"civilization of love." "Evangelization," he says, "indicates the
commitment on which the future of the Church depends." To explain his
thought, the German Archbishop looks to his personal experience. "When I
receive visits in Rome from parish communities of my diocese of origin, I
frequently ask, 'How many new Christians have entered the Church in the
past year?' This is in no way an incongruous question. In Germany, there
are about 15 million who are not baptized. But I easily read in the faces
of my fellow countrymen that not only have none entered the Church, but
also the ranks of the alienated have even grown. In any case, I have the
impression that my visitors see my curiosity as a provocation: a question
like this is seen as 'uncultured.' "
New Evangelization, New Missionaries
It is clear that this new evangelization requires new missionaries: a new
style to speak to modern man. Archbishop Cordes is sure that he has found
them in the ecclesial movements. This is the reason that Pope John Paul II
met with them this Pentecost in the largest gathering ever in modern Rome.
He explains further, "It seems that God has already thought about these
needs in his Church some years ago since, from the middle of this century,
He has brought men and women to awaken a new enthusiasm for evangelization
in the Church. He did it giving them the grace to speak in a fascinated and
fascinating way about Jesus Christ, to give life to spirits in the
following of Christ, to meet Jesus of Nazareth -- just as the Church
proclaims Him -- the fulcrum of existence and the source of a fullness of
life. These men and women are not building new barriers between consecrated
souls and lay people, between mission in the Church and mission in the
world. Although this is not a movement to cancel the diversity of
ministries and responsibilities, they try to awake zeal for Christ -- just
as the Pope did at Nowa Huta -- in all states of life, for our beloved
Brother and our Savior, from whom can come only salvation and joy."
They are not "Better"
The strength of these movements and communities is impressive. "Even
though the churches are emptying in certain European countries," explains
Archbishop Cordes, "these groups are growing. While society is becoming
hardened in self-seeking and its own interests, they nourish themselves on
the simplicity of heart, on the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit;
despite the aggressiveness of secularization, which also tries to induce in
them the idolatry of 'me,' they continue seeing Christ as the guiding star
of their activity. It's not that they are 'more perfect' Christians! They
are sinners like us all. But they should be envied because God has prepared
them better for the decisive challenge to the Church today: the new
evangelization."
The Diocese and Parishes Can't be "Totalitarian"
Already in the Congress before the Pope's encounter with the movements at
Pentecost, Cardinal Ratzinger spoke on the tensions between the movements
and some Bishops. It is normal that the birth of a new reality could create
confusion among Christians in an already established Christian community.
Archbishop Cordes supports Cardinal Ratzinger's thesis: "Parishes and
dioceses should permit individual programs; they don't have to be
understood as 'totalitarians,' that is, as 'omniresponsible.' "
Furthermore, "careful attention to the charisma implies that the pastoral
methods already applied successfully must not be cut off, for there is a
grave need of them, even if they diverge from familiar ecclesial customs or
become 'obstacles' for someone who wants a trouble-free administration,"
explained the Archbishop.
Archbishop Cordes concluded: "Pastors make opportune decisions for
ecclesial groups only when they allow themselves to be guided by a view of
faith, by an authentic pastoral charity toward those interested, and by a
detailed knowledge of the situation. In relation to the groups already
integrated and approved by the Church, those responsible must frequently
act as mediators to help the new foundations. They should also try to leave
space for those who 'disturb' ecclesial tranquility, following the model of
the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son: he left his house to build a
bridge of reconciliation between the older and younger sons."
ZW980809-6
CHINA WORKING TO CHANGE ITS IMAGE?
Fears That Its Practices Could Hurt U.S. Relations
BEIJING, AUG 3 (ZENIT) - In July, Chinese government functionaries received
an order not to use coercive means to keep the birth rate down. This was
published in "China Daily," which reported that the government intends to
increase its vigilance over those who handle this delicate task.
On the eve of Mr. Clinton's recent visit to China, the U.S. Congress heard
testimonies from many Chinese about the flagrant violation of human rights
in that country. One former public official who had worked in the Family
Planning Office stated that women are regularly tortured, forced to abort,
or even jailed for a few months for illegal pregnancies. One Chinese woman
testified that she was carried to the hospital in handcuffs and forced to
take a pill to induce abortion.
Birth Control Policies
The "One Child per Family" campaign has been in effect in China since the
70s. During his recent visit, U.S. President Bill Clinton mentioned that
Americans are concerned about the way birth control is applied in China.
Responding to Mr. Clinton's pressures, Peng Peiyun, former Minister of
Family Policies, said, "one must avoid violations of the law and the rules
in family planning, such as coercion or excessive prices for services." Mr.
Peng also indicated a possible cooperation between the Communist Party and
the National People's Congress, so that the controls on family planning
would be governed by Chinese legislation.
New Center for Religious Studies
The Communist regime, which is engaged in a serious campaign of religious
control, including the imprisonment of hundreds of Catholic priests and
Bishops, as well as members of other religions, has opened a new center for
Christian studies in Beijing. Theoretically, the objective of the center is
to coordinate the work of the various institutes and academies of religious
study at home and abroad. However, experts fear that the actual intentions
are very different: to try to seek out Christian communities. The center is
affiliated with the Institute for Investigation of World Religions of the
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, which has eight offices for the study
of the principal confessions, especially Buddhism, Christianity,
Confucianism, Islam, Taoism, and popular religions. The Institute was
opened in 1964, but its activity was suspended during the Cultural
Revolution (1966-1976).
The center's new director, Zhuo Xinping, who professes no religion, stated
that the center is to promote study of Christianity and to offer an "open
window" through which foreigners could comprehend the Chinese religious
policy, according to the Vatican News Agency FIDES. Mr. Zhuo, who led the
Institute for Investigation of World Religions for ten years, said that the
work of investigation has no direct relation with the government's
religious policy. Nonetheless, given that its investigation reflects public
opinion on religion in general and Christianity in particular, it could
indirectly influence government policies.
ZW980809-7
SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE CHURCH IN CHINA
Deep Faith of the People Is A Sign of Hope for the Church
MACAO, AUG 6 (ZENIT) - Although there is a clear force of repression
against the Catholic Church in China, there are also reports that bring
hope for this suffering Church.
Recently, two nuns from the diocesan Center of Communications of Macao,
Sisters Maria Pia and Deolinda, visited China, travelling almost 2,000
miles by train to visit various Catholic communities. Upon their return,
they spoke with the Vatican news agency FIDES about what they had seen and
done.
"The Sanctuary of Mary, Help of Christians, in Sheshan was totally packed
with pilgrims from all parts of China, coming with every imaginable means
of transportation. Masses were celebrated one after the other from dawn to
dusk, with constant Communions. It was impressive to see so many young
people, adults, and families praying fervently, not paying attention to
what was going on around them. Many buses for pilgrims were parked on the
grounds of the major seminary of Shanghai, which is near the sanctuary. We
were able to speak with the rector of the seminary and with some young
priests."
"In the House of Pilgrimage," noted the nuns, "Catholics found a place of
silence and prayer; there was also medical assistance available. The
printing press, run by both religious and lay people, has been expanded and
modernized. We also visited a home for elderly directed by nuns in
Shanghai. There were 80 women living there, who before the revolution had
worked as catechists in various parishes. The Bishop was justly concerned
about giving a worthy home to these women who had spent their lives in
suffering at the service of the Church. Near the Church of St. Ignatius,
they are constructing a seven-story building for the episcopate, pastoral
offices, and a residence for aging priests."
"In the city of Suzhou, near Shanghai," they continued, "we met the
Bishop, a parish priest, and a young seminarian who had just returned from
Germany, where he had studied theology. There are fourteen seminarians
studying philosophy at the seminary in Suzhou, who will then be sent to
Shanghai for theology. In Beijing, we attended Mass in the church of St.
Joseph (Dong Tang), built four hundred years ago by an Italian priest and
reconstructed later after various fires. Also here, we witnessed the great
fervor of the faithful."
"In the parish of Pin Chang, in Shijuazhuang, we were able to meet with a
group of young people whom we had assisted since 1990. The current Bishop,
Raimundo Wang, who has spent 28 years in prison, asked us to help a group
of young people who wanted to consecrated themselves to the religious life.
Despite difficulties, we found a way for sixteen of them to go to Guangdong
and set them up as assistants in the leprosariums of Guangdong and Yunnan
provinces. We have helped these institutions for some time from Macao.
Their work was greatly appreciated by the Guangdong Center for Health, so
they were permitted to stay."
"In 1994, we and Bishop Wang thought it was time for the group to return
to Hebei, especially since the local government would appreciate the social
work of the nuns for the orphans and invalids. Meanwhile, with help from
abroad, they were able to build a church and convent and to buy lands for
cultivation. Thus, they were able to start their religious life, truly and
properly speaking. Some nuns had specialized as nurses, others as teachers
and catechists, to be able to serve the local Church. In these immense
territories, there are only forty churches; Catholics are much more
numerous than in other regions, and the catechumens are countless. More
than 1,200 people knelt on small mats during Mass at the parish church; the
pews had been removed so that all the faithful could fit into the building."
ZW980809-8
"THE WORLD DOESN'T BELIEVE IN SUDAN'S TRAGEDY"
Archbishop of Khartoum Denounces International Indifference to State of
Emergency
ROME, AUG 3 (ZENIT) - "The real problem is that the emergency situation of
the refugees is being ignored by a somewhat criminal mentality, and this is
what is preventing the necessary aid from arriving," asserted Archbishop
Gabriel Zubeir Wako of Khartoum to the Italian newspaper "Avvenire."
From August 4-6, the Islamic government of Khartoum and the guerillas of
the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) are meeting in Addis Ababa to
discuss prospects of peace. The two parties appear to already be in
agreement over a referendum on self-determination for the southern part of
the country. According to Archbishop Wako, this separation "cannot help,"
because "the referendum, if approved, would only put two enemy countries
next to one another. On the other hand, if it is so easy for the government
to tell the south to leave, why didn't they say so at the start of the war?
The truth is that today, the people of the south are not in a position to
choose responsibly. We have to create an atmosphere of peace and trust, of
reconciliation. The referendum is not a way of escaping Muslim oppression."
Archbishop Wako's words are strong, coming from a man who has himself
suffered threats and pressure, including imprisonment. "The people around
me," explained the Archbishop, "started to fear every danger after
something struck my car last October." Now, when I go out, I never leave
alone, and young people always accompany me. As far as my imprisonment,
that only lasted five hours, and I don't think the hand of the government
was behind it. It was just an error on the part of a judge in an old case,
which in fact, we had already won."
Blessed are the Peacemakers
On the role of the Church in the peace process, Archbishop Wako stressed,
"We want to make everyone understand what reconciliation and peace really
mean. It is certainly difficult to have these discussions with those who
have suffered violence, with those who have seen their own houses
destroyed, with those who still suffer. It is difficult to ask for the
witness of continuing to live with the people who were the cause of all
this. But that is what we must do. The challenge, which we also interpret
in the light of the Jubilee of the Year 2000, is to truly make our enemy
our friend. But for the rest, if Christ had to die on the cross, this means
that reconciliation is not easy."
No One Listened
Concerning the famine, Archbishop Wako noted that "when we Sudanese
Bishops came to Rome for our 'ad limina' visit with the Pope, we held a
press conference, announcing that we were on the brink of a great famine,
because in addition to the already terrible conditions brought on by the
war, we had a drought. We spoke, but no one listened. The problem is that
this fact is being ignored, not only at the international level, but also
within Sudan. The thing that amazes me is that there are observers who come
and go, and say nothing."
They Don't Want to Save Sudan
"They spend millions on hunger but not a single dime to end the war. The
emergency in Southern Sudan has become an alibi to sit on the sideline and
watch an already chronic conflict," wrote Fr. Renato Kizito, the Colombian
missionary to Sudan and Kenya for the past eleven years who directs the
monthly magazine "Africa News."
"The conditions have gotten worse," the missionary told "Avvenire,"
"because the U.N. dramatically underestimates what has been happening since
April, accusing Bishops and missionaries of being alarmists." Now they have
seen that to guarantee the survival of those millions of undernourished
people, they would need to provide 15,000 tons of food monthly, while it is
only possible to bring in 9,000. "Those who have exploited the situation
most," said Fr. Kizito, "is the Khartoum government, because hunger is
hitting the South, the enemy. In the other camp, this crisis is a great
battle lost for the SPLA, since it has been inefficient in handling the
famine and has therefore lost the confidence of the people, who are tired
and decimated by the war."
"There is little hope for true peace," concluded Fr. Kizito, "ever since
the moment when Western powers failed to oppose Khartoum with resolve. They
are playing on both sides, and meanwhile, the Sudanese are dying."
ZW980809-9
VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT OPPOSES NATIONAL SHRINE
U.N. Will Send Delegate to Analyze Religious Intolerance
ROME, AUG 2 (ZENIT) - From August 13-15, the Marian Sanctuary of La Vang,
Vietnam, is expecting 120,000 visitors for the celebration of the
bicentennial of the Marian apparitions there. The Vietnamese government has
been making efforts to suppress the event in the diocese of Huê by placing
obstacles in the way of would-be pilgrims.
According to the Vatican news agency FIDES, there is a real "battle
between the Church in Vietnam and the government, which wants to control
its citizens in a moment of economic difficulty and open criticism of the
authorities." They fear the arrival of "ethnic minorities, the so-called
'mountain people,' who are mostly Catholics and traditionally opposed to
the central government."
The agency stressed that, according to reports from a priest in Hanoi, the
policy of the government toward the 8 million Vietnamese Catholics is
marked by "controls and humiliations," admittedly with some moments of
openness. A Vatican delegation that visited in February mentioned the
openness of the government toward the naming of Bishops and an attitude of
dialogue among certain ministers. Nonetheless, now some authorities are
advising against visiting the sanctuary for security reasons, recommending
that tourist agencies not book trips to the site. They have also refused
visas to Vietnamese living abroad, religious from France, Italy, and the
United States, to visit the shrine.
The FIDES agency explained that "with the brake placed on a religious
activity, which presents benefits for tourism in Vietnam, the government
also runs the risk of threatening the economic interests of the Quang Tri
region (near Huê), whose inhabitants had been anxiously awaiting the
arrival of pilgrims to earn something to live on in a Vietnam with a
fragile economy. We must not forget that in the past two years, foreign
investments in the country have fallen by almost 50%. Investors complain of
the lack of freedom, democracy, and laws."
Government Policy on Religion
The policy of the Vietnamese government toward religion puzzles observers.
On the one hand, the executive branch stresses the great importance of
religion, while on the other hand, the Party insists on maintaining
complete control over the various religions.
Last July 2, the Policy Office of the government issued new directives
concerning religious liberty, assuring that believers "have worked for the
development of the country, consolidating national unity and participating
in the construction and defense of the nation." However, the same
directives accuse many believers of running illegal operations, such as
"publication, import, and export of religious material and construction and
renovation of places of worship that has required an excessive mobilization
of people." In the directives, the members of the Party are summoned to
"mobilize believers to patriotic sentiments." Further, it is noted that
state control over religion "has been too lax and insufficiently firm."
The new directives were widely published in magazines and on internet
pages, unlike previous occasions when similar instructions were quietly
sent to the Office of Religious Affairs for application. The documents also
indicate that a study is in progress to draft a definitive religious law.
The laws to date have been simple lists of what is or is not permitted for
believers. New rules will also be enacted concerning the use of land and
financing of charitable works. In the past, many buildings and plots of
land have been confiscated from Christians and Buddhists for community use.
In other cases the local governments have sold the seized lands. It is
probable that the government intends to legalize the various "underground"
dispensaries, asylums, and schools that Buddhist and Catholic groups have
been running to answer genuine needs of the people.
Room for Hope
A Catholic priest in Hanoi stated that the current policies are
transitional since, "the controls and humiliations are followed by small
windows of openness." Government obstruction of the pilgrimage to La Vang,
for example, coincides with the Hanoi government's decision to permit a
visit of U.N. Special Envoy Abdelfattah Amor to study the problem of
religious intolerance. The visit is planned for next October. Officials
stated that the visit "is not being made under orders from the U.N.
Commission for Human Rights," meaning that the U.N. cannot use Mr. Amor's
observations to vote in sanctions against Vietnam. The government has
refused all previous requests for such a visit since 1995.
A senior government official, speaking anonymously, told FIDES that "the
current government is divided in two: one party wants the complete
liberalization of religion, because it would be an aid towards
modernization of Vietnam; the other wants to maintain control because it
fears the end of Party control. The same holds true regarding the
possibility of opening diplomatic relations with the Vatican."
ZW980809-10
A MOTHER'S LOVE IS STRONGER THAN DEATH
The Value of Life is Rooted in the Heart of Every Human Being
ROME, AUG 7 (ZENIT) - The event is just another in a long list of persons
who have overcome desire for self interest in order to give themselves
courageously for the lives of others. It shows, however, that there are
values intrinsically written in the human person allowing people to make
any sacrifice in the course of following their conscience. This is the case
of Roberta Magnani, thirty-one-year-old victim of lung cancer, who chose to
sacrifice her own life to save her unborn child.
For several years, Roberta Magnani had struggled to conceive a child. She
wanted a large family, but her doctors did not think the prospects were
good. Finally, she managed to conceive, bringing her great joy. This joy
was short lived, however, for two months later, she began to feel severe
pains. At first, she thought that they were pains connected with her
pregnancy, but the doctors said that it was much more serious -- Roberta
Magnani had lung cancer. When this was discovered, six months ago, her
physicians recommended an immediate program of chemotherapy; however, the
application of this treatment would certainly have claimed the life of her
child.
From the beginning, Roberta decided that she would protect the young life
growing within her, taking only those medicines that were strictly
necessary. As a result of this, she experienced severe pain and suffering,
all so that her son, who was born on July 16, at 32 weeks, could live. A
few days after the birth, July 27, Roberta died of the cancer that had
consumed her body. On her death bed, she seemed content to know that she
had achieved her dream of bringing a son into the world.
Her husband, Mauro Arlenghi, granted an interview to the press shortly
after her death, mentioning the recent phenomenon in Italy of abandoned
babies. "There are mothers who give birth to a child and then leave it in
the trash can. She sacrificed the last months of life for a son who had to
be born. A good woman. The option she took was an option of life, for
life," he recounted. As to the future of their son, the father said he
would raise him alone. Both his family and Roberta's are there to help.
Mauro says that "he will be the most loved child on earth."
This case is just the last in a series of dramatic events in Italy,
touching on the commitment to life. In 1994, Pope John Paul II beatified
Gianna Beretta Molla, a doctor who died in 1962 after refusing treatment
for her illness on the grounds that it might harm the child she was
bearing. In April 1995, another Italian woman, Maria Antonietta Perretta,
gave her life for her daughter rather than receive treatment for her
cancer. In July of the same year, Rosanna Portaro died the day after giving
birth to a son. She too, had rejected chemotherapy.
The difference in this case was that, while all of these other women were
staunchly Catholic, Roberta and her husband were declared nonbelievers. In
fact, they only sealed their civil marriage after Roberta was already
pregnant. As a result, many see this event as another proof that the
universal value of life, and therefore its defense, are not merely a
consequence of religious beliefs, nor the fruit of any specific social or
cultural context, but rather are deeply engrained in the most profound
depths of every human being. Once again, a mother's love, often forgotten
today in the search for personal satisfaction, has shown itself to be truly
stronger than death.
ZW980809-11
UNEXPECTED REVELATIONS FROM THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
Biblical Experts Explain Meaning of New Findings
ROME, AUG 7 (ZENIT) - Qumran is a fascinating and mysterious site. In this
Israeli archeological deposit, a shepherd discovered a set of papyrus rolls
in abandoned caves, back in the 1940s. These rolls, despite decomposition
due to age, turned out to be from the first century, the very time of
Jesus. Many revolutionary hypotheses are coming out of the study of these
writings.
Fr. Joseph O'Callahan of the Roman Biblical Institute has even called the
texts the "first Gospel," as he supposes the texts were written very
shortly after Christ's death, an earlier estimate than most experts would
make. James H. Charlesworth, a Methodist minister at the Theological
Seminary of Princeton and Director of the "Dead Sea Scrolls Project,"
explains that the surprises coming from these rolls of papyrus have only
begun to be uncovered.
For him, the "Information Age" provides many tools to enrich our knowledge
of the Bible, opening new perspectives on the relationship between the Old
and New Testaments, between Jews and Christians. Charlesworth himself has
recovered 220 fragments from the Dead Sea Scrolls. "Soon, I will
communicate their content to the scientific world," he said proudly. "Up
until now, no one has seen them." He refused to provide further details,
only stating that he has found four more caves with ancient papyrus. The
historical importance of the finds is enormous. "The rolls help us
understand the world of Jesus and his contemporaries, what the people read,
what they thought, what they dreamed. They are authentic documents. When we
touch them, we note that they were touched by Jesus' very contemporaries."
But what did the people of Qumran, the mysterious Essenes, dream of? "For
the first time," answered Charlesworth, "we have found Jewish texts that
speak of God as a King and of His Kingdom on earth, with words similar to
those of the Christians. In particular, they are very like the words of the
Our Father." However, he is quick to reject the hypothesis put forth by
some academics, that Jesus was simply a Master of Justice at Qumran, making
Christianity simply a Jewish heresy. "Before the discovery of the Qumran
rolls, we thought that we knew what Judaism was," he explained, "something
very different from Christianity. Now, on the other hand, we know that the
ideas and words of persons like Jesus, Paul, and particularly the author of
the fourth Gospel, John, were very similar [to Jewish thought]. Now we have
been able to note the influences that affected the authors of the New
Testament. Nonetheless, no matter how exciting the discoveries of the Dead
Sea Scrolls may be, we must not forget that we also have other writings
from that epoch: the New Testament, which was written by Jews. In these
texts, Jesus appears as someone clearly different from the rest of the Jews
of His time, especially with respect to the concept of His own person and
of the human person."
According to Charlesworth, "the Qumran rolls have helped us to understand
that Jesus is not an obstacle, but rather a bridge between Christianity and
Judaism. On one side, they show that the two religions are clearly
distinct, while on the other, that Christianity was linked to Judaism in
its first decades. This does not mean, as some German scholars would state,
that Christianity is a phenomenon posterior to Christ. In the authentic
words of Christ, I have found expressions that clearly emerge from His
consciousness of being Son of God and the Messiah. This means that
Christianity certainly derives from the authentic words of Jesus."
"Today," continued the Methodist minister, "almost all the fragments,
except for those whose miniscule size makes it impossible to understand
their content, have been published by Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish
experts. The best specialists in the world are preparing texts and
translations on all the fragments. Some superficial books have accused the
Catholics of keeping the rolls found in the 40s secret, preventing the
publication of the results of these investigations secret, for fear of
their content. There is a sensationalist aspect to the rolls, though, since
if you consider the epoch in which they were written, they suppose an
extraordinary object. They cast light on a period that up until now has
been almost totally in the dark. But there is no content in them that could
generate a scandal."
ZW980809-12
MUSIC VIDEO ON THE LIFE OF JOHN PAUL II
To be Released with the Song "A Man Come from Afar" by Amedeo Minghi
ROME, AUG 4 (ZENIT) - The first music video "starring" the Pope is about to
come out. The Italian Catholic television channel "Telepace," directed by
Fr. Guido Todeschini, produced the video. The author is Italian singer
Amedeo Minghi, whose song "A Man Come from Afar" will appear in his
September release "Decenni."
The very words of the song explain the purpose behind this initiative: "A
man come from very far away / grasped the pain and a book in his hand /
someone shot and I cried that day; / that day the world found its heart
again, / truth never dies." "A man who went out, dressed in white / to a
thousand countries and never looked tired, / but within his eyes there is a
profound pain; / to see the diverse ways of the world, / the wars and the
people who change their heart, / the truth that dies."
As is well known, the Vatican keeps very tight control on the use of the
Holy Father's image. In the case of Minghi, the permission came from
Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe who is organizing the celebration for the
twentieth anniversary of John Paul II's Pontificate. The high point of the
celebration will be a live concert in St. Peter's Square on October 16.
"A Man Come from Afar" is a truly passionate song about the life and
Pontificate of Karl Wojtyla, from his youth as a worker and poet, to the
assassination attempt, to his many travels, to his constant fight against
poverty and war. The video accompanying it makes effective use of images to
bring out the message.
Minghi told "Corriere della Sera," the largest Italian newspaper, "The
project started three years ago. In the Vatican, they had a song about the
Pope written by Marcello Marrocchi, and they were looking for an
interpreter. After a series of contacts, I was asked to sing in the Nervi
Hall with a choir and orchestra directed by Msgr. Marco Frisino during the
celebration of the Pope's fifty years as a priest. Thus, I personally
followed the concert in which I included 'A Man Come from Afar' with a new
arrangement and lyrics. At the end, I had a four-minute meeting with the
Pope, in which he congratulated me and asked for the text, since he hadn't
understood all the words well." The singer continued, "In the Vatican, they
told me that if I published the song on one of my albums, they would also
help me to make a video with images from the life of John Paul II." He
indicated that the video would be included on a CD-ROM version of the
album, due to come out on September 24, which will be presented during the
celebrations for the twentieth anniversary of the papacy of Karol Wojtyla."
On October 14, Minghi will have a private audience with the Holy Father to
give him the disc, and he will perform the song in St. Peter's Square with
a 300-piece orchestra on October 16.
ZW980809- 13
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
People, Events, and Comments
TRAFFICKING OF ORGANS FROM ALBANIAN CHILDREN
ROME, AUG 2 (ZENIT) - In addition to the problems of political instability
and war in Albania, new reports have revealed a chilling threat to the
lives of its citizens. Balkan and European organized crime syndicates
appear to be using Albania as a commercial organ bank. The first victims of
this practice have been the children. Pierluigi Vigna, Italian National
Antimafia Prosecutor, confirmed that he is investigating this accusation,
leading Elisa Pozza Tasca, a member of Parliament, to travel to Albania.
She told Vatican Radio, "What the local health official in Tirana told me
was just a confirmation of what had been published in a few Albanian
newspapers, denouncing the trafficking in organs of Albanian children. The
suspicion arose after the discovery of empty coffins, from which the little
bodies had disappeared. The doctor confirmed the disappearance of the
bodies and told me it was under investigation." It appears very likely that
the organs have been taken to Italy for sale.
L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO ON CD-ROM
VATICAN CITY, AUG 2 (ZENIT) - "L'Osservatore Romano," the semi-official
Vatican newspaper, has just released a CD-ROM containing the entire
collection of articles from 1997. This includes the daily Italian version,
as well as the weekly English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese versions,
and the Sunday supplement in Italian: "L'Osservatore della Domenica." The
articles, which include the texts of most papal discourses, occur in
chronological order, but can be consulted by an integrated search engine.
The disk sells for $60 plus postage ($5 for Europe, $6 for North and South
America). More information is available by email: ornet@ossrom.va.
GERMAN BISHOPS SAY NO TO ANTENNAS ON CHURCH TOWERS
BERLIN, AUG 3 (ZENIT) - The Archdiocese of Munich-Freising has definitively
rejected numerous lucrative proposals from telecommunications and
advertising companies to use the towers of churches for mobile telephone
antennas or for billboard space. "The two thousand towers of the churches
and chapels of the Archdiocese will continue to be used only to house the
bells," read the official communiqué. The authorities of the Archdiocese
responded to pressures brought to bear by the media, which requested that
the Archbishop, Cardinal Friedrich Wetter, allow the installation of the
antennas. The companies offered sums of up to 6,000 DM (about $3,350)
yearly as rent for use of the towers.
BERNINI'S COLONNADE TO BE RESTORED FOR JUBILEE
VATICAN CITY, AUG 5 (ZENIT) - Almost 350 years of soot and contamination
are encrusted on the huge stones forming the Colonnade of St. Peter's
Square, designed by Gianlorenzo Bernini. Now, for the Jubilee, a German
company, Kärcher P, will be restoring the 284 columns and 88 pillars, in
one of the largest restoration projects ever realized. The company says
that just as the facade is being cleaned to better welcome pilgrims, so
also must the two arms of the colonnade shine in the Jubilee year. The firm
is performing the service free of charge to the Holy See. The great Bernini
once stated that he was not the author of the idea for the plaza, though
perhaps the statement was merely to praise the Pope. He credited Pope
Alexander VII, who commissioned the work: "Since His Holiness immediately
saw the drawbacks of having the portico in the form of a rectangle, with
greater than human judgment, he decided to make it in the form of an oval."
ZW980802-14
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