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The Vatican

Closer ties to the Armenian Church
Relics transferred

In a solemn ceremony on November 11, Pope John Paul II turned the relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator over to the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The transfer was part of an ecumenical service held in St. Peter’s Basilica, at which the Holy Father presided along with Catholicos Karekin II Nersissian, the leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

It was St. Gregory the Illuminator who brought the Christian faith to Armenia in the year 301 AD, making that land the first officially Christian nation. St. Gregory had been a servant of the king, and was jailed for refusing to worship a pagan idol. He eventually left the country, became a bishop, and finally returned to Armenia to baptize many of his countrymen—including the king who had imprisoned him.

The relics of the saint have been kept in the Naples cathedral for over 500 years. They were brought into St. Peter’s by Naples’ Cardinal Michele Giordano in a formal procession; they will now be moved to Erevan, Armenia, where the Armenian Apostolic Church is building a cathedral dedicated to St. Gregory.

The Armenian Apostolic Church split with Rome after the Council of Chalcedon as a consequence of christological disputes. Those disputes were formally resolved in a joint statement of faith adopted by Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Karekin I, the previous leader of the Armenian Church, who died in 1999. The leaders of both churches have expressed optimism about the prospects for a restoration of full communion.

In a joint declaration, Pope John Paul and Catholicos Karekin II have acknowledged each other’s religious traditions, saying that their doctrines are “complementary rather than in opposition.” The Pope and the Armenian Church leader “together confess” their faith in God, in Jesus Christ, and in “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.” They explicitly recognize the validity of each other’s sacraments, and promise to intensify their search for closer communion, noting that each Church has a great deal to offer the other.

Pope John Paul spoke of the “communion that already exists” between the two churches—which have been drawing steadily closer since Vatican II. But he looked forward to the day when “full communion” is restored. Each day, he observed, “our Eucharistic celebrations suffer by the absence of the brother who is not there.” He mentioned that his own ministry as Bishop of Rome involves serving as the focus of unity among Christians, and said that he hopes “to exercise that ministry more and more as a service of love.”

The joint statement also points toward the prospects for another meeting of the two religious leaders, to be held in Armenia. The Catholicos spoke of the “great hope” that Pope John Paul will visit his country next year, and the “impatience” of the Armenian people to see the Pontiff. John Paul had planned to visit Armenia in July 1999, but postponed the trip because Karekin I was dying.

The Queen’s visit
Common heritage, current difficulties

On October 17, Pope John Paul II received England’s Queen Elizabeth II, and her husband Prince Philip, in a private audience at the Vatican.

“What a pleasure to see you again!” said the queen, dressed in black, as she met the Holy Father at the door of his library on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace. This was the third meeting between Pope John Paul and Queen Elizabeth. They had previously met in Rome in October 1980 and in London in May 1982.

After a short private conversation, which was described as extremely cordial, Queen Elizabeth told the press that she felt her visit was “particularly significant” because it took place during the Jubilee year. She reminded the press that one theme of the Jubilee is “reconciliation between different cultures and communities of faith,” and said that she welcomed the “important progress that has been made to overcome the historical differences between Anglicans and Roman Catholics.” She also alluded to the peace process in Northern Ireland.

In his published remarks to the queen, the Pope recalled that relations between the Holy See and the British monarchy have not always been troubled. “Long years of common heritage preceded the sad years of division,” he observed. And he added that more progress must be made in overcoming these divisions. “We cannot turn our face on the ecumenical goal that we have set, in obedience to the Lord’s commandment,” he said.

After the meeting, Queen Elizabeth —who was accompanied by the British foreign secretary, Robin Cook, and other dignitaries—met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

Hopes for Mideast peace
Focus on Jerusalem

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican Secretary of State, has indicated that he still hopes for success in the Middle East peace process, despite several weeks of rising violence.

“I believe that in the end, the ideal of peace will be triumphant,” the cardinal told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera. He observed that both Israeli and Palestinian leaders are now calling for peace, and suggested that eventually their efforts would bear fruit. “I think that in time—soon, I hope—peace will arrive,” he said.

Everyone involved in the current conflict has an incentive to find a lasting peace, the cardinal continued. “The peoples—Israelis and Palestinians—are called to live together,” he remarked.

Cardinal Sodano also expressed satisfaction that world leaders are paying careful attention to a proposal advanced by the Holy See, suggesting that Jerusalem should be given international status to protect free access to the holy places of the world’s great religions. Such a suggestion, he noted, would enable Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to overcome the current impasse on the question of sovereignty over the holy city.

Patron for Politicians
St. Thomas cited as model

Pope John Paul II formally named St. Thomas More the patron of politicians on November 1.

With the publication of a 4-page motu proprio signed by the Pontiff, the Holy See officially proclaimed what had already been announced: that St. Thomas More—who was beheaded in 1535 because he opposed the efforts of King Henry VIII to seize control of the Church—is the patron and model for government officials and political leaders.

The formal document traces the life of St. Thomas More and the reasons why he should be treated as a model. Pope John Paul points out that the request to name St. Thomas More as a patron came from political leaders around the world, including some who are not Catholics. “Even outside the Church, his stature is recognized as a source of inspiration for a political approach that makes the service of the human person its final end,” the Pope wrote.

The key message of the life of St. Thomas More, the Pope continued, is “the witness to the primacy of truth over power” and “the defense of the rights of conscience.” He explained that the English saint “is distinguished by his constant fidelity to the authority of legitimate institutions, precisely because he wished to serve not the purposes of power but the supreme ideal of justice.”

Resignation rumor dismissed
Prelate raised latest speculation

The Vatican’s chief public spokesman has dismissed a suggestion, introduced by a Belgian cardinal that Pope John Paul II may resign at the end of the Jubilee year. Joaquin Navarro-Valls said that there was no foundation for speculation about the Pope’s resignation.

A new series of speculative stories on that topic had appeared after Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Brussels wrote, “I would not be astonished if John Paul II offered his resignation after the year 2000.” That comment appeared in a book of essays and interviews by Cardinal Danneels, published in the Netherlands.

Cardinal Danneels pointed out that since Vatican II, bishops have been required to submit their resignations when they reach the age of 75. The Belgian prelate went on to say about Pope John Paul: “He absolutely wanted to be present for the Jubilee of the year 2000, but I think he is capable of retiring afterward.”

Navarro-Valls told reporters that this speculation “involves the personal opinion of Cardinal Danneels, for which there is no confirming evidence.”

More on Dominus Iesus
Vatican paper continues support

The official Vatican newspaper continued its campaign of support for Dominus Iesus in October, with yet another commentary on the document published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in September to reaffirm Catholic teaching regarding the unique role of Jesus Christ and his Church in salvation.

Archbishop Marcello Zago, the secretary of the Congregation for Evangelization, wrote the most recent in a series of articles published in L’Osservatore Romano to follow up on Dominus Iesus. The article by Bishop Zago, picking up on the theme of the Jubilee for missions, stressed the importance of the new Vatican document for inter-religious dialogue.

The purpose of missionary work, the archbishop wrote, is “to contribute toward the salvation of souls.” That purpose remains unchanged today, he stressed, despite differences in the approaches that some missionaries take.

Archbishop Zago deplored the tendency among some missionaries, and some theologies, to “reduce missionary work to human development or social transformation.” He also expressed his severe misgivings over some forms of liberation theology which express missionary work in purely social and political terms.

In fact, he continued, there are several different aspects to missionary work, including the proclamation of the Gospel, inter-religious dialogue, working to improve living conditions, and attempts to integrate the Catholic faith into the culture. None of these aspects should be neglected, he said; but if any one aspect of missionary work has top priority, it must be “the proclamation of salvation and conversion to our Lord Jesus.”

“Sister churches”
Caution on the use of a term

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued an advisory note regarding the use of the term “sister churches” in reference to other Christian denominations.

The note, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was originally circulated in July among the officials of the Roman Curia, the heads of national episcopal conferences, and the synods of the Eastern Catholic churches. It was published in the October 28 issue of L’Osservatore Romano.

In a cover letter, Cardinal Ratzinger explains that the note has not been formally published in the Acts of the Apostolic See—the Vatican’s official annals—because it is not an official act of the Holy See but simply an effort to “define the correct theological terminology.”

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith explains that the time seemed “opportune” for publication of the note in L’Osservatore Romano because many press organs had already commented on the note after it was circulated among Church leaders. The note takes on special significance in the wake of publication of Dominus Iesus, the document dealing with the unique role of the Catholic Church in God’s plan of salvation.

The Congregation’s advisory note, which is 12 paragraphs long, is divided into two sections. The first section, of 8 paragraphs, examines the origin and development of the use of the term “sister churches.” The phrase was originally used in the modern era by the Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople, in his letters to Pope John XXIII. The term was then employed in the works of the Second Vatican Council to refer to “fraternal relations among the particular churches.” (A “particular church” is a diocese or other ecclesiastical group within the Church.)

The second part of the advisory note addresses the “theologically correct” use of the phrase “sister churches.” The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith notes: “Properly speaking, the sister churches are exclusively the particular churches with reference to each other (or perhaps groups of particular churches, for example the patriarchates or ecclesiastical provinces).” The Congregation then stresses the essential message of this advisory: “It must always remain clear, when the expression ‘sister churches’ is used in its proper sense, that the Church—one, holy, catholic, and apostolic—is not the sister but the mother of all the particular churches.”

Furthermore, the Congregation notes, while the term “sister churches” may be used to indicate non-Catholic groups, it can only be used properly in reference to “ecclesial communities that have preserved the episcopal succession and a valid Eucharist.” In practice, that would restrict the use of the term to Orthodox churches.

Canonization soon for Padre Pio?
Report suggests September 2001

Blessed Padre Pio might be canonized in September 2001, according to the Italian daily Il Messaggero.

The newspaper reported on November 10 that a miracle attributed to the intercession of the famous stigmatist was being evaluated by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The approval of a miracle would clear the way for canonization.

Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, a Capuchin monk who acquired an enormous worldwide following during his lifetime, was beatified on May 2, 1999. The beatification ceremony drew one of the largest crowds ever assembled in St. Peter’s Square. His canonization would no doubt draw another enormous crowd, and for that reason it would probably be scheduled for May or September—the months when Rome usually attracts the greatest number of pilgrims.

The miracle under study by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints involves the sudden and unexplained healing of an 8-year-old boy, Matteo Pino, of San Giovanni Rotondo—the same town where Padre Pio spent most of his adult life. Matteo Pino was struck by meningitis in January, and rushed to the hospital that was founded by Padre Pio. Doctors were unable to curb the disease, and when the boy lapsed into a coma, they predicted that he would die quickly. But after 12 days, Matteo Pino recovered completely. A dossier compiled by officials investigating the case has been compiled by Church officials in San Giovanni Rotondo, and is now in the hands of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

More access sought
Controversy over archives continues

The members of a joint Catholic-Jewish committee studying the Vatican’s World War II archives have issued a preliminary report on their work and suggested the opening of the archives for that period.

At a press conference in Rome on October 26, the 6-member committee raised 47 specific questions about the contents of the archives, and asked for access to a series of archival documents which have not yet been published. The scholars who make up the committee based their report on a reading of the 11-volume summary of the archives, which had been prepared by a team of Jesuit scholars under the aegis of Pope Paul VI.

The press conference was chaired by the directors of the joint committee: Eugene Fisher, a staff member of the US bishops’ conference specializing in interfaith dialogue; and Seymour Reich, a New York lawyer who is active in international Jewish affairs.

Archbishop Jorge Maria Mejia, the director of the Vatican archives, reported that he has done his best to accommodate the scholars’ requests. However, he pointed out that he has a very small staff and tens of thousands of documents in the Vatican collection. He urged the scholars to narrow down their requests as much as possible, so that he would be able to find the relevant documents more readily.

The archbishop pointed out that there is no special significance to the fact that the Vatican archives for World War II are not yet open to the public. In fact, he observed, the Vatican has not opened any archives more recent than those pertaining to the pontificate of Benedict XV, which ended in 1922. Subsequent documents have not yet been classified, and that process must be finished before they are opened to the public.

Archbishop Mejia said that his office is now in the process of classifying documents from the reign of Pope Pius XI. That process will probably take about 4 years, he said, and only then would his office begin work on the pontificate of Pius XII. However, he hastened to add that he would do his best to cooperate with special requests from the joint committee.

The Vatican deliberately moves very slowly in the process of classifying and publishing archival material, in order to preserve the confidentiality of the documents.

“Radical contradiction”
European leaders questioned on life issues

Pope John Paul II has chastised European legislators for the “radical contradiction” between their opposition to the death penalty and their support for legal abortion.

On November 3, the Pope received the participants in a conference of ministers of the European Council, as they observed the 50th anniversary of the European Convention of Human Rights, which was signed in Rome on November 4, 1950.

Pope John Paul told the 250 political leaders that he was delighted to see the rejection of the death penalty, and hoped that the campaign to abolish capital punishment would spread across the world. But he added: “My fervent desire is that it will also be seen as an enormous injustice when innocent lives are not protected in the wombs of their mothers.”

The Pope went on to note an unfortunate tendency to speak of human rights from an exclusively individualistic perspective, with little regard for how individual behavior affects the lives of families and communities.

Challenges for Europe
Pope cites priesthood, marriage, and union

In a message to the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, Pope John Paul II emphasized the need to address the dearth of priestly vocations, the religious formation of the laity, the importance of marriage, and the cause of European union.

The papal message was addressed to Cardinal Miloslav Vlk of Prague, the president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences. The group assembled in Brussels for its annual plenary meeting in October.

The Pope called the bishops’ attention to “the disquieting lack of seminarians and young priests” in some countries, and urged diocesan bishops to adopt “a vigorous pastoral approach to vocations, to give young people a way of faith.” He noted that some countries—particularly in the eastern part of Europe —have been able to attract a comparatively large number of young men to priestly life.

The education of lay people, the Pope continued, is “one of the primordial tasks of the bishop.” He wrote that all Christians should have “a solid Christian formation in moral, spiritual, and human matters.” And the bishops should also work, he continued, to call public attention to “the inestimable value of conjugal ties and of the family.” The family, he insisted, “should not be put on the same level as other types of relationships.”

Regarding European unity, the Pontiff said that Christians have a special duty to remind the continent that Europe should not be seen merely as a set of marketplaces. Rather, he said, the continent should be recognized as “a true community of nations, wishing to follow a common destiny, living as brothers, respectful of cultural and spiritual ends.”

All Saints and Assumption
A feast day and an anniversary

On November 1, Pope John Paul II celebrated the feast of All Saints with a solemn Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, and noted that the date also marks the 50th anniversary of the day when Pope Pius XII proclaimed the dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

It was during a previous holy year, in 1950, that Pius XII published the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus, officially establishing the dogma of the Assumption. In that document the Pope announced that, after consultation with the world’s bishops, he formally defined the truth that the Virgin Mary, “having completed the course of her earthly life on earth, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”

In the day’s ceremonies at St. Peter’s Basilica, a passage from Munificentissimus Deus was read, along with a commentary on the Assumption written by the Patriarch St. Germain of Constantinople in the early 8th century. The patriarch’s commentary was a meditation on the “dormition” of the Virgin—a theme which is a common topic of reflection for the Eastern churches.

In his homily for the celebration of All Saints’ Day, the Pope spoke of all the “anonymous saints”—that is, those who have not been canonized formally. In particular, he recognized the “mothers and fathers of families who, by devoting themselves every day to their children, have contributed so much to the belief of the Church and the building of society.” The Pope also asked Christians to remember their prayers for the deceased, especially on the feast of All Souls, November 2. He gave a particular mention to “the victims of human violence” who have died in the past year.

Jubilee for athletes
Sports as metaphor for spiritual life

On Friday, October 27— two days before the formal Vatican observance of the Jubilee for athletes, Pope John Paul II met with members of the Italian Lazio sports club in the Paul VI auditorium. While he devoted most of his remarks to “the true significance of the spirit of competition,” the Pope also alluded to the racial violence that has broken out among supporters of different soccer teams involved in the Italian national championship. These incidents, he said, violate the spirit of sportsmanship and “injure the athletes and the entire community.”

“Without a sense of equilibrium, self-discipline, and the capacity to compete with others honestly and amicably, sporting contests cannot fully achieve their goal—as physical activity designed not only for the body but also for the spirit and the heart,” the Pope said.

At the formal observance of the Jubilee for athletes on October 29, Pope John Paul II said that all Christians should be “athletes for Christ.” More than 70,000 people gathered in Rome’s Olympic Stadium for a solemn Mass culminating the Jubilee. The Mass was followed by an exhibition soccer game, which the Pope attended.

The ceremonies in Olympic Stadium were heavily colored with athletic symbolism. A group of about 50 famous soccer players took places of honor on a temporary stage to greet the Pope when he arrived, to the sounds of the Gospel tune, “When the Saints Come Marching In.” Then a replica of the Olympic flame was lit beside the stage, remaining illuminated throughout the ceremony.

In his homily, Pope John Paul said that the atmosphere reminded him of his youth, his own days of athletic competition, and the other physical pursuits such as skiing and mountain climbing which he enjoyed well into his adult life.

“Involvement in sports takes on a great deal of importance today,” the Pontiff said, “because it requires young people to practice some important virtues such as loyalty, perseverance, cooperation, and teamwork.” He went on to say that prominent athletes today carry a heavy responsibility, since they have the ability to surpass barriers of race, creed, age, and culture. Athletes, he concluded, can help to promote “the new civilization of love.”

Finally, enlarging on the theme of competition, the Pope said that the “logic of sport” is much the same as “the logic of life.” By that, he indicated, he meant that “without sacrifice, one cannot achieve important results, and still less can one achieve real satisfaction.” So he argued that “every Christian is called to become a true athlete for Christ,” giving “faithful and courageous witness to the Gospel.”