CATHOLICISM IS 'MOTHER' CHURCH - ALL OTHERS ARE DEFECTIVE
03 Sep 2000 (AP) VATICAN CITY (AP) - One of Pope John Paul II's closest aides has written to bishops worldwide declaring that the Catholic church is the ``mother'' of other Christian churches, a move which could hurt Vatican efforts toward unity with other believers.
The Vatican Saturday had no comment on the document, which was reported on Friday by the Italian religious news agency Adista. In the document, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger told the bishops that it was incorrect to refer to Christian churches, ranging from Orthodox to Protestant, as ``sister'' churches of the
Catholic church...VATICAN SAYS NO RELIGION EQUALS ROMAN CATHOLICISM VATICAN CITY, Sept 5 (Reuters) (Condensed) - The Vatican on Tuesday rejected the concept that other religions could be equal to Roman Catholicism and ordered its theologians not to manipulate what it called the truth of the faith.
The Vatican's restatement of its position was outlined in a complex theological document, the English title of which was ``Declaration The Lord Jesus -- On the Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and the Church'' .
The document repeated Church teachings that non-Christians were in a ``gravely deficient situation'' regarding salvation and that other Christian churches had ``defects,'' partly because they did not recognise the primacy of the Pope.
At a news conference to present the document, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican's doctrinal head, said some theologians were ``manipulating and going beyond the limits'' of tolerance when they put all religions on the same
plane.``Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him,'' it said.
``DEFECTS'' OF OTHER CHURCHES Some other Christian churches, while not in ``perfect union,'' remained united to Catholics by close bonds, it [the statement] said. ``The Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the Catholic Church since they do not accept the Catholic doctrine of the primacy, which, according to the will of God, (the Pope) objectively has and exercises over the entire Church,'' it said. While other Christian churches ``suffer from defects,'' the document said they had not been deprived of what it called ``significance and importance in the mystery of salvation.''
But it was the Catholic Church which possessed and had been entrusted with ``the fullness of grace and truth.''``If it is true that followers of other religions can receive divine grace, it is also certain that objectively speaking they are in a gravely deficient situation in comparison with those who, in the Church, have the fullness of the means of salvation.''
THE HOLY ROMAN . . . CHURCHES STUNNED BY POPE'S ATTACK ON "DEFECTS"
The declaration, which has been received with "stunned horror" by bishops and Roman Catholic theologians throughout the world, threatens to undo decades of inter-faith bridge-building. The Church of England called it disappointing and negotiations have taken place between Catholic officials and Lambeth Palace, the London headquarters of the Archbishop of Canterbury, in an attempt to limit damage. With the Pope and the Queen due to meet in Rome next month, the document will also threaten relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which the Queen is the Supreme Governor.
Although written by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican body formerly known as the Inquisition, the declaration has the authority of Pope John Paul II. It
was ratified and confirmed by him "with sure knowledge and by his apostolic authority". The declaration is merciless in its cutting through of the diplomatic language of ecumenism and inter-faith relations of recent decades. It is also an attack on a number of priests and theologians, in particular in India and South-East Asia, as well as a
warning to other Roman Catholics to stay in line.Churches such as the Church of England, where the apostolic succession of bishops from the time of St Peter is disputed by Rome, and Churches without bishops, are not considered "proper" Churches. The declaration
concedes that some Churches - this would include the Eastern Orthodox - are "true particular Churches" because they have preserved the "apostolic succession" of bishops from the time of the Apostles.John Fitzsimmons, former Rector of the Scots College in Rome who currently chairs the faith and order commission of ACTS, the churches' ecumenical body in Scotland, said: "The tenor of this document gives me a sense of disappointment and dismay. It is a return to the idea that the Catholic Church is the embodiment of the truth and anything that falls short of the Catholic Church is not the fullness of the truth. It is terrible."
The Catholic Media Office in London said it was important to distinguish between the "theological" and "common" uses of terms such as "proper Church". A spokesman said: "In common usage, of course the Church of
England is a proper Church. But if you ask me whether the Church of England is a Church in the specific, theological sense, then we have to say 'no', and that is nothing new. But we are not going to stop calling
the Church of England the Church of England." (The London Times)
CHURCH ROW LOOMING By David Willey in Rome 2 Sep 2000 - The Vatican has decreed that Catholic theologians and commentators must stop calling Protestant churches sister churches. The phrase is already in wide general use, but the Vatican says it cannot be properly used in future because the Anglican and other Protestant churches are not "churches in the proper sense".
Two new documents recently approved by the Pope are expected to arouse strong criticism among churchmen, both Catholic and Protestant working for Christian unity. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Pope's chief theological adviser, is angry about what he considers sloppy terminology. No 'sisters' He has banned the use of the term "sister churches" to describe Christian communities that are not in actual communion with Rome.
The two documents have been written by the Pope's chief theological adviser Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. He argues that there is only one mother church which is the Catholic church so it is terminologically incorrect to call say the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches sister churches as it places them on a level of equality.
The cardinal's ban, which has the Pope's approval, is contained in a document marked confidential and sent to the heads of Catholic bishops conferences around the world. In another document, to be published in Rome next Tuesday, the cardinal says that the word "church" can correctly be applied to the Orthodox churches
which broke away from Rome nearly 1,000 years ago, but not to those which broke away at the time of the Protestant Reformation.In this document he says that the Reform Churches are not churches at all in the strict sense of the word.
- The new documents are bound to be regarded by Christians of other denominations working for the re-establishment of Christian unity as a significant step backwards by the Vatican in their ongoing dialogue.
- [Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_908000/908064.stm ]
CAREY REBUKES VATICAN OVER 'IMPROPER' SLUR BRITAIN September 5, 2000 - by Ruth Gledhill, Religious Correspondent: THE Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, rebuked the Roman Catholic Church yesterday over its assertion that the Church of England is not a "proper" Church.
Dr Carey said that the Vatican declaration, to be published in Rome today, failed to "fully reflect the deeper understanding that has been achieved through ecumenical dialogue and co-operation during the past 30 years".
The declaration, approved by the Pope, effectively condemns all post-Reformation Churches. It says: "Ecclesial communities that have not preserved the valid Episcopate and the genuine and integral substance of the
eucharistic mystery are not Churches in the proper sense."Dr Carey said: "Of course, the Church of England, and the worldwide Anglican Communion, does not for one moment accept that its orders of ministry and Eucharist are deficient in any way. It believes itself to be a part of the
one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ."The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, insisted that no slight had been intended against the Church of England. The document is particularly embarrassing for Archbishop
Murphy-O'Connor, who has dedicated his life to ecumenism. He was previously a co-chairman of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (Arcic).The Vatican document, Declaration Dominus Iesus, also states that the followers of non-Christian religions are "gravely deficient" and their rituals "an obstacle to salvation".
Archbishop Murphy-O'Connor said that the main purpose of the declaration was to give warning against a tendency to regard all religions as equivalent. He said that the declaration did not attempt to change the Catholic Church's teaching regarding ecumenism.
The declaration comes from the hardline, conservative-dominated Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, formerly the Inquisition. Although written by its Prefect, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, it has the specific authority of Pope John Paul II. [Source: http://www.the-times.co.uk/ ]
REFORMED-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE PROVIDES GLIMMER OF HOPE AFTER DOMINUS IESUS Geneva (Ecumenical News International) September 22, 2000. As protests continue about a Vatican document
published this month asserting Roman Catholic superiority over all other churches, Pope John Paul II has insisted that the commitment of the Roman Catholic Church to ecumenical dialogue is "irrevocable". Pope John Paul made his statement to participants at a meeting of the joint commission on dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), which represents 75 million Christians in 215
Congregational, Presbyterian, Reformed and United churches world-wide. [ENI-00-0360]
QUEEN ELISABETH IS INPIRED TO CROSS ECUMENICAL DIVIDE LONDON (ENI) - SEPTEMBER 22, 2000. Queen Elizabeth II is among contributors to a fund to create a giant millennium cross, which will stand in front of Westminster Cathedral, London's principal Roman Catholic church. Queen Elizabeth, who is supreme governor of the Church of England, read about the cross in The Times and sent her donation the day the newspaper report appeared. The cross will be erected in the cathedral piazza - near Victoria Station, in central London - on 29 November. This will be followed by an ecumenical service at which a senior member of the royal family is expected to attend, along with Archbishop Cormac urphy-O'Connor, leader of the 4 million Roman Catholics in England and Wales, and Richard Chartres, (Anglican) Bishop of London... [ENI-00-0352]
COMMENTARY 5 Sep 2000 - In the article sent in by Steve S ("THE INQUISITION: A Study in Absolute Catholic Power" by Arthur Maricle), Maricle wrote: Because her basic doctrinal premises remain in place, Rome can yet again rise up against her spiritual enemies at some future date when she again wields exclusive ecclesiastical control of a region. In fact, the "Holy Office" of the Inquisition still exists within the Vatican (known today as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), awaiting the day in which it can stamp out "heresy". . . . The Inquisition proved how Catholicism will react when it has possession of absolute power.
As a point of interest, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has been headed for 18 years by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is one of the possible candidates for Pope. Ratzinger is the cardinal quoted in the September 2nd Associated Press story as saying the Catholic church is not a "sister church" with other denominations, but their "mother"
In the document, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger told the bishops that it was incorrect to refer to Christian churches, ranging from Orthodox to Protestant, as ``sister'' churches of the Catholic church.
``It must be always clear that the one, holy, catholic and apostolic universal church is not the sister, but the mother of all the churches,''Ratzinger was quoted as saying.The following information about the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is from the official Vatican website. Notice that "everything which in any way touches" the Catholic doctrine of faith and morals falls within the Congregation's competence to promote and safeguard:
Founded in 1542 by Pope Paul III with the Constitution "Licet ab initio," the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was originally called the Sacred Congregation of the Universal Inquisition as its duty was to defend the Church from heresy. It is the oldest of the Curia's nine congregations. . . . Pope St. Pius X in 1908 changed the name to the Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office. It received its current name in 1965 with Pope Paul VI. Today, "according to Article 48 of the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, 'Pastor Bonus,' promulgated by the Holy Father John Paul II on June 28, 1988," "the duty proper to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is to promote and safeguard the doctrine on the faith and morals throughout the Catholic world: for this reason everything which in any way touches such matter falls within its competence." [ Source: http://www.ncinter.net/~ejt/ ]
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