Text 284, 84 rader
Skriven 2005-02-14 23:16:04 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45.1)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
===================================================
Hello All!

              The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                        Vatican Information Service.
              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                               VIS-Press releases

LETTER TO FRENCH BISHOPS ON CHURCH-STATE RELATIONS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 12, 2005 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter from Pope
John Paul II to Archbishop Jean-Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux, president of the
Conference of Bishops of France, and to all the bishops of France. It focused
on a topic the Pope discussed with the bishops during their "ad limina" visits
during 2003 and 2004, that is, the question of relations between the Church and
French civil authorities in the perspective of this year's 100th anniversary of
the law of separation between Church and State in France.

In the 3,200-word document, the Holy Father starts by noting that the 1905 law,
"which denounced the 1804 Concordat, was a painful and traumatic event for the
Church in France," ruling that the way of life in France "would be according to
the principle of secularity" and "relegating the religious factor to the
private sphere and not recognizing a place in society for religious life and
the ecclesial institution."

The Pope notes that, since 1920 "the French government itself has recognized in
a certain manner the place for religion in social life." During the past
century, there has been a dialogue between Church and State, diplomatic ties
were reestablished and an entente was signed in 1924, all of which has allowed
"a certain number of difficulties to be overcome."

"The principle of secularity to which your country is very attached, if it is
well understood also belongs to the social doctrine of the Church. It recalls a
just separation of powers which echoes Christ's invitation to His disciples:
'Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's'. ... The
Church has no vocation to administer temporal affairs, ... but at the same time
it is important that everyone work in the general interest and for the common
good."

"Christianity has played and still plays an important role in French society,
be it in the political, philosophical, artistic or literary domains," John Paul
II emphasized, pointing to great French theologians, pastors and educators.
"One cannot forget the important place of Christian values in building Europe
and in the lives of the peoples of the continent. Christianity in great part
formed the face of Europe and it is up to the men and women of today to build a
European society on the values which presided at its birth and which are part
of its richness."

France "can only rejoice" at having men and women "who draw upon the Gospel ...
to serve their brothers in humanity, ...and to spread harmony, peace, justice,
solidarity and good understanding among everyone." He urged the bishops to
focus on teaching the Church's social doctrine to the faithful, especially the
young of today who are the future of tomorrow.

The Holy Father turns to "the crisis of values and the lack of hope that one
sees in France, and largely in the West," saying "this is part of an identity
crisis modern societies are going through. ... The Church questions such a
situation and hopes that religious, moral and spiritual values, which are part
of France's patrimony, which have fashioned its identity and forged generations
of persons from the first centuries of Christianity, do not fall into
oblivion."

He invites the faithful of France to "draw from their spiritual and ecclesial
life the strength to participate in public affairs" and urges collaboration,
not antagonism or separation, between the religious and civil domains. He tells
the bishops that "by reason of your mission, you are called to intervene
regularly in public debate on the great questions of society."

John Paul II says he knows the bishops "are very attentive to the Church's
presence in places where the great and formidable questions about human
existence are asked," especially in hospitals, health centers and schools. On
education, he writes that "the State must guarantee to those families who wish
it the possibility to have their children receive the catechesis they need."

The Pope closes by expressing his "confidence in the future for a good
understanding between all components of French society. ... May no one be
afraid of the religious path of people and special groups! If it is lived in
respect for a healthy secularity, it can only be the source of dynamism and the
promotion of man."
JPII-LETTER/CHURCH:STATE/BISHOPS:FRANCEVIS 050214 (700)

SUMMARY

--- MPost/386 v1.21
 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS New Orleans 1-504-897-6006 USR 33.6k (1:396/45.1)