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Skriven 2006-01-26 07:06:46 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
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                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
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                               VIS-Press releases

DEUS CARITAS EST: POWERFUL TEXT ON CORE OF CHRISTIAN FAITH

VATICAN CITY, JAN 25, 2006 (VIS) - At midday today in the Holy See Press
Office, the presentation took place of Benedict XVI's first Encyclical "Deus
caritas est." Participating in the press conference were Cardinal Renato
Raffaele Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace,
Archbishop William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith, and Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical
Council "Cor Unum."

In his remarks, Cardinal Martino made reference to that part of the Encyclical
in which the Pope considers the relationship between justice and charity, and
indicates certain points concerning the field of jurisdiction of the Church and
her social doctrine, and the jurisdiction of the State, in achieving a just
social order.

After highlighting how the building of social and State order is not
immediately incumbent upon the Church but rather upon the political sphere, the
Pope points out that "the Church is duty-bound to offer, through the
purification of reason and through ethical formation, her own specific
contribution towards understanding the requirements of justice and achieving
them politically."

The Holy Father, Cardinal Martino went on, "affirms that, in building a just
social order, the duty of the Church with her social doctrine is that of
reawakening spiritual and moral forces." In this context, he continued, "lay
people, as citizens of the State, are called to participate directly in public
life." Their mission "is to mould social life appropriately, respecting its
legitimate autonomy and cooperating with other citizens, according to their
respective areas of jurisdiction, each under their own responsibility."

"The presence of lay people in the social field," the cardinal continued, "is
here conceived in terms of service, a sign and expression of charity which is
made manifest in family, cultural, working, economic and political life."

For his part, Archbishop Levada affirmed that the Encyclical, is "a powerful
text on the 'nucleus of Christian faith,' understood as the Christian image of
God and the image of man that derives from it. A powerful text that seeks to
counter the erroneous use of the name of God, and the ambiguity concerning the
word 'love' that is so evident in the world today."

"In order to explain the novelty of Christian love, the Holy Father seeks first
to illustrate the difference and unity between two concepts inherent to the
phenomenon of love from the times of the ancient Greeks: 'eros' and 'agape'."
These two concepts "do not oppose one another, but come harmoniously together
to offer a realistic concept of human love, a love that involves the entirety -
body and soul - of the human being. 'Agape' prevents 'eros' from abandoning
itself to instinct, while 'eros' offers 'agape' the fundamental and vital
relationships of human existence."

The prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith then went on to
point out how "in the indissoluble marriage between man and woman this human
love takes a form that is rooted in creation itself."

"Love for others, rooted in the love of God, is the duty, not only of each
individual faithful, but also - and here we come to the second part of the
Encyclical - of the entire community of believers, in other words the Church.
From the historical development of the ecclesial aspect of love, which dates
back to the very origins of the Church, we may draw two conclusions: firstly
that the service of charity is part of the essence of the Church, secondly that
no one must lack what they need, either within or outside the Church."

In his Encyclical the Pope, Archbishop Levada added, "offers some illuminating
comments on certain aspects of the Church's service of charity - 'diakonia' -
in modern times. He responds to the objection according to which charity
towards the poor is an obstacle to the fair distribution of the wealth of the
earth to all mankind."

At the same time the Pope "praises new forms of fruitful collaboration between
State and Church bodies, making reference to the phenomenon of voluntary work."

In summing up the Encyclical, Archbishop Levada pointed out how it "offers us a
vision of love for others, and of the ecclesial duty to practice charity, as
being a way to implement the commandment of love, one that finds its roots in
the essence of God Himself, Who is Love." The document, he concluded, "invites
the Church to a renewed commitment to the service of charity ('diakonia') as an
essential part of her existence and her mission."

The last to speak was Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, who highlighted how
"today's text is the first ever Encyclical on the subject of charity." Perhaps,
he suggested, the presentation had also been entrusted to him as president of
"Cor Unum" because his dicastery "puts into effect the Pope's personal
initiatives as a sign of his compassion in the face of certain situations of
misery."

"The Church's charity is made up of concrete initiatives," said the archbishop.
"It includes political initiatives, such as those for the elimination of debt
of the poorest countries. We wish to promote an awareness of justice in
society." However, he went on, "Pope Benedict XVI [also] wished to illuminate
charitable commitment with a theological foundation. ... He is convinced that
faith has consequences on the individual who acts, and therefore on the manner
and intensity of his acts of charity."

"The social doctrine of the Church and the theology of charity are, without
doubt, inter-linked," the prelate said, "but they are not exactly the same.
Indeed, the former expresses ethical principles associated with the search for
the common good and moves, therefore, more at a political and community level.
On the other hand, caring - both individually and together - for the suffering
of others does not call for a systematic doctrine. Rather, it arises from the
word of faith."

"In our society there exists, fortunately, a widespread feeling of
philanthropy, ... but this can give the faithful the idea that charity is not
an essential part of the ecclesial mission. Without a solid theological
foundation, the great ecclesial agencies could become ... disassociated from
the Church, [and] ... prefer to identify themselves as non-governmental
organizations. In such cases, their 'philosophy' and their projects would be
indistinguishable from the Red Cross and the U.N. agencies. This, however,
contrasts with the two-thousand-year history of the Church, and does not take
into account the intimate rapport between ecclesial action on behalf of man and
credibility in the announcement of the Gospel."

"We must go further," Archbishop Cordes concluded, "the present sensibility of
so many people, especially the young, also contains a 'kairos apostolico.' This
opens notable pastoral prospects. There are innumerable volunteers, and many of
them discover the love of God in the giving of themselves to others with
disinterested love."
ENC/DEUS CARITAS EST/... VIS 060125 (1150)

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