.- Archbishop
Giovanni Lajolo, the Vatican’s secretary for Relations with States,
granted an interview with the Indonesian newspaper ‘Kompas’ this week,
in which he explained the Catholic Church’s unique role in public life
throughout the world, arguing its essential nature as a voice for
morality and the fundamental rights of mankind.
During the
interview, the archbishop discussed the special governmental status of
Vatican City State, the Holy See's diplomatic activity, the separation
between Church and State, and inter-religious dialogue.
He began the
interview by pointing out that the name "Vatican" is often used to
refer to two very different things. First, the Vatican City State,
which is a country in its own right, "though of minuscule political
substance, and having the sole purpose of guaranteeing the independence
of the Pope, as supreme authority of the Catholic Church, from any form
of civil jurisdiction."
Second, he said,
there is the Holy See, which is "the Pope and the Roman Curia, ... and
is sometimes commonly though incorrectly referred to as the Vatican
because it has its headquarters in Vatican City State.”
“But the Holy
See”, he recalled, “is not an organ of civil government and hence does
not have political functions. Therefore, the problem of confusion or
overlap between the two functions - the political function of the State
and the religious function of the Church - does not arise."
The archbishop
explained that, while the external relations of Vatican City State "are
of modest proportions and directed above all to Italy and to a few
international organizations for such matters as post and
telecommunications," the Holy See has "a vast network of embassies
(known technically as 'apostolic nunciatures') all over the world."
Archbishop
Lajolo contrasted these nunciatures with traditional embassies,
pointing out that they do not concern themselves with "political
questions, defense or trade, but with matters concerning the freedom of
the Church and human rights.”
“Mostly,” he
said, “the Holy See intervenes to guarantee the juridical status of the
Church and, in some countries, to defend Catholic faithful who may be
oppressed or subject to pressure and discrimination.”
“It does so”, he
went on, “by invoking the rights endorsed in the Universal Declaration
of the Rights of Man and the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, or even those ratified by the Constitutions of
particular States.”
Moving to the
subject of the separation of Church and State, the prelate said that
"The Church in no way seeks to impose any piece of civil legislation,
if political forces do not themselves take it up.”
“The fundamental
principle of distinction between political and religious spheres and
firm protection for religious freedom applies,” he stressed, “according
to which, just as the State does not interfere in the activities of the
Church, so it does not take orders from her.
In practice, the
archbishop continued, the Church and “the bishops in the countries
concerned - seeks to illuminate Catholics and public opinion ... using
public declarations to explain the Catholic position on the moral
questions that arise from political activity and legislation, and
adopting above all rational arguments accessible even to those without
faith."
"At a universal
level,” he explained, “the Holy See intervenes on the great moral
questions posed by politics through such documents as papal Encyclicals
and Apostolic Exhortations, and the instructions issued by the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.”
He said that
while “Various criteria are used to judge where it is appropriate to
intervene,” the Church “cannot in any case remain silent when the
dignity or the fundamental rights of mankind, or religious freedom, are
in question."
Archbishop
Lajolo closed his interview by turning to the question of dialogue with
different faiths, affirming that Benedict XVI will continue, just as
his predecessors did, "the commitment to inter-religious dialogue."
He stressed that
"a conflict of cultures, or worse still of religions, could divide
people even more than they are already divided," pointing out that
"inter-religious dialogue aims at a better understanding of the faith
of others and at making one's own faith better known, as well as at
reinforcing mutual bonds of personal respect.”
“It does not”,
he said however, “aim to make those who participate in it less faithful
to their own profound religious convictions, but to open minds and
hearts ever more to the will of God."
Archbishop Lajolo: Church cannot stay out of public square when rights of mankind, religious freedoms are in question
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