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ASH WEDNESDAY March 8, 2000 vol. 11, no. 48 SECTION THREESee why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!"
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The Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and and head of the Jubilee Committee Cardinal Roger Etchegaray briefed reporters Tuesday on the new document "Memory and Reconciliation: The Church and Faults of the Past" and clarified that the purpose is to ask God forgiveness for those faults and sins of the past, all in humility, while not acknowledging errors which have not been demonstrated historically but radical groups are calling for inclusion such as homosexual groups and pagan organizations - all intended to point the blame at the Church and which the Holy See have disgarded as frivolous because of those reasons.
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VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- At a press conference in Rome on March 7,
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger briefed reporters on the new document entitled
Memory and Reconciliation: The Church and the Faults of the Past. That
document, prepared under his editorial direction by the International
Theological Commission, is designed as an explanation of the appeal for
pardon which Pope John Paul II will make on March 12.
"The Church of today cannot serve as a tribunal to judge the Church of the
past," Cardinal Ratzinger observed. "But we can seek to 'do' the truth-- that
is, we can not deny the faults of the past-- while at the same time we will
not adopt a stance of false humility, and acknowledge errors which have not
been demonstrated historically."
The Christian world can never deny that the sins of individual sinners
wound the entire Church, the cardinal observed. He recalled the words of
Cardinal Consalvi, when he was informed that Napoleon wanted to destroy
the Church. "He will never succeed," Cardinal Consalvi said; "We have not
managed to do it ourselves!"
The document produced by the International Theological Commission,
Memory and Reconciliation, was released in French on March 1. The
document notes that the "purification of memory is an act of courage and
humility," and predicts that the Church will see an "increased credibility of
ecclesial pronouncements" as the world recognizes the virtue of the
confession of pardon.
At the same time, Memory and Reconciliation concedes that there have been
"expressions of unease" among many Catholics because of what " may look
like acquiescence in the face of accusations made by those prejudicially
hostile to the Church." And the International Theological Commission also
notes that there are " no precedents for requests for forgiveness by the
magisterium for past wrongs."
Still, the document cites areas in which the history of the Church has clearly
been marked by error. These include:
First, the division of Christianity. In that process-- both at the time of the
Great Schism and later during the Reformation-- the document notes that a
"lack of supernatural love, of 'agape', seems to have been common to both
the breaches.
Second, the use of force in the service of truth. At times, such as during the
Inquisition, Church leaders wrongfully used violence and compulsion against
dissidents, thus violating the principle of religious freedom.
Third, the relationship between Christians and Jews. While noting that the
Holocaust "was certainly the result of the pagan ideology that was Nazism,"
the document concedes: "it may be asked whether the Nazi persecution of
the Jews was not made easier by the anti-Jewish prejudices imbedded in
some Christian minds and hearts."
Fourth, the evils of the current day. Memory and Reconciliation asks whether
the Church has done enough to stop "the denial of the right to life of the
unborn child sanctioned in pro-abortion legislation, and a great indifference
to the cry of the poor in entire sectors of the human family."
The March 12 ceremony at which Pope John Paul
II will make his plea for pardon for the sins of the Catholic past will be "one
of the great moments of the Jubilee year," according to Cardinal Roger
Etchegaray.
The French-born prelate, who chairs the central Committee for the Jubilee at
the Vatican, told reporters that the ceremony should not be seen as "some
spectacle of self-flagellation," nor should it be approached with "unhealthy
curiosity." In fact, he cautioned, the ceremony could easily be misunderstood
by those who do not carefully listen to the message which Pope John Paul
preaches-- a message of repentance, conversion, and "purification of
memory."
"Only those who are profoundly in love with the Church are ready to look
upon her with a strong, clear gaze," Cardinal Etchegaray said. Therefore, he
continued, "Those who are looking on from the outside may not be able to
grasp the proper religious meaning of a ceremony of repentance."
"If the Church is turning humbly to look at her past," the cardinal continued,
"it is in order to appreciate her present condition better, and to enter into
the new millennium with greater deliberation." He characterized the
ceremony of repentance as "a courageous appeal" which would help the
Church to leave behind the ills of the past and enter into the new century
with renewed energy and dedication.
Cardinal Etchegaray said that the appeal for pardon should be seen in the
light of another major initiative taken by Pope John Paul II: the call for the
recognition of new Christian martyrs. "These two efforts by John Paul II are
inseparable," the prelate remarked. "Both of them are calls to holiness-- calls
made by a Church that bears witness rather than trying to justify herself, a
Church of martyrs rather than a Church of mere survivors."
Recognizing the tradition within the Roman Catholic Church regarding Ash Wednesday, a number of Protestant churches are observing this day and the season of Lent with a renewed respect. In the past many of these churches have tended to ignore the significance of this time of year due to the breakaway from the Church nearly 500 years ago. But, with the Holy Father's invitation for ecumenical dialogue, many are more open-minded and like minded in honoring Christian tradition.
WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - A growing number of US
Protestant Christians are observing Ash Wednesday and Lent,
a primarily Catholic observance that was repudiated by
Protestant founders 500 years ago.
Analysts of religious trends have seen more Lutherans,
Methodists, and other Protestant groups begin to mark the
40 days of Lent, including receiving ashes on the forehead
on Ash Wednesday and observing fasts until Easter Sunday.
According to Dennis Bratcher, director of the Christian
Resource Institute and a member of the Church of the
Nazarene, the growing popularity of Lent "has been seen
among evangelically conservative Christians, a group that
traditionally rejected these things."
Richard Bucher, a pastor with Trinity Evangelical Lutheran
Church, believes this acceptance of the Ash Wednesday
ritual and of Lent corresponds to "a growing hunger for
something older and more traditional among many churches."
The Federal Election Commission reports that the National Right to Life Committee has spent a considerable amount of money backing presidential hopeful George W. Bush in opposition to all other viable candidates. Because Alan Keyes has lagged so far behind in votes, they chose to throw their support to Bush who is solidly pro-life compared with the questionable intents of John McCain. They would never consider backing Al Gore because of his staunch pro-abort stance and culture of death platform. continued inside.
WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - The National Right to Life
Committee spent hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting
the Republican candidacy of Texas Gov. George W. Bush ahead
of the Super Tuesday primary, according to Federal Election
Commission filings.
The pro-life group spent $340,000 on mailings and calls to
pro-life voters in California, Connecticut, Georgia,
Maryland, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and
Vermont, and another $6,000 in states that will vote on
Friday asking them to vote for Bush.
Executive director David O'Steen said National Right to
Life was concerned that some of Arizona Sen. John McCain's
statements seemed to move away from the pro-life position.
"The bottom line is he's said conflicting and contradictory
things during his campaign for president," O'Steen said.
"His statements have made pro-lifers extremely nervous
during his quest for the presidency."
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle last year,
McCain said: "In the short term, or even the long term, I
would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then
force X number of women in America to (undergo) illegal and
dangerous operations." He later said he supports overturning
the 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision that legalized
abortion.
McCain spokesman Dan McLagan said the senator had a "100
percent solid pro-life voting record" and the real issue
was his efforts to tighten rules on outside groups spending
money on political campaigns.
The Benedictine institution of St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota is reaching back to one of their proudest trades of their order to preserve a tradition that has been lost in the last 500 years. That is undertaking the first hand-written illuminated Bible since the invention of the printing press. The work, begun by Calligrapher Donald Jackson, is expected to take four years, with the first volume due to be completed by the end of this year. Brother Dietrich Reinhart, OSB president of SJU, has said that this work revives the monastic tradition and allows artists to use their gifts for the glory of God. continued inside.
COLLEGEVILLE, Minnesota (CWNews.com) - The first
handwritten and illuminated Bible since the invention of
the printing press 500 years will begin production on Ash
Wednesday following two years of preparation, according to
the sponsor St. John's Abbey.
Calligrapher Donald Jackson will write the first verse of
the Gospel of John on the calfskin vellum using a goose
quill, beginning a project expected to take four years. The
first volume, comprising the Gospels and the Acts of the
Apostles, of the six volume set will be finished next year.
"We are finally writing after all of the painstaking
preparation -- including work with the theologians and
artists at Saint John's (University), the creation of a
unique script, the careful selection and preparation of the
vellum, the creation of a computer generated template and
the planning of every page," said Jackson, who also serves
as scribe to Queen Elizabeth's Crown Office at the House of
Lords.
"We are creating something unique for modern times, not
only by reviving a monastic tradition of writing the Bible,
but by creating a working scriptorium of artists and
calligraphers who have come together to create a work of
art that reflects our own place in history," said Brother
Dietrich Reinhart, OSB, president of Saint John's
University.
A video of the writing of the first verse at the
scriptorium in Wales will be available on demand at the web
site (http://www.saintjohnsbible.org/).
New scientific studies regarding the Holy Shroud of Turin have found significant evidence of botanical traces that place this august material in the geographical area of Israel or Jordan, giving substance to the argument that it is authentic. More tests will be performed before the Shroud is placed on public display in Turin this August for the Jubilee Year.continued inside.
MILAN (CWNews.com) - New scientific tests have confirmed a
connection between the Shroud of Turin and the region
including Israel and Jordan, according to an expert
committee on Monday.
The shroud is believed by many to be the burial cloth of
Christ, holding a mysterious image of a crucified man.
Although carbon dating tests claimed the cloth dated from
the 13th or 14th century, critics said the tests were
contaminated by burn marks from a medieval fire that
damaged the shroud.
"Regarding the problem of dating and origin, new data ...
confirm the presence of botanical traces which are
significant as geographical indicators pointing to the area
of Israel or Jordan," the Shroud Millennium Committee said
following a four-day meeting earlier this month.
The committee said further research was needed to ascertain
the history of the Shroud before it reached Turin. The linen
cloth will be on display for pilgrims in August as part of
Jubilee Year celebrations.
In Ireland there is a campaign to recruit one million pledged rosaries to be prayed to end abortion and it is catching on enthusiastically throughout Ireland, the US, Canada, and Portugal. Meanwhile missionaries from Italy working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are developing a chain of those pledging to fast and pray throughout the world from today through April 8 with a formal procession to end at the Roman Colisseum on April 8th to atone for all sins and ask God's mercy in stopping the devastating wars and natural disasters that have ravaged many parts of Africa. continued inside.
DUBLIN, MAR 7 (ZENIT.org).- HLI-Ireland's campaign to have a million
rosaries prayed to convert abortion providers is picking up steam.
Organizers report that the initial printing of 10,000 calendars has
already been exhausted, so that a second print run of 10,000 has had to
be ordered.
Organizers say that "the campaign has been a huge success and has spread
like wild-fire around the country." Interest has not been limited to the
Republic of Ireland, however. Concerned persons in the United States,
Canada, and Portugal have also requested calendars. Preliminary results
of the campaign will be released in April. For further information,
visit the HLI-Ireland web page: http://www.iol.ie/~hlii/homepage.html .
Meanwhile, Italian missionaries working in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo are organizing a worldwide chain of fasting and
prayer to alleviate the ravages of war that have plagued central Africa
for years. According to the missionaries, the European Union has not had
the will to get involved, while the U.N. has been slow to act and is now
incapable of intervening.
The appeal to fast and pray is directed to national and international
organizations of solidarity, all religious confessions, journalists, and
men and women of good will. By participating in the chain of fasting,
these people hope to call the world's attention to the tragedy that
plays itself out day after day in the Great Lakes region.
Specifically, the fast will last from Ash Wednesday (March 8) to April
8, ending with a rally at the Roman Collosseum. Participants will choose
the manner of fasting that is appropriate to them. However, this is a
"chain" of fasting, so that every day some community or group is
celebrating the fast.
To notify the organizers of the fasting date of a group, send email (in
English or Italian) to the Segretariato Missioni SX at
muungano@libero.it, or send a fax to +39 0521.314.269.
ZE00030721 and ZE00030722.
For more headlines and articles, we suggest you go to the Catholic World News site at the CWN home page and Church News at Noticias Eclesiales and the Dossiers, features and Daily Dispatches from ZENIT International News Agency CWN, NE & ZENIT are not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC, but provide this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday - Friday.
