Pope
Asks for Aborigines´ Forgiveness for Abuses by Priests
VATICAN CITY,
NOV. 23, 2001
(Zenit.org).- In his apostolic exhortation "Ecclesia in Oceania," John Paul
II asks forgiveness from the continent's indigenous peoples and victims for
abuses committed by priests or religious. The document, which includes the
conclusions of the 1998 Synod of Oceania, was published Thursday. In regard to
indigenous peoples, in No. 28 of the document the Holy Father writes: "Whenever
the truth has been suppressed by governments and their agencies or even by
Christian communities, the wrongs done to the indigenous peoples need to be
honestly acknowledged."
For this reason, the "Synod supported the establishment of 'Truth Commissions,'
where these can help resolve historical injustices and bring about
reconciliation within the wider community or the nation.”
The Pope's solemn petition for forgiveness reads thus: "The
Church expresses deep regret and asks forgiveness where her children have been
or still are party to these wrongs."
The Holy Father explains the spirit of reparation that must inspire this
initiative.
"The past cannot be undone, but honest recognition of
past injustices can lead to measures and attitudes that will help to rectify the
damaging effects for both the indigenous community and the wider society".
Moreover, the post-synodal document emphasizes that the Church will always
defend the native cultures of the region, highlighting the culture of
Australia's Aborigines and
New Zealand's
Maoris.
[But what of reparations for Euro many genocides, land grab & destruction of
cultures?]
"The Church will support the cause of all indigenous peoples who seek a just and
equitable recognition of their identity and their rights," John Paul II states.
Sexual abuses, which sometimes have implicated
priests, are the object of the second petition for forgiveness, articulated in
No. 49 of "Ecclesia in Oceania" (The Church in Oceania).
"In certain parts of
Oceania, sexual abuse by some clergy and religious has caused great suffering
and spiritual harm to the victims. It has been very damaging in the life of the
Church and has become an obstacle to the proclamation of the Gospel."
"The
Synod Fathers condemned all sexual abuse and all forms of abuse of power, both
within the Church and in society as a whole. Sexual abuse within the Church is a
profound contradiction of the teaching and witness of Jesus Christ".
Given what has happened, the "Synod Fathers wished to apologize unreservedly
to the victims for the pain and disillusionment caused to them," the
document continues. Note: not a word about reparations.
The Pope concludes: "The Church in Oceania is seeking open and just procedures
to respond to complaints in this area, and is unequivocally committed to
compassionate and effective care for the victims, their families, the whole
community, and the offenders themselves".
Vicki Walker, chairwoman of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Catholic Council said:
"It shows that he hasn't forgotten our people since he
met with us in Alice Springs in 1986, and that he cares for us. This marks a new
beginning in our relationship with the Church. This is one of the most
historical statements I've seen addressing the injustices suffered by indigenous
peoples."
Pope Asks Forgiveness from Chinese
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 25, 2001
(Zenit.org).- John Paul II wrote a historic message asking the Chinese
people for forgiveness for the errors committed by children of the Catholic
Church, and proposed the normalization of relations between Beijing and Rome.
The papal message was addressed to the international congress on Father Matteo
Ricci (1551-1610), which began Wednesday in Rome. In 1601, that Italian Jesuit
missionary became "Chinese with the Chinese," to proclaim the Gospel and
transmit Western learning to the Oriental empire. In particular, the Holy Father
mentions the theological disputes over the inculturation of Christianity in
China, as well as the support given to the Catholic Church by European powers
who were hostile to Beijing. For example, during the Boxer Rebellion, between
1898 and 1900, many Christians defended the foreign presence in the country.
Then, in 1934, the Vatican was one of the first to recognize the state of
Manchukuo, controlled by the Japanese.
"For all of this, I ask the forgiveness and understanding of those who may have
felt hurt in some way by such actions on the part of Christians," the Pope says.
"History reminds us of the unfortunate fact that the work of members of the
Church in China was not always without error, the bitter fruit of their personal
limitations and of the limits of their action," he explains. "Moreover, their
action was often conditioned by difficult situations connected with complex
historical events and conflicting political interests.
"Nor were theological disputes lacking, which caused bad feelings and created
serious difficulties in preaching the Gospel."
Father Ricci himself, whose process of beatification is under way, was an
object of these disputes. His missionary methods sparked much controversy. He
dressed like a Chinese and adopted Chinese customs that won him the approval of
Chinese intellectuals but the criticism of Church leaders.
"In certain periods of modern history, a kind of 'protection' on the part of
European political powers not infrequently resulted in limitations on the
Church's very freedom of action and had negative repercussions for the Church in
China,"
the Pope acknowledges. "This combination of various situations and events placed
obstacles in the Church's path and prevented her from fully carrying out -- for
the benefit of the Chinese people -- the mission entrusted to her by her
Founder, Jesus Christ."
"I feel deep sadness for these errors and limits of the past, and I regret that
in many people these failings may have given the impression of a lack of respect
and esteem for the Chinese people on the part of the Catholic Church, making
them feel that the Church was motivated by feelings of hostility toward China,"
the Bishop of Rome continues.
Apologies to
Orthodox church
Guardian 05 May 01
John Paul II was in Athens on the first day of his 6-day ‘jubilee pilgrimage. He
prayed for forgiveness for “occasions, past and present, when sons and
daughters of the Catholic Church have sinned by action or omission against their
Orthodox brothers and sisters.”
[He
says ‘sons & daughters’ whereas it is the church high clerics who were
responsible for the Schism of 1054.]
The Great Schism of 1054 divided Christianity into eastern and western branches.
The Greek monks, priests and nuns were furious with their church leaders for
lifting its long-held objections to the visit. They dubbed the pope the ‘arch-heretic’
and ‘grotesque 2-horned monster of
Rome’.
The Ortho Christians are particularly sore about the sacking of Constantinople
in 1204 in the Fourth Crusade, backed by the Roman church, in which western
Christians fought against their Ortho brothers.
Earlier, the Greek Archbishop
Christodoulos had said: “Traumatic experiences remain open wounds on the
Greek Orthodox body. Till now, there has not even been a single request for
pardon.”