THE CATHOLIC HERALD NOVEMBER 23, 2007

Pope appeals for increased aid to cyclone victims

BYMARKBENBOW

POPEBENEDICTXVIhas called for more international assistance for Bangladesh, where thousands have been killed in one of the worst cyclones in the country’s history. The Pope expressed his condolences to the families of the dead and said that he hoped the international community, which has moved quickly to aid the survivors, would continue to provide relief. “In recent days a tremendous cyclone struck southern Bangladesh, causing numerous victims and serious destruction,” Benedict XVI told pilgrims at his Sunday blessing at the Vatican last weekend. “I encourage every possible effort to help these brothers and sisters who have been so sorely tried.” Government officials estimated that at least 3,000 people died as the cyclone tore through coastal areas of Bangladesh on November 15 with winds estimated at 150 mph. Relief agencies said the final death toll could reach 10,000. In Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, the head of the nation’s charitable agency said Caritas officials were rushing aid to the coast. “Though there were warnings of the cyclone, its impact has been deadly. The people

have been badly affected,” said Auxiliary Bishop Theotonius Gomes of Dhaka, chairman of Caritas Bangladesh and secretarygeneral of Catholic bishops’ conference of Bangladesh. Bishop Gomes said Caritas officials had rushed to the worst-affected areas, such as the port city of Chittagong to assess the needs of the affected people and plan the Church’s relief work. Caritas Bangladesh appealed for food aid and tarpaulins or plastic sheeting and blankets to provide shelter to the families rendered homeless by the cyclone. “Crops have been destroyed in waterlogged areas, fishermen communities and day labourers have lost their sources of income and thousands of people are too poor to have any food stocks in their homes,” said the appeal. Caritas said its national, regional and field offices had taken preventive measures and joined in cautioning the villagers along the coastlines to flee the coastal areas. Many villagers could find no trace of their homes the day after the disaster. Bishop Gomes said that many simple Church structures had been damaged, but there has been no report of damage to any major Church properties.

Meanwhile, the international Caritas network responded with pledges of financial assistance. For instance, Catholic Relief Services, the US bishops’ international relief and development agency, initially pledged $50,000 (£24, 000) in aid. Meanwhile, Cafod, Caritas’s partner in England and Wales, has offered £200,000 of immediate aid for the cyclone victims. Christians make up less than one per cent of Bangladesh’s estimated 150 million population, nearly 90 per cent of whom are Muslim. Hindus and Buddhists account for the rest of the population. In his Sunday Angelus Pope Benedict spoke about how Christians are called on to face painful trials –including natural catastrophes –with the confidence of faith. Christians should trust in God’s love as they cope with difficulties, he argued. “We don’t fear the future, even when it appears ominous, because the God of Jesus Christ, who took up history to open it up to its transcendent fulfillment, is its alpha and omega, the beginning and the end,” he said. He added that Christ guarantees that the meaning of the universe is contained in “every small but genuine act of love.”

A Bangladeshi mother and child amid the wreckage of the cyclone CNS

Cardinal hails Orthodox ‘breakthrough’

BYMARKGREAVES

AJOINTcommission of Orthodox and Catholic theologians has agreed that the pope has primacy over all of the Church’s bishops. The agreement was hailed as a “breakthrough” by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity. But the cardinal, who led the commission’s discussions, admitted that the road towards healing the 950-year-old schism was still a “long and difficult” one. The Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue reached the agreement after a week-long meeting in Ravenna, Italy, last month. It was only the second Catholic-Orthodox meeting since

2006, the year when talks resumed after a six-year break. The final document was not signed by the Russian Orthodox Church, which abandoned the talks in protest at the inclusion of the Estonian Orthodox Church. Cardinal Kasper told Vatican Radio that “the real breakthrough is that, for the first time, the Orthodox were ready to speak about the universal level of the Church”, instead of limiting the discussion to a local area under a particular patriarch or archbishop. This enabled the commission to agree that “the Bishop of Rome was therefore the protos [first] among the patriarchs”. But the commission did not explore the nature of the authority that the pope derived from

his primacy. Disagreements remain over the way in which the pope’s authority is exercised. The document, entitled The Ecclesiological and Canonical Consequences of the Sacramental Nature of the Church, stated: “While the fact of primacy at the universal level is accepted by both East and West, there are differences of understanding with regard to the manner in which it is to be exercised, and also with regard to its scriptural and theological foundations.” The next meeting of the Catholic-Orthodox commission will focus on papal authority during the first millennium of Christian history, before the schism that separated the Orthodox from Rome. After that discussion the

commission would need to address whether the Orthodox churches can accept the teachings of the Church since the schism. It is thought that the reforms of the Second Vatican Council will prove especially hard to agree upon. Pope Benedict XVI, who has described the struggle towards Christian unity as a “fundamental” priority of his pontificate, has reportedly called cardinals to a meeting in Rome to discuss the document. Cardinal Kasper said he regretted the dispute that prompted the Russian delegate to leave the meeting. He said it was an “inter-Orthodox question” in which the Vatican would not interfere.

However, he added that the Holy See is anxious to see the problem resolved. The Russian Orthodox Church is the dominant faith in Russia and is by far the largest of the eastern churches. Vatican officials see the relationship with Moscow as key to future ecumenical advances. Cardinal Kasper said: “We do not want to dialogue without the Russians.” Bishop Illarion, the Russian Orthodox representative who walked out of the meeting, said that Moscow would offer its views after analysing the document. The Catholic and Orthodox were united until the Great Schism of 1054, which was largely caused by disagreements over the primacy of the pope.

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WORLD NEWS

VATICAN NOTEBOOK

Benedict XVI gives a sneak preview

On Sunday Pope Benedict XVI gave a sneak preview of what can be expected from his forthcoming encyclical, if reports on its theme are correct. Addressing crowds before reciting the Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square, the Holy Father acknowledged the calamities and tragedies that effect the world, but rejected assertions that the end of the world is nigh. “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately,” he said. The Pope spoke of the need to hope and trust in God. “We must not fear the future,” he said, “even though it may at times appear bleak, because the God of Christ, who took history upon himself opening it to transcendence, is alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.” He recalled that, since its inception, the Church “prayerfully lives in the care of its Lord, scrutinising the signs of the times and keeping the faithful on guard against the calls of messianisms, which from time to time announce the imminent end of the world”. History must take its course, he added, “which also involves human tragedies and natural calamities”. The Pope then went on to praise religious for being an exemplary Christian model, separated from earthly concerns. They are a true antidote, he said, “against a nihilist mentality which, in our time, is extending its influence ever more widely in the world”. The Pope’s words came as the Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that the Pope is to publish an encyclical (his second after Deus Caritas Est) before Christmas. The title is said to be Spe Salvi, meaning “Saved by Hope”. According to Vatican sources, it is one of three documents he is working on. Another is thought to be an encyclical on the subject of globalisation to mark the 40th anniversary of Paul VI’s encyclical Populorum Progressio. It’s expected to be published next year. The third work is said to be the second volume of his book, Jesus of Nazareth. The volume is expected to cover the Passion, Resurrection and infancy of Jesus. Every avenue has been tried, even heavy pressure from the United States. But Israel is still thwarting resolution of an agreement with the Holy See that was supposed to be completed 14 years ago. Meetings have been held between the two states, on and off, for all that time, yet although progress has been made in resolving the juridical status of the Church in the Holy Land, agreement on taxation of Church property remains a distant hope. Now the Church is also being hit by visa restrictions for foreign priests. All of which explains an ostensibly surprising remark last week by the former Apostolic Nuncio to Israel, Archbishop Pietro Sambi. Now the Pope’s ambassador to Washington, Archbishop Sambi said in an interview with Terrasanta magazine that he felt relations were in a better state when there were no diplomatic ties between Israel and the Holy See (relations were formally established in 1993). The archbishop put the delays down to a lack of political will on Israel’s part. He then cuttingly questioned how much “trust can be placed in the promises of Israel”. The Holy See gave a veiled backing to the archbishop, stressing in a statement the archbishop’s experience, and calling for a “rapid conclusion to these important negotiations”. Israel argues that it has been preoccupied with the conflict with the Palestinians. It is also known to be reluctant to grant the Church taxation rights for fear that requests from other religious minorities will follow. Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, Oded Ben-Hur, insisted that negotiations have accelerated in recent months. Ever the optimist, Mr Ben-Hur has been a useful ally for the Holy See, but he is expected to leave at the end of December to make way for a new diplomat who was supposed to take his place in June but couldn’t because of allegations of sexual harassment. The next bilateral meeting between the Holy See and Israel is due on December 12. As concern over visa restrictions casts a shadow over the already troubled negotiations, the Holy See no doubt feels that it may be a case of now or never. Archbishop Sambi’s strong words, backed up by his friends in Washington, may just do the trick.

Rome Correspondent: Edward Pentin E-mail: vaticannotebook@yahoo.com

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LITTLE WAY BANGLADESH CYCLONE APPEAL

Hundreds of thousands of people urgently need food and shelter after Cyclone Sidr battered coastal areas of Bangladesh with violent winds and tidal surges, leaving milllions of people homeless and hungry and thousands dead. Survivors and rescuers in the six worst-hit districts of Bagerhat, Barguna, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Barisal and Jhalakathi, were seen in tears, burying relatives and friends. The cyclone damaged power and communications networks, killed livestock and caused tidal surges which swept away hundreds of people. Thousands of people are still living under the open sky with no food, drinking water or medicine. Countless trawlers and fishing boats remain missing with hope diminishing for any survivors. Funds are urgently needed to provide food, shelter, clean water and medicines Your donation which is desperately needed, will be forwarded by THE

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