The Vatican reacted against the recent election of new church leaders by the Chinese-government-controlled National Congress of Catholic Representatives in China and the illicit ordination of a Chinese bishop. Many bishops, priests, religious and lay people were forced to take part against their will.
The Vatican statement, which observers described as very strong, said the decisions of the Chinese government have “unilaterally damaged” hopes of improved relations with China. It added that these actions were “unacceptable and hostile” and had caused “a grave loss of the trust that is necessary for overcoming the difficulties and building a correct relationship with the Church for the sake of the common good”.
Pressure on Costa Rica over IVF ban
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights asked Costa Rica to reverse the ban on in-vitro fertilisation which exists in the country so that it would comply with international accords to which it is a signatory. The threat of sanctions has led Costa Rican president Laura Chinchilla to pursue legislation that will make the reproductive procedure legal.
Earlier this month, Pope Benedict XVI warned the Costa Rican ambassador to the Vatican, against “violating the rights of an unborn child with laws that legitimise in-vitro fertilisation”.
Pope’s message on World Day of the Sick
Pope Benedict XVI called on civil authorities to invest more in health care systems, especially for the poor and needy. In a message for the 2011 World Day of the Sick, the Pope also thanked the many thousands of Catholic health workers and volunteers who help care for the sick and elderly.
He said sickness can be seen with “eyes of hope” if one understands that through his death and resurrection, Christ “did not remove evil and suffering from the world, but defeated them at their root”.
Four overseas trips for Pope in 2011
The Vatican said that during 2011 the Pope will spend 18 days travelling abroad. He will visit Croatia in June and travel to Spain in August to preside over World Youth Day Celebrations.
The Pope will visit Germany in September, where German bishops said he is likely to visit Berlin, as well as Freiburg and Erfurt, and will also visit Benin, West Africa, in November.
He is expected to make four trips to Italian cities next year.
Pope Benedict, who will be 84 in April, has to date made 18 trips abroad, 12 of them in Europe.
Patriarch sees hope
Archbishop Fouad Twai, the Latin-rite Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem has communicated a message of peace and hope in his annual Christmas message. He said that the lack of progress in diplomatic talks “should not lead us to despair”.
The archbishop, after noting that the process of peace has so far been “a monopoly of the United States”, urged the EU to take an active role.
As a sign of hope he mentioned the effort by Palestinian firefighters who volunteered to help their colleagues in battling a forest fire in northern Israel. That sort of practical gesture of friendship, he said, could be “the beginning of a fruitful collaboration”.
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)