Pope Paul on Pentecost

Title

Language

English

Year

1964

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

Sets up secretariat for non-christians
New body to defend religious values

Fulltext

HIS HOLINESS POPE PAUL VI POPE PAUL ON PENTECOST SETS UP SECRETARIAT FOR NON-CHRISTIANS Va t ic a n Cit y — Pope Paul VI chose the feast of Pentecost to announce to the world that he has decided to set up a Secretariat for non-Christians somewhat similar to that established by Pope John XXIII to deal with relations between Roman Catholics and other Christians. Pope Paul’s revelation came almost at the end of a lengthy sermon on the significance of the catholicity of the Church. He was speaking in St. Peter’s before 20 cardinals, more than 6,000 seminarians studying in Rome, and thousands of other pilgrims. Among the cardinals present were Laurian Cardinal Rugambwa of Boukoba, Tanganyika, and Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski of Warsaw. The idea of a Secretariat for nonChristians was suggested in April of 1963 by Bishop Antoine Thijssen, S.V.D., of Larantuka, Indonesia. It won the prompt seconding of Thomas Cardinal Tien, S.V.D., Apostolic Administrator of the Taipei archdiocese in Formosa. In a letter addressed to Eugene Cardinal Tisserant, Dean of the College of Cardinals, last Sept. 15, Pope Paul indicated that he was considering establishing such an organization. In his discourse, the Pope revealed nothing further than that the Secretariat is being established and that Paolo Cardinal Marella will head it. No further details were immediately forthcoming from other Church sources. Cardinal Marella, 69 is a veteran papal diplomat who served as Apostolic Delegate to Japan for 15 years and became an expert on Shinto. He has also headed papal missions in Australia and France, and served from 1924 to 1933 at the Apostolic Delegation in Washington. He was in the spotlight in April when he went to New York as papal delegate for the opening of the Vatican pavilion at World’s Fair. NEW BODY TO DEFEND RELIGIOUS VALUES Va t ic a n Cit y — The goals of the newly-announced Secretariat for non-Christian relations will include the defense of religious ideas generally. This will entail seeking to preserve religious values wherever they are threatened, to protect the heritage of the natural law, and to combat ignorance and prejudice by working for mutual respect. For its initial phase, at least the Secretariat will most likely have its headquarters in Rome. Actual contacts with non-Christian religions, however, will for the most part be carried out by bishops in the areas where other religions thrive. Thus in Japan, contact with leaders of Shinto would be made on the spot by the Catholic Bishops of Japan and the papal envoy there. Suggestions for projects that could advance relations between the Catholic Church and nonChristian religions would be submitted to the Secretariat. Guidelines for the general carrying out of programs adopted would be sent by the Secretariat to the various hierarchies involved. It was believed here that the general secretary of the Secretariat will be Father Pierre Humbertclaude, S.M., who worked with Cardinal Marella in Japan when the Secretariat head was Apostolic Delegate there (1933-48). Father Humbertclaude is currently procurator general for the Society of Mary in Rome. According to a competent source here, the Secretariat will not only work to protect the heritage of the natural law. It will also cooperate with other religions seeking to purify their concepts in various cultures, making them clearer and deeper. It was pointed out that unless they know each other, the Church and non-Christian religions cannot come to esteem one another. Nor can the good in the individual religion be appreciated without contacts. THE CAROLINIAN Page 19 SUMMER ISSUE 1964

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