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Volume 2 Number 12
nattered Peace...
Universal Catechism Drafters
For
VATICAN CITY lication
new
(CNS)
—
of the document will stimulate a
unity
among Catholics and
spark non-
These were among the Vatican's
rea-
and injured 12 on Nov.
tacular
examples of Muslim
atholic
16. In the
it was document ap-
because
first
It
But the decision to publish the French Nov. 16 left the vast majority of the
—
for
whom the catechism
—
—
moment
"Catholic educa-
of the greatest suc-
of
this country,"
'isms'
more than 700
teach-
erence.
Catholics represent the largest religious
United States (Protestants have
two groups), the most highly group in the country and the
ble to
per capita, she said.
"We should
from the Education artment in Washington showthatCathochools are surpassing public schools, said.
majority of middle
lions in
While
that's great
news, even more
ahead for
educators as the Church enters the
new
irch
...
We're
at the
dawning of the
And
in the 21st century."
sage of Christ
— which —
the
has been around
has never been more
3,000 years
ntly needed, Sister Claire said.
"This generation of Catholics (schoolchildren) Irf
is
gambling with the
the message
itself."
And
credibil-
that
which they live, Sister Claire said. "We have got to confront the reality of our time. We are always summoned by the
Every generation has a place
in history
one "got caught of wax," said Sister
unfortunately, this
[re.
The Vatican
in
all
Publication
also
wanted to avoid
whole
ball
this
catechism said.
"A
nal,"
he
is
different cultures
fur-
summary of
does not mean
that the
new
changing Church teachings, he
catechism never
be
tries to
origi-
said.
"Presenting
new
ideas
the privilege
is
of theologians," said Cardinal Ratzinger. Strengthening Catholic unity is important
today
when a crisis of faith seems to be
spreading over
many
traditionally Catholic
Problems such as the
countries, he said.
vocations crisis cannot be solved by "prag-
matic measures" such as allowing married priests but by ovc. C o ng this crisis of faith,
m
he
i
said.
The catechism
means "a chance to reach a
Ratzinger, head of the
12-member papally
appointed commission preparing the catis
also head of
Church con-
repeats
demnations of abortion, euthanasia, cial birth control,
heaven and
homosexual
artifi-
acts,
pornog-
"We
wanted
to present a unified
organic vision of the faith," he
The cardinal gave a series of interviews
world and
to coincide with the publication of the
See Schools, Page 2
French edition
in
ings to
new
reiterates
Church
last
judgment.
new forms of medical
experi-
mentation, such as the producing of human
It
for experimentation.
also outlines
Church teachings on
issues that have developed a
because of Vatican
II,
new impetus
such as Christian
unity and interreligious dialogue.
Also incorporated
France, Belgium and
modem
Switzerland.
and the
situations such as genetic engi-
neering and
and
said.
hell,
It
Innovations occur in applying teach-
embryos
the doctrinal congregation.
shaping the world and the Church into the
Church we cannot even dream about."
made uniform by
which
raphy and adultery.
an active role
into a different
in
can easily come into contact with each other, he said. This "makes necessary a
translations.
echism. Cardinal Ratzinger
that children will play
changed and today the
a world
teachings on original sin, the existence of
And
teachers must educate "in such
...
technology" and
new unity in the faith," said Cardinal Joseph said.
lives "in
sexual matters.
God
they won't be easy.
21st century
Situations have
Church
those surfacing in Italy and focusing on
tasks for teachers in this special
time in history are numerous, she
way
being studied by the Vatican
ther partial leaks prior to publication such as
has called us to do."
First,
still
which must approve
in
events of our time to perform the tasks
was
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
kindest,
educators, unless they understand the times
—
said Cardinal Ratzinger.
in the
catechism are
church social teachings that touch
on contemporary issues such as immigraand refugee problems, genocidal war policies and unemployment. "The social dimension of sin is very
O'Connor, chairman of the
Post-election statement
by Cardinal John
Committee or Pro-Life
Activities of the National
J.
Conerence of Catholic
important," but the catechism also stresses
Bishops.
Now
"personal responsibilities" for sins, said
is
more upon President-elect Clinton and Vice President Gore to
the time for the pro-life
forcefully than ever.
We call
movement
to
make our
voices heard
same compassion toward the unborn that they pleaded for during the campaign on behalf of the unemployed and other disenfranchised. This can be a critical point in our nation's history. The pro-life movement must exercise the
Bishop David Konstant of Leeds, England, one of the main writers of the catechism.
On
controversial sexual matters such
aim was to explain Church teachings "with clarity and charas birth control, the
See Catechism, Page 3
demand of all elected officials and those who will campaign for office in the future that they recognize the grave moral obligation to do everything within their power both to Israel Series
stop the slaughter of the innocents, and to stop mouthing platitudes asserting that
is,
|ed, very tough stuff, she said.
the
text
The
The 1566 catechism "created a language of the faith for a determined period,"
tion
"We are on the threshold of something id
today.
U.S. companies.
Christian millennium, Sister Claire
1
is
major languages such as English and
uni-
ings.
But
microcosm of the economic, social, and ecological state of the country
management
ortant are the tasks that lie lolic
in
new
Second Vatican Council. A primary purpose was to incorporate Vatican II teach-
reformulation of the organic
These made publication
writ-
assess the impact of the teachings of the
the faith," he added.
texts.
said.
was
the Protestant
publication until translations were available
1
And Catholic school graduates are
ig the
several
German impossible as Dec. 9 approached. The French catechism is 58 pages, not
most learned and pedagogically correct teachers won't make good
a
All the reports
it
combat
hierarchies asking the Vatican to hold off
counting footnotes. At the time the French text was made public, Vatican officials said tne English
The
make an impact on the moral fiber
nation."
lis
the
and
political
split into
lthiest
all
As teachers walk into a classroom, they
as
n the opening speech at the Nov. 12-13
—
as well as broken families
universal catechism
from the 1985 extraordinary Synod of Bishops that met to
in several languages.
single parents."
enter a
and 1992 Catholic Schools Service
ird recipient told
—
first
'Catholic educators, hold your hats!"
\
consumerism, racism, sexism
Sister Claire Fitzgerald said at
Joston College professor, national award
:ated
JOANN KEANE
ent-language
and Raleigh dioceses.
in the
Photo by
Conference
wide assembly of teachers from the
i
more than 400 years. The U.S. bishops were among
ings in
Dome of the Rock, one of the most
Associate Editor
Catholic Schools Conference, the
l
one
on Catholic teach-
CAROL HAZARD
story in the history
ler
killed
universal catechism
Another major reason for allowing French publication is the drawn out process for translating the voluminous catechism and getting Vatican approval for the differ-
are at the
rlotte
the
last
Reformation. The idea to write a
first
Schools 'Great Success,'
GREENSBORO t Dame
is
architecture.
clucators Told At By
foreground
The
versal catechism sprang
was primarily designed out in the cold. They were without a copy on publication day to help them field questions about the stinian
could interest
it
and non-Catholics, he
guages Dec.
world's bishops
Old City of Jerusalem where a grenade
local catechisms, the drafters
to be easily readable so that
for simultaneous publication in several lan9.
is
them write also wanted it
ten in 1566 to help
plans called
Initial
it
primarily for bishops to help
languages wereTeady.
proved by Pope John Paul II June 25. avoided a lengthy translation process.
in the
modem times, he said. Although
able to
lay people
French was ready
Muslim Quarter
rize Catholic faith
sons for allowing the French version to be published well before translations into other
the original language of the
the
Hope
The aim of the catechism is to summaand make it understand-
Drafters
Catholics to think about Church teachings.
text
20, 1992
New Unity Among Catholics
of the universal catechism are hoping pub-
sw overlooking
November
•
"We live in a culture of materialism,
anyone
can morally exercise the "choice" to
kill
an unborn baby.
We call for unity throughout the pro-life movement and for the unceasing prayer and penance
in
to rid ourselves
conjunction with our pro-life efforts to restore sanity to this land and
of the frightening contempt for the
"choice" or "privacy," or any other
human person that masquerades as
political slogan.
Associate Editor Joann Keane's series on her recent
week.
trip to Israel will
resume next