Sat 4 Sep 99 16:51
* Original: FROM..... Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Hello All!
The following press release is Copyrighted by the
Vatican Information Service.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VIS-Press releases
THE CHURCH ASKS PARDON FOR THE SINS OF HER CHILDREN
VATICAN CITY, SEP 1, 1999 (VIS) - The theme of this morning's general audience,
held in the Paul VI Hall, was: "The Church asks pardon for the sins of her
children".
The Pope said that the Church is aware that "only in a continual purification
of her members and institutions can (she) offer the world a coherent witness of
the Lord. ... The recognition of the communal implications of sin impels the
Church to ask pardon for the 'historic' sins of her children". For this reason,
the Pope continued, the Jubilee of the year 2000 "aims to turn over a new page
in history, overcoming the obstacles that still divide human beings, and
Christians in particular".
"The recognition of historic sins presupposes taking up a certain position with
respect to the events, just as they really happened," taking into account the
"cultural context" of the times.
John Paul II confirmed that "the Church feels the need to recognize the sins of
her own members, when they have been proved by serious historical research, and
to request pardon for them from God and man." This attitude does not represent
a denial of the Church's "merits in the fields of charity, culture and
sanctity, rather it is a response to an inexorable need for truth".
"The approach of the Jubilee draws attention to some types of sin, past and
present, for which it is particularly necessary to invoke the mercy of the
Father. I am thinking especially of the painful division between Christians,
... of the use of intolerance and even of violence in the service of truth, ...
of some Christians' lack of discernment with respect to situations that violate
fundamental human rights".
The Holy Father concluded by highlighting that "the penitential stance of the
Church in our time ... draws attention to the past and to the recognition of
sins in order that this may serve as a lesson for a purer witness in the
future".
AG/PARDON SINS/... VIS 990901 (330)
-!- MsgPost 1.1
! Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS New Orleans 1-504-897-6006 USR 33.6k (1:396/45)
-- Steve Quarrella Has Additional Comments --
I say we let him live with it.
... The Green Sheet brings you buyers!
Return to The Skeptic Tank's main Index page.
Steve Quarrella
John Paul II wants us to forgive the past
* Original: TO....... All (1:124/9005)
* Original: FORUM.... VATICAN - Vatican
* Forwarded by Silver Xpress
* Additional Comments by Steve Quarrella (1:124/9005)
The views and opinions stated within this web page are those of the
author or authors which wrote them and may not reflect the views and
opinions of the ISP or account user which hosts the web page. The
opinions may or may not be those of the Chairman of The Skeptic Tank.