POPE CRITICISES ITALIAN VERDICT
PERTH, WA: NOVEMBER 5-11, 1981 TELEPHONE: (09) 328 1388
NUMBER: 2264 PRICE: 30 cents
I Cathedral desecrated I
VATICAN CITY: Pope John Paul has criticised the political conscience of the Italian electorate which in a referendum last May rejected by a two-to-one vote restriction of Italy's abortion law. The Pope also said that Catholic social teaching goes beyond the shifting sands of political systems and ideologies.
With over 150 Savings Centres throughout Western Australia, we're near you. But no other building sod comes near us.
"Pluralism becomes national congress on unlawful when it departs November 25 to discuss from what is the basis of renewal of the party, have Christian commitment in been affected in recent society," he said. years by several major polThe conference also itical scandals involving heard an address by Jesuit corruption in public office. In a talk widely interpreted as indicating papal Father Bartolomeo Sorge, "There is no doubt that dissatisfaction with the director of the Jesuit bi- the presence of Catholics Christian commitment of weekly, Civilta Cattolica, in Italian politics finds Italy's overwhelmingly who issued a veiled warn- itself today at a crossCatholic population, the ing to members of the Ital- roads," Father Sorge Pope said political plural- ian Christian Democratic added. ism has "inherent limits" Party, which has strong He called for "a progresties to the Catholic sive separation of the for believers. Church from politics in the He also repeated the Church. teaching of the Second "From today, the politi- strict sense" and a greater Vatican Council that "sep- cal support of Catholics non-political involvement aration of faith and social must be merited through by the Church in social and commitment is an error, an upright morality and cultural matters. Recently the Italian because it implies and the adherence of politiassumes a concept of faith cians with the values to bishops called Christians a not conforming to the tra- which they aspire," he said. "minority force in the dition of the Church and The Christian Demo- social, political and moral not conforming to a uni- crats, scheduled to begin a life of Italy." fied and complete vision of man." Pope John Paul was Father McCrann at the empty tabernacle on addressing participants in the Sacred Heart altar wrecked by an intruder a conference on the encyclical rerum novarum at the in St Mary's Cathedral. Lateran University markSurveillance will not be increased ing the 90th anniversary of at St Mary's Cathedral following a Pope Leo XIII's document, which is the first break-in last weekend, according to papal social encyclical of the acting administrator, Father the industrial era. "Adhering to one's faith Peter McCrann. does not prevent ChrisNo clues have appeared so far asto the iden- tian from beingthepresent tity of the intruder who broke into the empty and committed in the tabernacle on the Sacred Heart altar and building of society. peeled back the beaten silver skin on the main "This adherence, lived tabernacle but could not force the 6mm steel without compromises, assures. .. .the presence of a door. Entry to the cathedral is thought to have taken place light, of a truth, of a life in through a side window of which the leadlight glass was which social relations are broken. Following a similar break-in several years ago born and are built on the steel covers were fitted to several other accessible win- recognition of human dignity," the Pope said. dows on the cathedral. The Catholic bishops of the area have given The intruder left by the front door of the cathedral He said there can be no no clear answer to the question but have which was found ajar when the caretaker came to open justification for "infidelity" to the Church's social defended the integrity of six children reputed the building on Saturday morning. to have seen the apparitions and also have Father McCrann said that it was significant that the teaching. intruder had not bothered to force any of the money He criticised Catholics denied that it was fabricated by the pastor, boxes at the church entrances. Two cigarette butts were who act as if the Church Father Zovko. A blind man, a paralysed boy and a woman with found on the sanctuary steps and a small candle from were "built of the shifting sands of ideologies and not cancer feel certain of a divine intervention because, they the tabernacle altar had been displaced. Father McCrann said that daytime surveillance of the on the rock of a truth say, they have recovered their health. cathedral depended on the groundsmen, sacristan and which is above and beyond At Medjugorje, four girls and two boys between the others in the vicinity. He said that the cathedral had all ideologies and all sys- ages of 10 and 17, say the Mother of Christ first been relatively free of major vandalism and that extra tems and is in itself the cri- appeared to them. terion of judgement." Since that day, they add, the site of the apparitions surveillance did not seem warranted at °resent. Pope John Paul also indi- has been transferred to St James, the parish church in rectly criticised the Italian the village, where Mary has appeared to them nine more * electorate for its May 1981 times. * rejection of a referendum The six children are the only ones claiming to haNe * which would have res- seen the apparitions. tricted Italy's liberal aborCrowds began coming to the parish church each even* ton • * law. The proposal, ing to hear the preaching of the pastor, 40-year-old * backed by the Italian Franciscan Father Jozo Zovko. * * bishops and the Pope, lost Father Zovko said that he could not document the ,* by a two-to-one margin. apparition, but his attitude was that if such an event Pluralism must have its could happen at Lourdes and Fatima, it could also * limits and take into happen in Yugoslavia. * account the historic conOn Sundays upwards of 5,000 pilgrims flocked to the text in which the Christian church in the tiny village and on the feast of the . is called to function," he Assumption 25,000 people are reported to have been said. present. * Pluralism cannot make On August 17 local government officials cordoned off it lawful for the Christian the church and the parish house in a move to discourage * to make choices incompat- further pilgrimages. Pilgrimages were banned and the ible with Christian faith or financial donations made by visitors were taken by the . with the basic values of government. * mankind. Communist officials say that the apparitions were * Such a step would consti- concocted as a part of a movement to advance the cause tute a denial of one's Chris- of independence for Croatia, one of the six republics ti tan an identity, encouraging which make up the Federation of Yugoslavia. * a vision of society which Among the accusations brought against Father * contradicts the deepest Zovko was that he preached against the communist * values of the human regime and called for an end to the "chains the country person. has been bound in".
V isions uproar
BELGRADE — Yugoslavia. Over the past six months, up to 500,000 pilgrims are said to have gone to the Northern Croatian town of Medjugorje where communists say apparitions of Our Lady have been concocted and the pastor has been gaoled for 31 2 / years.
INSIDE WA'S OLOEST, WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Town & Country.
Seitimj the Pace. Town & Country Permanent Building Society 297 Murray Street. Perth Telephone 327_3333
! IYDP displays....—...,.. P 2 « "Apostle of Unity" centenary 3 i Bishop on RTLA 4 : enthusiasm in marriage 5 « She builds a bridge 6 1., Today's People ..7 : Meaning of Sunday 8 : 'This Week on TV 9 I : Woman of the Week ....10 : CPY key leaders train 11 : Just for Kids 12 i Lady of Mt Carmel school 13 : Death of a model mother .....-14 : Best Bets 15 « Catholic media review 16
.*