Vatican Spokesman On Iraq, Europe And An Icon

[ironmonk]

[b]Vatican Spokesman on Iraq, Europe and an Icon[/b]
Interview With Joaquín Navarro Valls

[b]LES COMBES, Italy, JULY 11, 2004 (Zenit.org).- [/b]The establishment of an Iraqi government "counts a lot" in the country's ongoing reconstruction, says a Vatican spokesman.

Joaquín Navarro Valls, director of the Vatican press office, commented on that and other topics today in a brief interview on Italian public television station RAI Uno.

Navarro Valls gave the interview after the transmission of the Angelus, presided over by John Paul II.

Q: The situation continues to be very serious in Iraq, but now there is an Iraqi government for Iraqis. Is the Pope pleased about this?

Navarro Valls: Without a doubt. International law has been re-established, and this counts a lot. Now the concern must always be the same: The priority must be the well-being of Iraqis. All initiatives taken henceforth must start from this.

Q: The new European Constitutional Treaty will be signed in Rome on October 29. Can Europe face the future by severing its roots?

Navarro Valls: No. The fact that in the preamble there is no explicit reference to the Christian roots is a lack, and a serious lack, which, I think, makes this document less authoritative.

Moreover -- it must be said -- the Holy See has always encouraged any step toward European integration. In addition, in the same text of the Constitution, there are articles, specifically Article 51, which recognize the role of the Christian confessions in Europe.

Q: In the ecumenical endeavor, a highly symbolic step will be taken at the end of August with the Moscow Patriarchate.

Navarro Valls: Yes, we hope this will be so. On August 28 the sacred image of the icon of Kazan will be returned and before this the Pope would like to have a ceremony of devotion to this image, which has accompanied the Pope's work for many years, as he had it in his private study, in his apartment in Rome.

[M.SIGGA]

[quote name='ironmonk' date='Jul 11 2004, 09:35 PM'] Q: The new European Constitutional Treaty will be signed in Rome on October 29. Can Europe face the future by severing its roots?

Navarro Valls: No. The fact that in the preamble there is no explicit reference to the Christian roots is a lack, and a serious lack, which, I think, makes this document less authoritative.

Moreover -- it must be said -- the Holy See has always encouraged any step toward European integration. In addition, in the same text of the Constitution, there are articles, specifically Article 51, which recognize the role of the Christian confessions in Europe. [/quote]
This is a mighty funny coincidence since the Pope has already moved to beatify the founders of the European Union: Alcide De Gasperi, Robert Schuman and Konrad Adenauer. It's going to be mighty funny one day when all those secular euro-lawmakers will be adressing their architects as "Blessed" or "Saint."

[StColette]

I saw a crawl line on CNN about the Kazan Icon today pretty interesting

[conservativecatholic]

I have never heard of the Kazan Icon. What exactly is it and how symbolic is the meeting between the Pope and Moscow's Patriarch this August? What will that meeting enatail? Thanks so much and May God Bless!

[StColette]

[url="http://www.comeandseeicons.com/ati22.htm"]http://www.comeandseeicons.com/ati22.htm[/url]

[url="http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/a011rpKazan.htm"]http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/a011rpKazan.htm[/url]

those are articles about the Icon.

[M.SIGGA]

so does the pope get to go to russia?

[Crusader_4]

I think his Holiness made the right decision to give back the Icon to the Russian People...it has a really special place in their hearts more so then us and will do great things to bring our two parties together. Both sides need to make these sort of concessions (not nesscarily theological ones) in order for any dialogue to be successful.

[StColette]

Exactly, the Icon itself is in Fatima, in Kazan they have finally been able to rebuild a Church especially for this Icon. The story of the Icon is a truly amazing one, and will help bring the two parties together as Crusader said.

[Crusader_4]

I am going to elaborate a little more on what i have said before as i think its important. Both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox church have sooo much common ground that not to work together and come closer would be sinister. So these little things that have strong spiritual ties for individuals need to be done such as giving up an icon or meeting or such because we as followers need to see the Popes and patriachs take this actions its from my point of view really encouraging. As much as individuals here might dispute this the Orthodox have a lot they can teach us and vice versa and to not share and communicate and bring our parties together on common ground would make it nearly impoosible to come together on other more contreversial issues i.e. Papal Primacy

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='StColette' date='Jul 12 2004, 12:47 AM'] Exactly, the Icon itself is in Fatima, in Kazan they have finally been able to rebuild a Church especially for this Icon. The story of the Icon is a truly amazing one, and will help bring the two parties together as Crusader said. [/quote]
I thought the article said the Icon was in Rome?

[conservativecatholic]

Will The Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Church ever reunite? It seems as if The Vatican is very ecumenical while the Orthodox are stubborn and claim that they are the true Church. Reunification is at a standstill and will never occur unless the Orthodox accept that they are the ones who split from the true Church. Returning the Kazan Icon, in my opinion, will just fuel Orthodox pride and weaken the chances of healing the 1,000 year old split.

[StColette]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' date='Jul 12 2004, 11:36 AM'] I thought the article said the Icon was in Rome? [/quote]
from the first article [quote]That icon disappeared in 1905 and is rumored to be the same icon that was sold in America in 1970 to a Roman Catholic society. It is now in a Marian shrine of Fatima, Portugal.[/quote]

I had read about this Icon earlier in a book that I have on Visions of Mary. This articles dates are a litte off but they got the place where the Icon is correct lol

[Crusader_4]

ConservativeCatholic although i do admire your zeal for the Church i disagree with you here. I think that we need to show the way to reunification showing that we for lack of better words are putting the proof in the pudding and although it may boost the Orthodox ego we are being humble and are trying. If we never try nothing will ever be accomplished.

[Good Friday]

[quote name='conservativecatholic']Will The Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Church ever reunite? It seems as if The Vatican is very ecumenical while the Orthodox are stubborn and claim that they are the true Church. Reunification is at a standstill and will never occur unless the Orthodox accept that they are the ones who split from the true Church. Returning the Kazan Icon, in my opinion, will just fuel Orthodox pride and weaken the chances of healing the 1,000 year old split.[/quote]
While I agree that the Orthodox aren't making leaps and bounds toward reunion, I think the return of the Kazan Icon is a step in the right direction. After all, the Kazan Icon was created by the Eastern Church (at least I think, I don't know much about it) and so really belongs to the Eastern Church. The Holy Father has recognized this and is returning it to them.

I think it's a step in the right direction because it shows that we are willing to work with the Russian Orthodox Church even though they are not, at this time, willing to work with us. It shows that we're keeping those channels open, and that we want to be one Church when and if they're ready for that. I think it's a good move, because our relations with Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church are particularly bad.

[catholicguy]

The odd thing is that we make every concession imaginable, but the Eastern Schismatics make no concessions whatsoever (or, very little)... It is quite frustrating to say the least (not that I support concessions to schismatics in the first place).