Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Receiving in audience on 31 January the participants at the Plenary session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI began by expressing sentiments of “deep gratitude and warm appreciation” for the Congregation's activity “at the service of the ministry of unity, entrusted in a special way to the Roman Pontiff”. He then underlined the importance of two documents issued last year by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, “which gave certain clarifications necessary for the correct functioning of ecumenical dialogue, and of dialogue with the religions and
cultures of the world".
With regard to the first document "Responses to some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church", the Holy Father said it confirmed that “the one and only Church of Christ has subsistence, permanence and stability in the Catholic Church and, consequently, that the unity, indivisibility and indestructibility of the Church of Christ is not invalidated by separations and divisions among Christians. Besides these fundamental doctrinal clarifications, the Document re-proposes correct use of certain ecclesiological expressions, in danger of being misunderstood, and called attention to the difference which still remains between the different Christian confessions with regard to the understanding of being Church, in the strictly theological sense”. These statements intend also to encourage authentic ecumenical commitment “to ensure that discussion of doctrinal questions is always carried out with realism and with complete awareness of the aspects that still divide Christian confessions, as well as in joyful recognition of the truths of faith commonly professed and the necessity to pray without ceasing in order to walk more swiftly towards greater and in the end full unity among Christians”.
The second document issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in December 2007 - "Doctrinal Note on some aspects of evangelisation", “ stresses that the Church, in a time of
dialogue between religions and cultures, is not dispensed from the need to evangelise and undertake missionary activity among peoples, nor does she cease asking mankind to accept the salvation that is offered to everyone. The recognition of elements of truth and goodness in other religions of the
world, and the serious nature of their religious efforts, dialogue and collaboration with them in the defence and promotion of the dignity of the human person and of universal moral values, cannot be
understood as a limitation to the Church's missionary task, which involves her in the constant announcement of Christ as the way, the truth and the life.”
The Holy Father exhorted the participants at the Plenary Session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith “to follow with particular attention the sensitive and complex issues of bioethics”, since new biomedical technology “is diffused by the modern means of social communications, giving rise to expectations and questions in ever vaster sectors of society”. The Magisterium of the Church “cannot and should not intervene on every scientific
innovation. Rather, it has the task of reiterating the great values at stake, and providing the faithful, and all men and women of good will, with ethical-moral principals and guidelines for these new and important questions” taking as a basis two fundamental criteria: “a) unconditioned respect for the human being as a person from conception to natural death, b) respect for the originality of the transmission of human life through acts proper to husband and wife”.
With regard to criticism of the Church's Magisterium, “as if it were a hindrance for science and true progress of humanity”, the Pope underlined that "new problems" associated with such questions as "the freezing of human embryos, embryonal reduction, pre-implantation diagnosis,
stem cell research and attempts at human cloning, show clearly that clearly show how, with artificial insemination outside the body, the barrier protecting human dignity has been broken. When human beings in the weakest and most defenceless stage of their existence are selected,
abandoned, killed or used as pure 'biological matter', how can it be denied that they are no longer being treated as 'someone' but as 'something', thus placing the very concept of human dignity in doubt?”
Coming to the end of his address the Holy Father highlighted how "the Church appreciates and encourages progress in the biomedical sciences, which opens up previously unimagined therapeutic possibilities". At the same time …"she feels the need to enlighten everyone's consciences so that scientific progress may be truly respectful of all human beings, who must be recognised as having individual dignity because they have been created in the image of God”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 1/2/2008; righe 55, parole 761)
