INTERVIEW WITH CARDINAL RATZINGER FOLLOWING MEETING IN U.S.

VATICAN CITY, FEB 25, 1999 (VIS) - Following are some excerpts from an interview given by Cardinal Ratzinger to Vatican Radio following his meeting with the presidents of the doctrinal commissions of North America and Oceania which took place in San Francisco, U.S.A., from February 9 to 12.

Question: What were the main issues discussed during this meeting?

Answer: "The starting point of the discussion was the context of relativism, secularization and subjectivism, in which all theology must be studied, respecting the cultural context and at the same time enlightening the specificity or our faith, particularly emphasizing Christology, which is the center of our faith. We looked at different problems, especially those following the publication last summer of the Holy Father's document 'Ad tuendam fidem' with questions concerning the freedom and essential role of the faith in theology and how academic freedom and the freedom of the research of thought are in harmony with the duty of how to deepen the faith. It seems that we dealt with those points. Documents will be published and thus the important points can be read. The essence of this document is also very clear, often badly interpreted, in that it does not impose new constraints on the theologian and theology, but on the contrary, among possible solutions, as Archbishop Pilarczyk of Cincinnati said, 'the Holy Father has chosen the most moderate and open one'."

Q: Have there been any changes on the themes of homosexuality and feminism?

A: "On these two problems of homosexuality and feminism, which in the cultural situation of these areas (North America and Oceania) are very important, we heard two speeches of great depth: Australian Archbishop D'Arcy spoke on homosexuality, and highlighted the anthropological aspect, the cultural context and Christian moral values. Afterwards, there was also a very interesting speech from the Canadian Cardinal Ambrozic, archbishop of Toronto, on feminism, which showed that there are various points in common between feminism and the Catholic Church, and that it is not correct and it is even absurd to consider all under the aspect of the ordination of women to the priesthood. Thus the prelate highlighted that holiness has primacy 'over every structure and every distinction in the Church of Christ'."

On July 1, 1998 VIS published an explanatory note on John Paul II's Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio 'Ad tuendam fidem'. In this letter there are various norms referring to the formulation of the profession of faith, to the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches. These modifications are to explain that truths concerning the faith and morals put forward by the Magisterium of the Church must also be accepted definitively, even though they may not have been dogmatically defined.

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