COMMUNIQUE ON GERMAN CATHOLIC CONSULTING CENTERS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 16, 1999 (VIS) - Made public this afternoon was the following communique on yesterday's meeting at Castelgandolfo between the Holy Father and several German bishops on matters relative to Catholic family consulting centers in Germany which provide counselling services and certificates to pregnant women in difficulty:

"In the late morning of September 15, 1999, a meeting took place with the Holy Father John Paul II to deal with the well known question of the correct insertion of Catholic consulting centers in the consultation service provided by German State regulations. Taking part in the meeting, on the part of the Holy See, were Cardinals Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Angelo Sodano, secretary of State. Also, Archbishops Tarcisio Bertone, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith, and Paolo Sardi, apostolic nuncio with special charges. The German episcopate was represented by Cardinals Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne; Friedrich Wetter, archbishop of Munich and Freising and Georg Sterzinsky, archbishop of Berlin. Also present was Bishop Karl Lehmann of Magonza, president of the German Episcopal Conference.

"On this question, the Pope has already sent three letters to the German bishops. Following the latest pontifical letter of June 3, the bishops decided, in conformity with the provisions of the Pope, to add the following phrase to the certificate: 'This certificate cannot be used for carrying out decriminalized abortion.' Due to this decision a debate arose that has damaged the unity of the Church in Germany and caused questions to be asked of the Holy See. In the end it was pointed out that the above phrase would not, in fact, alter the value of the certificate issued by Catholic consulting centers, and that it (the certificate) would consequently serve as an access to abortion.

"On the basis of instructions given by the Holy Father to Cardinals Ratzinger and Sodano, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Secretariat of State have formulated a project in response to the above-mentioned questions. This project was the subject of the meeting between the Holy See representatives and the four German prelates. The definitive text of the response, in accordance with the Pope's wishes, will be transmitted to the president of the German Episcopal Conference, Bishop Karl Lehmann, and made public in that body's forthcoming plenary assembly.

"The meeting took place in an objective and friendly atmosphere. The aim of the Holy Father's instructions is to serve the internal unity of the Church, as well as to guarantee the correct formation of consciences and the clear witness and full credibility of the Church, as well as to better help women in difficulties."

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